Topps has teamed up with CMG Worldwide and signed an exclusive agreement for the rights to produce trading cards of 16 major league baseball legends.  The deal, which lasts through 2010, gives Topps exclusivity in trading cards, including game-used and insert cards.

The 16 former players include Jackie Robinson, Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Thurman Munson, Roy Campanella, Rogers Hornsby, Lou Gehrig, Cy Young, Mel Ott, Johnny Mize, Jimmie Foxx, Honus Wagner, Pee Wee Reese, George Sisler and Christy Mathewson.

The first cards will be featured in the upcoming Topps Triple Threads baseball product and will include triple game-used memorabilia cards including the combination of Honus Wagner, Lou Gehrig and Ty Cobb.

Topps also holds exclusive card rights to Mickey Mantle and game-used and autographed cards of current stars David Wright and Ryan Howard.

Tags:Exclusive, Honus-Wagner, Lou Gehrig, Mickey-Mantle, Topps

A BGS-graded Pristine 10 2001 SP Authentic rookie card of Tiger Woods sold recently on eBay for $16,600.

The card received 3 subgrades of 10 and 1 9.5.   It is only 1 of 6 Pristine 10’s listed in the Beckett BGS Population reports for this card.

Tags:Golf, Tiger Woods

Upper Deck has suspended it’s Brick & Mortar Distribution program that it implemented earlier this year.

The program restricted distributors from selling to anyone besides retail hobby stores.  I’m guessing it had a negative effect on their bottom line.

Below is their statement:

North Las Vegas, NV: The Upper Deck Company announces today that, effective immediately, the terms of its 2007 Hobby Distribution and Brick & Mortar program will be suspended until further notice. The leading manufacturer of trading cards is committed to the long-term welfare and viability of the hobby market, and is constantly evaluating and looking for ways to help its distributor and retailer partners. While The Upper Deck Company is committed to its current sales program, the short-term health of the Hobby business takes priority at this juncture. As we enter the holiday season, it is important that the Hobby market maximize sales opportunities, end the year strong and prepare for a successful 2008. The Upper Deck Company will revisit its program in the future, and make any and all adjustments that it deems necessary.

Tags:Company News, Upper-Deck

Donruss has confirmed the existence of an unlisted autograph in 2007 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia football.

The cards feature autographed embossed logos of rookies from this year’s draft. The rookies signed the logos during the NFL Rookie Premier. There are two versions, a base foil card with a signature, standard swatch and serial-numbered out of 25 and a holographic version featuring a signature, prime swatch and serial-numbered out of 10.

Tags:Donruss, Football, Playoff-Absolute-Memorabilia

Topps has launched the 2007 eTopps Football product line. On Monday, they made available 5 cards for this year’s set. The highlight from these first five is rookie Adrian Peterson who had over 100 yards rushing in his debut and a 60 yard receiving touchdown.

The cards released on Monday are as follows:

These cards will be on sale from Monday 9/10/07 until Thursday 9/13/07 1:00 PM ET

Tags:Adrian-Peterson, eTopps, Football

Upper Deck has named San Francisco Giants rookie pitcher Tim Lincecum as Rookie of the Month for August.

The Rookie of the Month set will feature a total of six rookies throughout the baseball season. Collectors can redeem 5 Upper Deck or Fleer wrappers for the a card each month at their local hobby shop.

The previous winners this year where:

April: Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston Red Sox
May: Fred Lewis, San Francisco Giants
June: Hunter Pence, Houston Astros
July: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers

Tags:Baseball, Rookie-of-the-Month, Tim-Lincecum, Upper-Deck

On Tuesday, Upper Deck announced that they were withdrawing their offer for The Topps Co.

Upper Deck, which had offered $10.75 per share ($425 million), said in a letter that Topps put up roadblocks to the deal as apart of a “deliberate effort” to discredit Upper Deck publicly and within Topps, defeat its offer and justify management support of a $385 million offer from private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners LLC and Tornante Co, an investment group led by former Walt Disney chief Michael Eisner.

Collectors everywhere are rejoicing!!!

Tags:Company News, Topps, Upper-Deck

Donruss is offering one lucky collector the chance to attend the first NFL regular season game in London on October 28. The game will be played between the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants.

The grand prize includes two game tickets, hotel and airfare. Ten runner-ups will receive an autographed mini-helmet from NFL rookies. 20 second place winners will receive a 2007 Score football factory set.

Collectors can enter by sending in an entry card found exclusively in 2007 Score Football at Walmart or a 3 1/2″ x 5″ piece of paper mailed to NFL “Game In London, England” Sweepstake, 2300 E. Randol Mill Rd., Arlington, TX 76011-6333.

Donruss will be distributing a special six card set during the game. The set will include Eli Manning, Steve Smith, Jeremy Shockey, Jason Taylor, Ted Ginn Jr. and Ronnie Brown.

Tags:Company News, Donruss, Football, Promotion

A 2007 Topps Allen & Ginter Cut Autograph card of Mother Theresa has sold for $10,099.99 via eBay.

The 1/1 card received over 105,000 views and 45 bids. The cut signature also has an inscription that says “God Bless You”.

The card has been authenticated by Beckett Grading Services.

Tags:Allen-&-Ginter, Auction, Topps

Topps announced the final 2 redemptions from 2007 Topps Finest Baseball. Card #9 is Philip Hughes of the New York Yankees and Card #10 in an autographed Joba Chamberlain also from the New York Yankees.

Here is a list of all ten redemptions:

1) Hideki Okajima, Boston Red Sox
2) Elijah Dukes, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
3) Akinori Iwamura, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
4) Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
5) Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston Red Sox
6) Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
7) Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima, Boston Red Sox
8) Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks
9) Philip Hughes, New York Yankees
10) Joba Chamberlain, New York Yankees (Autograph)

Tags:Baseball, Finest, Joba-Chamberlain, Philip-Hughes, Redemption, Topps

Topps company president Arthur Shorin has issued a letter to shareholders laying out the facts and asking them to vote for the Michael Eisner led Tornante Holdings acquisition for $9.75.

Upper Deck has also been trying to acquire Topps and has offered $10.75 per share but according to the letter: “…in spite of the Board’s best efforts, we have not reached a consensual transaction with Upper Deck to date and the Tornante - MDP transaction for $9.75 per share in cash is the only binding offer received.”

Tags:Company News, Topps, Upper-Deck

Donruss has announced that they are producing a special 6-card set for members of the Dallas Cowboys Kids Fan Club. The players featured in the set will be Tony Romo, Terry Glenn, Jason Witten, DeMarcus Ware, Roy Williams and Terence Newman.

Every child that registers will receive the following Cowboys collector items:

• Personalized welcome letter from Jerry Jones
• Rowdy Rookies exclusive Donruss football cards
• Autographed 8 x 10 by Rowdy (The Official Mascot of the Dallas Cowboys)
• 8 x 10 Official membership certificate
• Drawstring bag with the Rowdy Rookies logo
• Rowdy Rookies coloring book
• Rowdy Rookies sticker set
• Die-cut Rowdy Rookies logo sticker
• Logo button with Rowdy Rookies logo
• Rowdy logo fridge magnet
• Personalized wallet-size membership card
• Access to the Kids Club website featuring games, downloads and Football 101 for kids
• Two free tickets to a Dallas Desperados home game

For more information, visit www.DallasCowboys.com

Tags:Dallas-Cowboys, Donruss, Football, Promotion