Tag Archives: FCB Weekly Hot List

FCB Weekly Hot List December 9th 2011 Edition

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So, for better or worse, I kind of enjoyed the introduction element to the Hot List last week.  If you ever read Matthew Berry’s (a.k.a the Talented Mr. Roto) Love/Hate for that week of NFL football, you’ll recall that he writes these long winded introductions that begin with something seemingly disconnected from the world of fantasy football and eventually he weaves it back in.  I’m not as long winded a writer, talented a story teller, or strange a mind as Matthew Berry but I certainly liked the introduction.

In what should seemingly be a bit of a slow period for sports – with the college football season over outside of bowl games, college basketball in the non-conference portion of the season, baseball in the offseason, the NBA, uh not playing and the NFL in full swing, there was a TON going on this week.  At this point you are going to stop and say but Phil, this is a list about what’s going on in cards, not what is going on in the sports world – particularly with your rambling commentary.  Right you would be but if you remember the words “regression analysis” from your last statistics class let me assure that these sports world actions have about a 95% R^2 value as it relates to card fluctuations.

All this is good if you are a guy that writes a Hot List based on the movement of cards (harken back to last week’s “hey these cards are selling well list”).  It means you have lots of fodder for writing, so lets strap on the feedbag shall we and get to the fodder, I mean, the list.

1. Ron Santo Autographs

Santo

Comments: Ok, cut me some slack on this one, (I can never say cut me some slack without hearing in my head the words of one of my college roomates to whom English was a second language, “Phil, cut me some slacks!!!”  No problem Tao, I’ll get right on that).  As a guy who spent his formative years in Illinois listening to Cubs baseball on the radio, Ron Santo was more than just a 3rd basemen who played baseball prior to my birth.  He was the guy in the booth who was not a radio guy, not a good color guy and really not a great fit for the job other than he was a HUGE Cubs homer that yelled unintelligible words when both good things and bad things happened for the Cubs.  Listening to him when things went well made you all that much more excited and I’m not really sure there is a purer way to experience baseball (aside from the park itself) than driving home on a summer evening listening to the home team radio broadcast. /nostalgia.  As we’ve talked about many times before on the Hot List there are typically two things that cause retired players cards to change value rapidly.  Death and the Hall of Fame – surely a stark contrast.  Unfortunately both of these events are recent for Mr. Santo – the most recent being a postmortem selection to the HOF which I shall refrain from commenting on and simply mention that it cause tons of BINs and Best Offers to get hit on his autos, often for double what they had previously sold for.

2. Adrian Houser 2011 Bowman Chrome Draft Golds & Up

Houser

Comments: A few weeks back I commented on the death, or at least downgraded of non-auto’d cards in Bowman Draft.  When I mention Adrian Houser you probably understand that a little more fully because your first thought is “Whose Adrian”, or, “Yo! Adrian!” if you’ve watched every Rocky movie 10 times or more like I have.  Adrian is actually a promising 18 year old prospect for the Houston Astros who was previously selling for next to nothing even Orange Refractors which sold for under $20 or less.  Prospectors rooted out this fact and his cards promptly bumped up, Oranges are now selling for $40 and Golds $25.  Remember 2006 Bowman Draft?  Billy Rowell Non-Auto Blue Refractors sold for near $80, as Mr. Dylan would say “The Times They are a Changin’.”

3. Albert Pujols 2001 Rookie Cards

Pujols

Comments: Would you give a 31 year old guy who has had a couple of his worst statistical years during the last two years a contract that represents $25 million a year for 10 years?  Yeah, I wouldn’t either.  Would you leave a place where you had a chance to become an icon on the level of Stan Musial or more?  Me neither.  Would you leave a place where you just won a World Series and had a good possibility for more wins?  Nope, me either.  However, I am not, you are not the owners of the Angels, nor are we Albert Pujols and if he wants to go get paid somewhere other than St. Louis he’s more than welcome too and that’s that.  As a Cubs fan I rejoice of his departure from the NL Central, now we shall get rid of Prince and the Cubs shall race to the division win, NOT.  Any time there is this kind of news you can bet a whole new slew of fans, Angels fans that is are going to want a Pujols card of their own.  As a result 2001 Topps Traded cards jumped from $35 to around the $50 mark.  Maybe they can re-write Angels in the Outfield to Angel in the Infield.

4. Chris Paul 2005-06 Rookie Autos

Paul

Comments: We know one thing that David Stern isn’t and that’s in the business of making friends.  He has the entire Laker nation as well as a few card collectors fairly upset with him at this juncture.  Chris Paul’s Rookie Autos like the SPx one popped up to $150 from $100 this afternoon on the expectation that Paul was going to be traded in a 3-way deal for Gasol and Lamar Odom.  However, what they weren’t bargaining for is that the owner of the New Orleans Hornets is THE NBA and David Stern lived up to his last name rejecting the trade that would put Chris Paul on a whole new stage and for now Chris is a Hornet.

5. Yu Darvish 2009 Bowman Chrome & Sterling Parallels

Yu

Comments: Hey Yu, out there in the cold.  Can you hear me?  Although my first couple of sentences there reference a wonderful Pink Floyd song, I can assure you, there are major league teams feeling that way.  Yu is a major international talent on the level of Dice-K (who’s that you say?  yeah, that guy) and his signing with a big league team could be big money both for the team that signs him and for his cards.  As speculation rises and falls on who Yu will sign with you can expect his card values to do the same.  This week a gold refractor from 2009 Bowman Chrome sold for $160 which is roughly the same as an Orange Refractor sold for last week – so yes, that’s a nice move up.

6. Demaryius Thomas 2010 Playoff Contenders RCs

Thomas

Comments: As some point I think we all knew Tebow was going to have to do at least a little more throwing to make the whole thing work and last week he found Demaryius Thomas 4 times for 144 yards.  Demaryius has been plagued with injuries his first couple years in the league (a slightly smaller plague than that of his first name which always reminds me of a unit of currency used in Roman times) but when he’s healthy man the guy has skills.  Wide receivers from Georgia Tech tend to be big strong and fast and I can assure you that Broncos fans would love to see a little more of Mr. Thomas.  I think most collectors are taking a bit of a wait and see type approach but Demaryius’ Contenders Autos did move from $4 to $8 this week

7. Victor Cruz 2010 Playoff Contenders Autos

Cruz

Comments: Throughout the NFL season there are players making appearances on this list only to drop off into oblivion the next week and for all the remaining weeks.  Many of these are wide receivers that may have a huge game and then disappear.  I’ll be the first to admit that I thought Victor Cruz could be a guy in that category.  He had an immense game and made an appearance on the list when Mario Manningham was out and I figured that when Super Mario return Victor would get warped straight into King Bowser’s castle where catching passes isn’t easy.  However, this hasn’t been the case and Victor’s production has kept up and so have his card prices – Contenders moved from $30 into the $40s this week and the card pictured above sold for nearly a kilabuck.
8. T.J Yates 2011 Auto Rookies

Yates

Comments: Someone forgot to tell T.J. that he was a third string rookie quarterback from North Carolina of whom little was expected.  Well, let me tell you this – playing quarterback is easy when you can hand the ball of to Arian Foster over 30 times in a game, its also easier when you can throw the ball in the general vicinity of Andre Johnson and have it caught but at the end of the day – its still playing QB in the NFL.  T.J. just did that and guided the playoff bound Texans to a victory on Sunday

9. Tim Tebow High End Autograph Rookies

Tebow

Comments: Speaking of guiding teams to wins, the Tebow story really is pretty incredible.  Act #1 – fans want Tebow, unhappy with Kyle “neckbeard” Orton and boo him at all opportunites.  Act #2 – neckbeard does not perform up to standards, Broncos suck generally and fans boo at every opportunity, they boo even when there aren’t opportunities  Act #3 – finally Tebow gets an opportunity to come in an play against the San Diego Chargers and very nearly guides them to a comeback victory, one of the few times of the year the Chargers don’t blow it (don’t worry they tried)  Act #4 – against what nearly every expert predicted Tebow guides the Broncos on a five game winning streak and back into the race in the awful AFC West  Act #5 – well, we’ll have to wait and see.  Tim’s a divisive figure on a number of topics but suffice it to say, he has his fans and as a result his high-end rookie cards are really rolling on eBay – Exquisites like the one pictured above are close to $600 now

10. Charles Woodson 2011 Autographs

Woodson

Comments: The Packers have had this stock sale thing going on, it’s kind of odd but I’m thinking of doing the same thing, odd timing right?  Pretty much – you give me $50, in return you get a slip of paper with a Phil embossed logo on it and pretty much nothing else.  If you’re looking to have input on decisions I might make regarding those $50 you gave me, forget it.  Looking to get them back?  Forget that too.  Looking to sell them to someone else?  Well you better hope the paper’s worth something.  Get the point?  It’s truly just a donation to Packers and people are making them in droves.  However, speaking of making things in droves it is absolutely not what Panini did with one of the Packers’ favorites Charles Woodson autos – his Panini autos continue to leak out very slowly, often numbered to 10 or less and often selling for $300 or more.

 

FCB Weekly Hot List – September 16th Edition

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1.  2011 Topps Marquee Museum Collection Autographs.

These are some of the nicest autographs Topps has ever produced.  You really have to see them in hand to appreciate them.  They have a heavy feel to them, as well as a clean high contrast canvas for the signature.  I saw a Kyle Drabek pulled at the shop, and the customer could not stop talking about how nice the card looked.

Starlin Castro’s sold for $200 and I have a feeling that the run on these cards is just starting as people get a feel for how nice they are.  The market data on these cards is still quite new, and them getting the top spot is pure speculation on my part.  Normally when a product is expensive and gets negative press on the internet it gets ripped less.  The product getting ripped less leads to less of these hitting the market.  Less of these hitting the market means higher sell prices per card.

The first high end one to sell was Albert Pujols and I get the feeling that if the seller knew then what he knows now, he would of waited to list.  Lesson learned, when you pull a redemption card know what you have before you sell it.

 

 

 

 

2.  Cameron Newton NFL Rookie Autographs

I used a qualifier in my title.  This is because not all Cam Newton cards are created equal.  His Leaf Autographs are pretty strong especially when compared to his press pass and sage cards, but its clearly the Carolina Panthers NFL cards that have taken center stage.  The Current leaders in the club house are Inception, Finest, and Topps Platinum, with his superfractor selling for $2500.  We might be calling that buy it now a steal considering that a brave soul decided to auction his Topps Finest base superfractor and was rewarded for his bravery.

Cam still has one major question to answer, was his record breaking rookie debut a product of him being amazing, or the Arizona secondary looking like Afghanistan (bombed out and depleted)?

 

 

 

3.  Justin Verlander Rookie Year Autographs.

Almost every year there is one player who goes from good, to great, to best in the league.  This year it’s Justin Verlander’s turn.  MVP talk has shot his chrome autographs through the roof, and because hes a 2005 Rookie he has many options for autographs.  UD and DLP were producing cards that year and Verlander had as large of an autograph deal as anyone.  He can be found in many releases from all 3 of the major manufacturers.

My personal favorite of his is the UD Ultimate Collection auto.  I still think it’s a steal at $290 compared to his blue refactor autograph at around $350.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Malcolm Brown Leaf US Army Autographs

Hook em Horns, and thank you Lord that college football is back and in full swing.  The previous statement is really difficult for a die hard Alabama fan like myself to say, but with the excitement of all that is the NCAA season it rolls off the tongue.

Malcolm is the immediate future of the Texas running game, and perhaps the present as well.  He has had a nice work load for a true freshman in his first two games, even when the second one vs BYU almost turned into an embarrassing loss.  His solid start did not go unnoticed by hobbyists as this copy of his leaf card sold for over $120.  As a side note, this card was pulled in the FCB store by FCB member hockeyfights who rips that product to hit his Georgia players.

Cards of other immediate impact players are doing well when they are listed, as people appear to be speculating these cards.  Marcus Lattimore’s 2010 card is the catalyst that got it all rolling.

 

 

 

 

 

5.  2011 Topps Marquee Jumbo Patches (Especially Henderson)

For all the shots that Marquee has taken recently, it has some really nice stuff in it.  You don’t hit often, but when you do it’s memorable.  These Hendersons are selling for around $280, and as someone who frequents a forum that has a Henderson player collectors thread, I am not surprised.  I know how crazy Henderson collectors can be.

Other patches are selling well too, as people are going the singles route instead of busting the product.  You gotta wonder what kind of singles prices will drive people to open more of the wax.

 

 

 

 

6.  Mike Tolbert Contenders Autos

The rumblin stumblin Tolbert made everyone take a second look at what makes a running back a star in his 2011 Debut.    An unheralded, undrafted college fullback turned professional running back has danced his way on to fantasy football teams with a 3 td performance in NFL week 1.  As fantasy football goes, so does the world of sports cards, as they are both hype driven markets.

This contenders card has doubled since week 1.  Part of that is due to the excitement of NFL football in full swing, and part of that is due to what happened on the field.  Either way, people still holding this card are glad it happened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many other people who could have easily made this list.  Buffalo’s wonderlic genius Ryan Fitzpatrick, New England’s super Caucasian Wes Wellker, Green Bay’s Randall Cobb all deserve an honorable mention.  As far as next week goes, look for a lot of baseball to creep in as playoff runs intensify.  And as any hot list during the fall goes, expect the weeks worth of NFL standouts to be well represented.

FCB Weekly Hot List – July 30th Edition

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FCB Weekly Hot List

1. Domonic Brown 2008 Autographs

Comments: Domonic Brown has seen an absolute surge in card values this week with his MLB call up.  Everything with his name on it has picked up some major steam on ebay and in card shops.  Base contenders cards have fetched $8 each and base chromes have went for $20.  This is quite the spike when you consider how hard it is to sell a base contenders card.  Elites and Threads autographs haven’t dissapointed either, they are in the $90 range most of the time.   Graded copies should sell particularly well, because of the condition sensitive nature that Donruss foil cards create.

2. Buster Posey 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft Parallel Autos

Posey

Comments: Buster Posey is still on fire.  And if it weren’t for the call up of Domonic Brown he would still be #1.  Normally with the introduction of a new prospect on the scene card prices of last weeks guy fall off a bit.  This isn’t the case with Buster, as his cards are hotter than ever.  Graded gold refractors are in the $1200 range, and every single other parallel is up.  Even cast off autographs from 2009-2010 are double what they were before his call.

3. Wil Myers Bowman Chrome and Donruss Elite Autos

Myers

Comments: Wil is slated for a big move up the Baseball America top 50 prospect list.  Ben Badler recently said that he is the one guy outside the top 25 that he thinks will make a run up the next list.  His discipline at the plate with surprising early power as a young player in the South Atlantic League has caused the demand for his cards not only to spike, but to maintain that spike.

4. Delmon Young Chrome Autographs

Comments: Delmon has found a home in The Twin Cities, and if it weren’t for home town boy Joe Mauer, Delmon might be the team MVP.  His offensive numbers are eye opening considering the pedestrian seasons he has had in previous years.  Any time a hitter goes from a .733 ops to .914 the hobby takes note, especially when the player has premium cards from an amazing set.  The gold refractor pictured here sold for $330 and base copies are nearing the $50 range.

5. 2010 Press Pass Showcase Racing


Comments: As I flip through this product, I can’t help but think how beautiful it would be and how much money I would spend on it if it were a College Football release.  The secondary market has not reacted to these cards quite like it takes to traditional sports with established card collector bases, however you cannot ignore the mass appeal of a Danika Patrick fire suit autograph.  These are hands down the most beautiful cards that Press Pass has ever made.  Any sport collecting base would consider them up there with the crown jewels of the industry.  From an aesthetic standpoint, these cards come the closest I have ever seen to passing Upper Deck Exquisite in the most attractive card category.  Well done Press Pass.

6. Mike Trout 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Autos

Johnson

Comments: Mike Trout is the big fish in 2009 Bowman Chrome draft.  He is the one player everyone opening a box of that product hopes to pull.  This adds value to a card that is already shooting up due to his rare skill set creating havoc across two different leagues in just his second year of professional baseball.   Seriously, think about this for a second.  18 years old in high A and hitting .346.  An excellent defender, base stealer, hitter, and barring injury a sure fire major league all star.  His blue refractors are $215, the most of any 18 year old in the card market.

7. Tyler Chatwood 2008 Playoff Contenders Autos

Tyler Chatwood Contenders auto

Comments: When a card goes from nothing to something, it is generally worth noting.  In the case of Tyler Chatwood, a fine season and a torrid week or so gave him the #1 spot on last weeks Baseball America hot sheet, and his best autograph responded.  The contenders went from about $3 to $12 in no time flat, landing Chatwood on yet another hot list.  The contenders pictured is one that I bought for $3, had graded, and sold for $40.

8. Michael Pineda 2009 Bowman Chrome

Comments: Pineda has been a Baseball America regular this year and his cards reflect that.  He is still a guy who isn’t talked about much in prospect circles, but the guys following him are certainly not afraid to shell out prime dollars on him.  His blue refractors are at the $50 mark these days, and as long as he keeps up that disgustingly low 1.026 whip the trend should continue.

9.  2010 National Sports Card Collectors Convention FCB black parallels.

Stras

Comments: I get a homer call right?  Although these cards aren’t on the market and have just been printed, I think they deserve a spot here because of what they mean to this website.  Every year we will do this set, as long as we are still able to set up at The National.  Tradition builds a collecting base, and we think that if we do quality work year in and year out, some of these cards could eventually command a premium.

I am going to cut the hot list off at 9 this week, as it’s not normally my responsibility to write it.  In closing I would like to remind you guys that although we spend a lot of money on these cards, they are just that.  Just plain pieces of paper.   They are meaningless without friends you have made while collecting them, and the relationships strengthened by them.   Be it an online friend as is the case with so many people here at FCB, your father, or in my case grandmother, relationships with people are the key to a successful collection and no dollar value can change that.