My Sportcards Featuring Brandon Marshall…

These are just a few of my new Miami Dolphins Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall sports cards.

Brandon Marshall left the Denver Broncos after a rocky relationship, both on and off the field. The Miami Dolphins acquired Brandon Marshall for a four year contract and a check for the sum $47.5 million. The two time Pro-Bowler, Marshall has caught over 100 passes and 10 touchdowns. Although traded for a second round draft picks for 2010 and 2011, it just might be what the Dolphins are looking for. As Brandon Marshall has said “the past is just that, the past”; he is putting everything behind him and starting over. Everyone deserves a second chance or maybe third or fourth.

Almost all Sports athletes get caught up in the hoopla of being a celebrity and all the hype. Time will only tell as to how Brandon Marshall with do with the Dolphins and in the Miami area.

After arriving at the Plantation Training facility for the Miami Dolphins, Marshall held a 20-minute news conference. Stating he wants to be the best receiver in the NFL while helping his new team, the Miami Dolphins, win and because he has learned from past mistakes, the Miami Dolphins do not need to worry that he’ll get into further trouble.

It is not sure what number Brandon Marshall will wear since Rookie Davone Bess is already in the No. 15. Marshall is not concerned about the number he is going to wear, he is just worried about how many touch downs he can make.

Good luck on your teams Drafts and coming season.

A Fins Fan Santos

Tim Tebow on Sportcards…

I do admit that he was a great college football player/quarterback. How well will he do in the National Football League. Tebow’s numbers in 2009 consisted of a 164.17 Ratting, 2,895 Yards and 21 touchdowns, but overall Statistic of 9,285 yards and 88. I do believe the numbers will speak for themselves when it comes time for the NFL Draft. Tebow knows how to stay in protection and when to run out of the pocket for safety, Tebow has the tangibles and is a very disciplined athlete that will be willing to put in the time needed in changing over to a pro ball style of play. No matter what he does, his college legacy at Florida will forever solidify him as a top collectible and be highly sought after.

As collectors will be hounding for his cards when they come out. Many will look for the cards to keep, others will try to make a profit on the cards.
Tim Tebow was homeschooled by his mother, who also worked to instill the family’s deep religious beliefs along the way. Tebow was allowed to play football in his county in 1996 when a legislation was passed in Florida allowing homeschooled students to compete in local high school sporting events. The law specifies that home school students may participate on the team of the local school in the county and school district in which they live. Tebows lived in Duval County and played linebacker and tight end for Trinity Christian in Jacksonville for one season, but his dream was to play quarterback. Tebow began to explore his options to fulfill his dream. Coach Craig Howard at Nease High School, was known for his passing offense so Tim and his mother moved in to an apartment down the street from the Nease High School in St. Johns County. With the rest of his family living on a farm in Jacksonville, Tim began playing quarterback for Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach and his performance soon began to turn some heads. Despite having parental and sibling ties to the University of Florida, Tim remained open-minded during the recruiting process and became very close to Alabama coach Mike Shula. But after careful consideration and much deliberation, he decided to play for the team he felt best suited his skills and style of play. Tim Tebow chose to play for coach Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators, who employ a similar “spread option” offense that he excelled in at Nease High School.
The rest as we all know is history.

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Tim Tebow Florida Gators NIKE SEWN Rivalry Jersey

Baseball Cards, Quick Note…

Since collecting baseball cards for some years now, I still get anxious awaiting to open the packs or the boxes. Sometimes I can’t even wait to get home, I open them after purchasing them at the local card store or the local Market. I just can’t wait to get home.

I purchase the packs for the quantity of cards in pack, I often buy a pack or box to try and get that elussive card everyone is looking for, an authentic autograph with an authentic worn material. There are so many cards to look for and wish you can pull out of the packs. I still have a couple of boxes that are still sealed and I don’t think I will open, well if I can’t find any packs or boxes to open, I might give in.

I recently started buying the boxes that contain 5 to 10 packs and are guaranteed an authentic jersey piece or autograph. The only thing is, I keep getting the not so named players, I did once get a Carmello Anthony authentic jersey piece and one of Brett Favre (Green Bay) and the Vikings Quarterback that I can’t think of right now, and I’m in Maine visiting in-laws, so I can’t go look at the card and see who the Quarterback is. There were other good cards that I have pulled, from Rookies to other players you and other people are looking for.
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Santana Moss Sighting

Found Santana Moss at my Wal-Mart signing autographs this evening (02-03-10). I didn’t even know about it, therew were no displays yesterday when I went and spent some $200 in groceries. So I headed to the sports section to pick up an official football to get it signed. To my dismay, when I got to the line, it had been tagged and I was to late. That close and no signature, not the first time this happens to me. But was able to snap a cell phone pic for this article. Enjoy.

The Card Grading Companies…

Now don’t’ just think that collecting cards is just for fun. Now there are many companies that make their money just selling the cards in packs, team sets, or boxes, full or partial sets, other companies make their money from selling single cards or Authentic Worn Jersey, Used Football, Used Bats/Lumber, and Used Basketball Piece. While other companies profit from grading and authenticating memorabilia. These companies whose main goal is to put a grade on most sought-after cards on the market. Authentication of the jersey is mainly the companies that is putting the piece of jersey on its card, and is authenticated by the card company itself.

For Autographed cards, the card will come Authenticated by the card company, the company statement on the back of the card will state the Authenticity of the Autograph.

There are several companies that profit from grading and authenticating an autograph.

Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), Beckett Grading Services (BGS), Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC) and Global Authentication Inc. (GIA). All are competing amongst each other and with the major card manufacturers to make a profit.

Lets break down some of the companies.

PSA, which is one of the few hobby companies listed in The NASDAQ Stock Market. PSA is a division of Collectors Universe. PSA offers a 10-point grading scale, 1 being Poor or Fair up to 10 for a Gem Mint, and has graded some of the most rare and valuable treasures in the hobby. The 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner sold for $1.265 million. PSA graded the card at an 8 (Near Mint-Mint)(NM-MT). PSA also authenticates tickets and other items making it one of the most diverse companies in the hobby.

BCG, another one of the most respected names in the hobby, also offering a 10-point grading scale from 1 (Poor) to 10 (Pristine) and also increments of one-half points such as 9.5 (Gem Mint). To get a BGS 10 on a card is one of the rarest treasures in the industry. BGS offers a second grade, using a 5-point grading scale, which focuses solely on the quality of the certified autograph. BGS will identify the error with the card and let the collector know as to why he/she got a low grade on the scale.

 Another company that has begun to take a piece of the hobby’s services is SGC.

SGC attracts vintage and pre-war collectors, mostly due to the fact that many of the other companies have little expertise with vintage cards.

SGC uses a 15-point system that begins at 10 (Poor) and goes up to 100 (Pristine). In comparison, a SGC grade of 86 (NM+) corresponds to a BGS grade of 7.5.

GAI, was started by former PSA employee Stephen Rocchi and Mike Baker. Mr. Rocchi was the founder and former President of PSA, Mr. Baker was the former Director of Grading for PSA. With that background it has helped GAI become one of the most respected companies in the hobby. With a 10-point grading scale and one-half point increments similar to BGS, except that a GAI 10 is called Perfect, it appears to many collectors to just be a copy of the larger company. However, GAI is much more diverse than BGS, with their programs for authentication of Hollywood memorabilia, historical items, autographs and unopened packs of cards at the forefront of their respective fields. Also, with the first cards graded at each level, a certification is issued labeling that card as the “first graded”. For example, if you are the first person to submit a specific card and it is the first card to receive a grade from GAI, the company will designate your card as First Graded.

If you want to get your card graded, how do you know which one to go with. PSA is great for fans of vintage cards and graded sets due to the Set Registry and their experience with older cards. You have to become a member of PSA, with an annual fee and then a fee for grading your card(s). BGS does not charge a membership fee. Instead, collectors pay a set amount per card based on the desired service level, then pay additional fees per card if it is a certified autograph card or a pre-1981 card. The company also provides free access to its population reports. SGC does not charge any fees except to get cards graded. In addition, they offer free online price guides and population reports, which are valuable tools for any collector. GAI also does not require an annual membership fee for those just wishing to submit cards for grading, you pay an amount per card based on the desired service level. There is, however, a substantial fee in order to optionally become a GAI Premier Member.

So, who’s the leader of this group? It’s a close call between PSA and BGS.

How It All Started…

Welcome to my new Sports Cards site. I’ve been collecting since the late ‘80’s and since then I have bought many boxes, packs and single cards of players. For me, just like many others, we do not know a thing about the cards, how they are priced, what is an insert to a common to die cut, not to mention how can you tell what are you looking at or looking for when you have the card(s) in your hand. How about how to spot a Rookie card if the card itself does not have the Rookie Card logo on it. Well to put this all to rest and let you collect with ease, I’ll break it down as much as I can.

What many collectors look for are Rookie cards of specific player they like or what player is hot on that season, well wikipedia defines a Rookie Card as follows:rookie card

A players first year of cards, whether or not it is his rookie season. Players may have one or dozens of rookie cards, depending on how highly touted he was as a youngster and in which year his rookie card was issued.

There are many companies that make Sports Cards. From the first company TOPPS, which started back in 1890 as the American Leaf Tobacco company. The first cards that were produced were put into tobacco products and were made of a cloth material. Not until 1938 did the TOPPS name was introduced and the cards were made of cardboard and the story began from there. Other companies followed suit, Bowman (1937), Upper Deck (1989), Fleer (1992).
Upper Deck is the most innovative and high-end of the major card companies. Starting in 1989, Upper Deck shocked the child-dominated hobby by releasing a product costing $1.25 per pack when others were less than $1, and the Ken Griffey rookie from that set remains one of the most sought-after cards in the hobby. More recently, the company popularized the Game Jersey card phenomenon, inserting swatches of player-worn uniforms on cardboard. Additionally, Upper Deck is responsible for PowerDeck CD cards and the very expensive Exquisite line. Their exclusive contracts with the likes of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods set them apart from their competitors. In 2005, Upper Deck acquired the historic Fleer line as well, a fitting add given that Fleer produced Michael Jordan’s famous rookie card.

Panini sent shockwaves through the sports card industry in 2009 when they announced they would become the exclusive producers of basketball cards, and signed Kobe Bryant away from Upper Deck in an exclusive deal. Further, Panini took over Donruss, a long-respected brand. Known more for their stickers, it will take time for Panini to establish themselves in the card industry, but early releases look promising.　

Fleer Trading Cards were made by Fleer, LLC, a private company based in New Jersey, United States. The company started its business by manufacturing bubblegum for the first time. In 1992, the company was acquired by the comic book conglomerate Marvel Entertainment. Fleer, LLC closed down its operations in the year 2005. The erstwhile brand names of Fleer are presently utilized by Upper Deck Entertainment.
Fleer was famous for sports trading cards and non-sports trading cards. In the year 1995, Skybox International, a trading card company was taken over by Fleer.

Donruss Trading Cards are made by Donruss Playoff, LP that ranked among the three biggest sports card manufacturers in the United States, the other two being Topps and Fleer. Donruss Playoff, LP is also known as Donruss Trading Card Company and it was established in the year 1954.
Donruss is mostly popular for the baseball trading cards and it also manufactured NHL Hockey Cards. At the present time, the company only manufactures NFL Trading Cards.

The Goudey Trading Cards were issued by the Goudey Gum Co. The cards were introduced in the 1930s. The Goudey Trading Cards featured great baseball players of the contemporary times.

A number of famous baseball players were featured by these cards. Some of the stars of the Goudey Trading Cards were members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The others were the leading baseball players of the era. The baseball stars that were featured in the Goudey Trading Cards were as follows:

The Leaf Candy Company Trading Cards are marketed by the Leaf Candy Company. The company is one of the biggest trading cards and candy manufacturers of the United States of America. The company is also known as Leaf Brands as well as the Leaf Gum.
The Leaf Candy Company was established by Sol S. Leaf. The company was established at Chicago in Illinois. At the beginning Mr. Leaf established a number of candy companies. All these companies were established in the early 1920s. Initially, the head offices of the Leaf Candy Company were at the Hubbard and Washburn Streets in the western part of Chicago. Afterwards the head offices were relocated at Bannockburn, Illinois. The trading cards of Leaf Candy Company were produced for the first time in the year 1948. These cards featured baseball players and are still thought of as one of the most advanced trading cards of the era.

O-Pee-Chee Trading Cards were issued by O-Pee-Chee, a major Canadian trading card Company. O-Pee-Chee Trading Cards were first issued in the year 1933. The first trading card series of O-Pee-Chee featured ice hockey players. In this series, bubble gums were provided along with the trading cards. During the year 1937 O-Pee-Chee also brought a baseball card set that contained forty cards in each pack. Once the Second World War was over, O-Pee-Chee entered into an agreement with Topps, another leading playing card maker operating in the United States of America. The main point in the contract was the right to make and sell various products of Topps in Canada. This business was started in 1965. These cards featured baseball players and were basically versions of Topps products that had been branded again. These cards had the “Printed in Canada” mark at their backs. During the year 1968, the sport of hockey was included in this list. O-Pee-Chee also started dealing in cards that concentrated on Canadian football. At the same time O-Pee-Chee were in charge of the distribution process of Topps cards like Wacky Packages.

The federal laws made it compulsory for O-Pee-Chee to include text written in French at the posterior of their cards. During this time O-Pee-Chee also produced trading card sets that were meant for special occasions. These card sets were special as far as the Canadian collectors were concerned. The card that was printed in 1973 to commemorate the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s hundred years of service is one of these card products.