PANINI To Continue World Cup Tradition - Sticker and Cards

Recent press release from Panini America had announced at least 2 upcoming sets for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

2014 World Cup Stickers and Albums
The last time Panini sold the stickers and albums, it sold 1.5 billion worldwide with 12 million in North America. These will be available in April.


2014 World Cup Prizm
This will be a worldwide product. Each continent will get its own Prizm-colored borders.
Autographs in this product include Pele, Lionel Messi and David Beckham. It is due out in June.


Panini debuted a World Cup sticker card set in 1970. This past year, a complete set of the 1970 sold for over $4,000 on ebay. Panini supplimented its sticker release with standard trading cards sets beginning with the 1998 World Cup.

1970 Panini World Cup - Pele'

 

1998 debute of Panini World Cup cards

 

1998 Panini World Cup card - Klinsmann

 

I am looking forward to seeing what will be produced by Panini for this tournament. Hopefully, Panini America will put this on the front burner as sticker-mania comes into full swing.

 

As we find out which teams round out the field (after November play-off matches), it will be interesting to see what regional sets will be produced.

 

Stay tuned as I find out, I will present them here. I will also be looking back at some of the more memorable issues of World Cup collectables in the coming months.

 

 

Sweden Goodness - The Record Holder - Sven Rydell (PSA Fails Again)

 

 For all the media attention, marvelous goals and exploits of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he still has come up short on the international benchmark. No, not to Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo - but to his own countryman - SVEN RYDELL.

 

ROSE MARIE Chocolates - Sven Rydell

 

Rydell's international tally of 49 goals is ahead of Ibrahimovic's current total of 46. What is fantastic about Rydell's mark is that he achieved it in only 43 matches, while Zlatan has done it in 93.

 

Unfortunately, neither player has appeared in a FIFA World Cup. However, Rydell did lead Sweden to 3rd place at the 1924 Olympics - before the first World Cup was ever played. 

 

Sven appears (above) in the rare 1930's ROSE MARIE chocolates issue. The set included Swedish personalities mostly from film and sport.

 

Another chocolataire, Cloetta, also issued a mixed sports stars set that included Sven Rydell.

 

1933 CLOETTA - Sven Rydell

 

Cloetta's included boxers, wrestlers and Olympians as well as soccer players.

 

Sadly, the card set has been mis-identified by the idiots at PSA. Once again, their refusal to listen, research or confirm exposes the arrogance of money grubbing swindlers.

 

A perfect example of an erroneous label on the tag of PSA's products.

PSA goof

 

President and CEO of PSA, Joe Orlando, sent an open letter last week begging for collectors to understand the procedure of grading at his company. He claimed that some hobbyist just "don't get it".

 

Sorry Joe, you just don't get it. You cannot label precious artifacts willy-nilly just because someone throws money at you.

 

There have been international collectors researching and compiling proven data on these soccer cards. So, we request that you either reach out and ask for help, or stay out of our hobby - once and for all.

The Unforgetable ""POCKET ROCKET" RICHARD - MONTREAL Captain

Growing up in the 1970's I was a fan of the Montreal Canadiens - starting with Guy Lefluer, Ken Dryden and Larry Robinson were just beginning their Hall of Fame careers. So I collected them pretty actively up until the 1980's.

 

But looking back now, there were only 12 and then 14 clubs until expansion in 1974. Many of the great Canadian stars were sent to the new teams in the USA. But some remained with the "royal two - Montreal and Toronto. Two in particular were Jaqcues Plante and Frank Mahovolich (from Canadien to Maple Leaf and vise versa).

 

But one guy stayed with the same club and collected 11 Stanley Cups - more than any other player. Although he was the younger brother of Maurice "Rocket" Richard, he was 15 years his junior and 3 inches smaller. Thus he was dubbed "Pocket".

1973-74 Topps Henri Richard

 

However, Henri, beside the record Cup rings, also amassed over 1000 NHL points - something his iconic brother did not. I picked up this graded card for a steal. It depicts a gray-haired Richard wearing the Captain's "C" and looking like royalty sitting for a portrait.

 

Henri Richard also appeared on another card in the set as he lifted the Stanley Cup trophy (which I already had). I still need a few key cards from my 1970's Montreal Canadiens run. Most of these are the squad players in the O-Pee-Chee card sets.

 

If anyone has some 1970's Montreal players to trade in the above condition or better, let me know.  

Trade With Chronicles of FUJI - Japan Goodness

As anyone who reads this blog knows, I am a collector who likes an international flavor. I read and follow other collectors - far and wide, some in other countries, some here domestically.

 

One fellow blogger in California is "The Chronicles of Fuji" with whom I did a little trade. He sent me an array of Japanese trading cards. The first card we see here is a 1979 TCMA card of Japanese pro baseball. The card is very much like its U.S. counterparts from the mid to late 1970's.

 

1979 TCMA - Japanese Baseball

The second grouping was some modern Japanese baseball cards. Its hard to red the print as its quite small on both the front and th back. Only one player from this lot played in MLB - spending 2 seasons with the Kansas City Royals organization. He cost $6 million and played 3 games.
(and we wonder why baseball teams go broke ?)

2012 Konami Japanese Baseball cards.

 

There were also two mascot / checklist cards. These reminded me of Pokemon come to life.  

Baseball Magazine mascot cards.

 

Basball cards have along history in Japan. Like their American counterpart, the sport enjoys not only trading card company issues, but also food and beverage associated cards.

 

One such product - CALBEE - makes potato chips and other snacks. They have distributed baseball cards with their product since 1973.

 

However, baseball has begun to take a back seat to the international game of soccer in Japan. Since co-hosting the 2002 World Cup, the soccer teams and players have enjoyed super star status. Many of the National Team players are signed to lucrative contracts in Europe.

 

So it is no surprise that Calbee has expanded its premiums to soccer cards (see package below).

Calbee Potato Chip package with Japanese Federation shield on the front.

 

Fuji included 9 JAPAN International players, known affectionately as "Samurai Blue" in the lot.

 

The pick of the lot is Shinji Kagawa - who starred with Borussia Dortmund. He led them to the German Championship in the 2011-2012 season. He was sold to Manchester United and won the 2012-13 English Premier League. With back to back title trophies, he is one of Japan's highest profile stars.

2013 Calbee Samurai Blue - Shinji Kagawa.

 

It is an interesting group of cards. Thanks for the trade Fuji.

BIGGEST Sketch Card Ever !

Sometimes bigger is not always better. But when it comes to art, it is always subjective. One of my clients commissions me every 6 months or so to fill his LORD OF THE RINGS sketch collection.

 

An avid sketch card collector, he has asked for recreation of scenes from the Trilogy of films. however, the last 2 commissions have been fantasy scenes - ones that did not actually appear as such in the movies. I've usually sketch these on regulation sized trading cards, just like I did for TOPPS.

 

This time, I went big ...

 

To date, my largest sketch card -  measuring 17 inches by 14 inches. The reunion of Galdalf and Bilbo at Hobbiton is the scene.

 

Although its been almost 10 years since I did the cards that went into the Topps packages, it is still one of the most requested themes for my commission sketch cards. Here's a nostolgic look back at some of my cards I found dealers selling on ebay*.

 

*: Sadly, I cannot afford my own card at some of the asking prices. 

 

If you have a theme or subject that you might want to see on a sketch trading card, drop me a note.

ONLY ONE WILL GO - IBRA or CR7 - 2014 WORLD CUP

The good and the bad of a great party is that some people get to go - others do not.

 

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be a big party. After all, it will be hosted by soccer's party nation - BRAZIL.

 

As World Cup Qualifying comes to a close, the end is marked by the final play-offs that pit the many also-rans.

 

Uruguay, blessed with talented strikers like Liverpool's Luis Suarez and PSG's Edison Cavani, will have to play Middle East upstart, Jordan.

 

While 8 European teams will battle it out for the 4 final places, the draw pitted two of today's fan favorites:

SWEDEN'S IBRAHIMOVIC

PORTUGAL'S RONALDO

 

The home and away series to be played this month was drawn as follows:

 

GREECE v ICELAND

UKRAINE v FRANCE

CROATIA v ROMANIA

SWEDEN v PORTUGAL

 

While it is a possibility that France, the 1998 World Cup Winners, may miss the tournament, it is a fact that either Portugal or Sweden - with their super stars, will sit this one out.

 

Zlatan has 46 international goals (93 caps) for Sweden while Cristiano has 43 goals (107 caps). Ronaldo has appeared in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Ibrahimovic has made it to the 2002 and 2006 tournament finals with Sweden.

 

Cristiano scored both of Real Madrid's goals in its Champions League match this week. Ibrahimovic score 4 of PSG's goals in its 5-1 crushing of Anderlecht.

 

see it here - http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ibrahimovic+anderlecht&FORM=HDRSC3#view=detail&mid=6CF11227762DD97DE4476CF11227762DD97DE447

 

Only one will be in Brazil ...

 

 WHO WOULD YOU RATHER SEE AT BRAZIL 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP ?

CANADIEN GOODNESS - Toronto and Montreal Hockey Legends

As much as I love hockey, I came to realize this week that I am a casual collector. When hockey is in season and when the jet stream blows cool air to Florida - my hockey senses highten.

 

More to the point, prior to this week I did not own one original Parkhurst hockey card !

 

1959-60 Parkhurst Boom Boom Geoffrion

 

Then I saw this card (above) of Hall of Famer "Boom Boom" Geoffrion. The price was right - $5.00

As a week passed and the auction concluded I had purchased other hockey cards (to be featured in a future blog). The seller of this other card filed a non-payment alert after TWO DAYS !

 

Not a big surprise from ebay. While I duely paid for the second card (I had been away), an email came from the seller of the Geoffrion card. The gentleman apologized for not sending out the card as he and his wife were also away. I wrote back thanking him for the note and told him its ok, that I now know the card is on its way.

 

Now, I do not have it on any authority, but I think this gentleman was a Canadien. Most of the retires that own vintage hockey in Florida are from North of the border.

 

So when the paackage arrived today, one envelope was labeled - two cards. One being Boom Boom and the other an odd ball card of BABE RUTH. Its marked 1992 Delphi - and believe it was issued to promote or compliment a limited edition collector's plate.

 

 

Although I already have this card it was a kind gesture. The other envelope was marked - coin. I have to say, I love sports coins. So, it was to my delight and surprise to pull this -

1961-62 Shirriff hockey coin of Eddie Shack.

 

A SALADA FOODS Shirriff hockey coin. It was of a Toronto Maple Leafs player Eddie Shack. Again, it was a first for my hockey collection.

Eddie won the Stanley Cup 4 times with the Maple Leafs and played over 1000 NHL games. But here is a factoid from Wikipedia -

 

During the 1966 season Shack broke out, scoring a career high 26 goals on a line with Ron Ellis and Bob Pulford, and his popularity was such that a novelty song called Clear The Track, Here Comes Shack written in his honour and played by "Douglas Rankine with the Secrets".^[6] It reached #1 on the Canadian pop charts and charted for nearly three months.

 

Speaking of facts, poor Boom Boom was outed on the back of his card - "a deep growing pain in his groin area slowed him down" and caused him to miss another NHL scoring title.

 

 

Growing up near the Canadian border I got my first hockey cards in 1971 (still my favorite set). However, my collection only grew newer from that point. Now, I am enjoying going backwards to vintage. I especially like Canadien food issues.

 

If anyone has any Canadien food issues you will trade for other sports cards, let me know.

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLLECTABLE HOCKEY ISSUE ?