A Credit Card for… Cards?
· Yahoo Sports
It’s Thursday, Collectors.
I’ve mentioned in these pages before that I have a strange category in my PC: signed cards of sports broadcasters. And like any silly collecting quest, I’ve created some arbitrary rules to govern things, including that the card has to feature the person actually broadcasting, which means playing/coaching-days cards of people like Charles Barkley and John Madden don’t qualify.
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Which has posed a problem, given it’s damn near impossible to find cards that pass my stringent self-created and very-frustrating rules. I renewed my search this week with the new Madden movie coming out, and crickets.
Though I did stumble upon this PSA-graded 9.6 copy of the original Madden game taken (I assume legally) from Madden’s actual office. Doesn’t fit my PC thesis, but boy is it cool…
The Athletic: Fanatics Unveils Credit Card That Looks Like a Trading Card
Fanatics is launching an American Express credit card featuring Topps-inspired designs and a choice of more than 500 athletes. The no-annual-fee card offers 2% back in FanCash on everyday purchases, 5% on Fanatics purchases and select other categories, and 8% through the Fanatics app, plus early access to select Topps releases. The announcement follows Fanatics’ broader push to keep spending within its ecosystem, though the company faced initial pushback from hobby shops concerned that promoting the card could affect their Topps product allocations.
Sportico: Digital Card Rips’ Worst-Case Scenario? ‘Slot Machines for Kids’
Digital card repacks are raising concerns about gambling, particularly among younger collectors. At Sportico’s Invest New York conference, Ken Goldin warned that digital rips could become “slot machines for kids,” while Darren Rovell suggested state attorneys general may ultimately determine how the products are regulated. With Fanatics, PrizePicks and Underdog entering the market, panelists discussed the psychological similarities to gambling, the importance of transparency and the responsibility of platforms to establish safeguards for consumers.
Mantel: LA Card Show Is Bringing Collecting Closer to the Game
LA Card Show founder Adam Derry is reimagining card shows by hosting them inside major sports venues, giving collectors access to experiences usually reserved for athletes. Following events at Dodger Stadium and the Clippers’ Intuit Dome, the company is bringing more than 750 vendor tables to SoFi Stadium on December 12–13, with VIP access to an on-field mini-camp. The growing events combine sports cards, memorabilia, fashion, music and entertainment, with Derry reporting a waiting list of approximately 4,200 prospective exhibitors. I’ve been to a few of these and they are an absolute experience, and only getting better.
SI: Kobe Bryant's Signed Lakers Jersey Sells for Record $1.83M
A signed, game-worn Kobe Bryant Lakers jersey from the 2003–04 season has sold for $1.83M through The Realest, setting a public auction record for a non-rookie No. 8 Bryant jersey. Photo-matched to 17 games, the jersey was worn during Kobe’s 45-point performance against Golden State and all three of the Lakers’ Western Conference series-clinching victories in 2004. Remarkably, it was originally purchased in 2017 as part of a two-jersey lot for just $20,000, making the latest sale more than 91 times that price.
Mantel: Whatnot Has a Card Collectors Problem
Despite its popularity as a livestream shopping platform, Whatnot has developed a questionable reputation among sports card collectors, largely because of its association with controversial breakers. However those collectors are missing out on the platform’s much broader appeal, from live plant sales and Louisiana seafood to vintage marbles. Having become an enthusiastic Whatnot user without buying cards, the author encourages collectors to explore its more eclectic sellers before writing off the platform entirely.
Guardian: Gotta Buy ’em All: How Pokémon Card Collecting Became Race Against Scalpers
Pokémon’s booming card market is making it increasingly difficult for ordinary collectors to buy new releases, with fans camping overnight outside London stores to beat resellers. The latest Delta Reign release drew lines exceeding 120 people, despite purchase limits and policies requiring products to be unsealed. Collectors blame scalpers, bots and speculative buyers for inflated prices, while retailers struggle to meet demand even as Pokémon produces roughly 10 billion cards annually. Parents and younger fans are among those feeling the squeeze.
New York Times: King’s Lost Draft of ‘I Have a Dream’ Emerges From a Desk Drawer
The only known surviving handwritten final draft of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech is heading to Christie’s in January, with an estimate exceeding $10M (it’ll blow past that number, no question). The seven-page manuscript, written the night before the March on Washington, was discovered in the desk of former King aide Edward T. Clayton. It does not contain the famous “I have a dream” refrain, which King improvised during the speech. Proceeds will benefit the King Center and other charitable causes.
Robb Report: Meet the Dealer Showing Historical Treasures to a New Generation of Collectors
London jewelry dealer Charlie Barron is introducing a new generation of wealthy collectors to antique jewelry, rare gemstones and vintage Cartier clocks. The 31-year-old sources much of his inventory privately from European estates, including a 19th-century emerald brooch he recently acquired for £220,000. His clientele, largely under 40, is drawn to pieces with exceptional craftsmanship and history. Barron also repurposes antique stones into contemporary jewelry and has become a major supplier of rare South Sea pearls.