2006 National League MVP has signed an exclusive marketing deal with Topps.  It will be begin with all 2007 baseball products.

It gives Topps exclusive rights for autographed baseball cards, game-used memorabilia cards and also the use of Howard’s image in advertising and on packaging.

Topps also has an exclusive with New York Mets’ third baseman David Wright.

These exclusive deals may or may not help the card companies in regards to their marketing campaigns but in the long run I believe it negatively impacts the collector.  Is it going to reach a point where there are so many exclusive deals that collectors are going to have no choice but to buy multiple brands in order to pull AUTO or GU cards of their favorite players?

Tags:Baseball, Exclusive, Ryan-Howard, Topps

Topps has released the list of shortprints from the recently released Bowman Heritage baseball card set.  The set has the same design as the 1949 Bowman set.  There is one shortprint for every three packs.

251  Mickey Mantle
252  Hank Blalock
253  Manny Ramirez
254  Mike Mussina
255  Greg Maddux
256  Jason Giambi
257  Mark Teixeira
258  Carlos Beltran
259  Matt Holliday
260  Pedro Martinez
261  Joe Mauer
262  Melvin Mora
263  Mike Piazza
264  B.J. Upton
265  Vernon Wells
266  Gary Sheffield
267  Randy Johnson
268  Ryan Zimmerman
269  Lance Berkman
270  Johan Santana
271  Carlos Lee
272  Brandon Webb
273  Adam Dunn
274  Michael Young
275  Barry Bonds
276  Jonathan Papelbon
277  Howie Kendrick
278  Melky Cabrera
279  Jered Weaver
280  Josh Barfield
281  Chuck James
282  Lastings Milledge
283  Nick Markakis
284  Jose Capellan
285  Prince Fielder
286  Jason Botts
287  Eliezer Alfonzo
288  Sean Marshall
289  Ryan Garko
290  Stephen Drew
291  Joel Guzman
292  Kuo Hong Chih
293  Zach Miner
294  Angel Guzman
295  Andre Ethier
296  Fausto Carmona
297  Ronny Paulino
298  Matt Cain
299  Carlos Quentin
300  Kenji Johjima

Tags:Baseball, Bowman-Heritage, SP

There was a rumor floating around that the NFL Players Association or NFL was not going to renew Donruss’ license to product football trading cards in 2007 and beyond.  Now various posting around the ‘net post to Donruss being renewed for 2007 and possibly through 2009.

It would have been a major shame if Donruss was forced out of the football card business.  Their products seem to provide the best value to pack busters.  Their Playoff Contenders set is anually one of the most popular.

Tags:Donruss, Football

In an upcoming series of posts, I’m going to take a look at the different football rookie cards in each year starting with 1980.  Each year will be rated from 1-10.  The rating criteria will be quality of rookies, Hall of Fame or Hall of Fame potential of that year.  Once I reach 2006, I will rank my Top 5 Rookie Card crops of all time.

Tags:Football, Rookie

According to Beckett.com, a fourth version of Reggie Bush’ Topps rookie card has been discovered. 

• Version #1 (bottom left) is the most prevalent version and was inserted into 2006 Topps Packs.
• Version #2 (top left) was first found in New Orleans Saints packaged team sets.  It had Bush in his #5 jersey from the Rookie photo shoot.
• Version #3 (bottom right) replaced the #5 jersey card in the packaged team sets after the NFL ruled that he could not wear the #5 jersey.
• Version #4 (top right) is the new discovered variation which is believed to be found only in 2006 Topps football factory sets.

Tags:Football, Reggie-Bush, Topps, Variation

Topps Turkey Red Football was released recently and like Topps Heritage Football it contains a large number of Shortprinted (SP) cards.

Although not confirmed by Topps, these appear to be the 50 shortprint Cards and the 13 variation cards.

50 SHORTPRINTS

• 181 – Joseph Addai
• 182 – Sinorice Moss
• 184 – Vernon Davis
• 185 – Brandon Williams
• 186 – Derek Hagan
• 187 – Brian Calhoun
• 188 – Mario Williams
• 189 – DeAngelo Williams
• 190 – Jay Cutler
• 191 – A.J. Hawk
• 193 – Laurence Maroney
• 194 – D’Brickashaw Ferguson
• 195 – Jason Avant
• 196 – Brodie Croyle
• 197 – Michael Huff
• 198 – LenDale White
• 199 – Marcedes Lewis
• 200 – Travis Wilson
• 201 – Haloti Ngata
• 202 – Greg Jennings
• 203 – Leon Washington
• 204 – Tamba Hali
• 205 – Santonio Holmes
• 206 – Jerome Harrison
• 207 – Tarvaris Jackson
• 208 – Mathias Kiwanuka
• 209 – Omar Jacobs
• 210 – Daniel Bullocks
• 211 – Demetrius Williams
• 212 – Bobby Carpenter
• 213 – Tye Hill
• 214 – Chad Jackson
• 215 – Joe Klopfenstein
• 216 – Kamerion Wimbley
• 217 – Michael Robinson
• 218 – David Thomas
• 219 – Charlie Whitehurst
• 220 - Jerious Norwood
• 221 – Bruce Gradkowski
• 222 – Kellen Clemens
• 223 – Thomas Howard
• 224 – Anthony Fasano
• 225 – Maurice Drew-Jones
• 226 – Antonio Cromartie
• 227 – Chad Greenway
• 230 – Maurice Stovall
• 228 – Jimmy Williams
• 268 – Robert Ferguson
• 272 – Jason Witten
• 274 – Daunte Culpepper

VARIATIONS

• 110 – Steve McNair
• 111 – Chad Johnson
• 183 – Vince Young*
• 229 – Matt Leinart*
• 231 – Carson Palmer
• 273 – Randy Moss
• 279 – Hines Ward
• 280 – Tom Brady
• 282 – Shaun Alexander
• 284 – Ben Roethlisberger
• 308 – Larry Johnson
• 311 – TIki Barber*
• 315 – Peyton Manning*

* SP Variations

Thanks to eBay powerseller primecardz for the listing.

Tags:Football, SP, Topps, Turkey-Red

The NBA has selected the 32 finalists for the NBA Hobby Shop Makeover contest.  The winning shop will received a complete makeover by Celebrity Designer Michael Moloney of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition fame.

The shop that collects the most NBA trading card pack wrappers between December 1, 2006 and February 28, 2007 will be the winner.

Customer will also have a change at winning the following:

• (4) First Prize winners will receive a year’s worth of NBA Trading Cards
• (250) Second Prize winners will receive a Trading Card Mini-Binder
• (500) Third Prize winners will receive an ERTL Collectibles NBA Die Cast Vehicle

Customers will also receive an entry form for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2007 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot in New York and a year’s worth of NBA trading cards.

For qualifying shops, please visit http://www.nba.com/hobbyshopmakeover/

Tags:Basketball, Contest, NBA

Tony Romo has been absent from most 2006 football sets.  The only cards he has had up to this point were in the 2006 Topps Total Set.  In that set he appears on a card with former Dallas QB Drew Henson.

His 2003 Playoff Contenders Autographed Rookie Card has been soaring in recent weeks.

Romo will appear by himself for the first time in 2006 in the Playoff Contenders set that will be issued by Donruss Playoff.

Tags:Donruss, Football, Playoff-Contenders, Tony-Romo

Earlier this year, Donruss and Pop Warner announced an exclusive relationship.  This week Pop Warner is holding their “Super Bowl” at Disney in Orlando, FL.

Donruss will distribute thousands of packs and samples to the kids.  Donruss will distribute over 2,000 Pop Warner Super Bowl sets during the final games on Friday and Saturday.  The packs contain six players who played Pop Warner ball.  These six cards which look like the 2006 Donruss Classics football design will be Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Donovan McNabb, Larry Fitzgerald, LaDainian Tomlinson and Marcus Allen.

Tags:Donruss, Football, Pop-Warner, Promotion

Cal Ripken Jr. has signed an exclusive trading card and autograph deal with trading card powerhouse Upper Deck.  He will be included in upcoming Upper Deck sets and on packaging.

“I am excited to be part of another great team dedicated to providing collectors with the best quality collectible card items in the marketplace,” said Cal Ripken, Jr., first time eligible Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. “Upper Deck is well-known for being the leader in the collectibles industry, and I know that this is going to be a great relationship.”

Ripken, most known for holding the all-time consecutive records game streak at 2632 games, will most likely be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Tags:Baseball, Cal-Ripken-Jr., Upper-Deck

Topps has announced the members of the 48th annual Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team.

The members are:

1B – Prince Fielder (Milwaukee Brewers)
2B – Dan Uggla (Florida Marlins)
3B – Ryan Zimmerman (Washington Nationals)
SS – Hanley Ramirez (Florida Marlins)
OF – Melky Cabrera (New York Yankees)
OF – Andre Ethier (Los Angeles Dodgers)
OF – Nick Markakis (Baltimore Orioles)
CA – Russell Martin (Los Angeles Dodgers)

PI – Justin Verlander (Detroit Lions)
PI – Francisco Liriano (Minnesota Twins)

The team is voted on by Major League managers and has been chosen since 1959.  There are 14 former selections who are now in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Their cards will be designated with a trophy on their card in Topps Series One.

Tags:Baseball, Rookie, Topps

 Since Tony Romo was named the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, his cards have been steadily increasing in value.  There are a few reasons that have led to the accelerated price appreciation.

• Romo was not drafted so he does not have as rookie cards in 2003 sets as high profile quarterbacks such as Carson Palmer and Byron Leftwich.
• The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most collectible teams and have one of the largest fan bases nationwide.
• He has performed at a very high level since being named the starter.

A quick review of some of Romo’s rookie cards below shows what the latest price is in the Beckett Football Card Price Guide and what is being realized for cards on Ebay.

A 2003 SP Authentic Gold Autograph (#’d to 25) recently sold for $1200.

Tags:Football, Tony-Romo