Notes: PSA Grading Update; Card Shows Abound; Topps’ Debt Rating Lowered; Globe on Hobby; Jeter Dive Bobble; More
PSA is grading over 20,000 cards per day as it continues to work through the massive backlog of trading ca
rds submitted to the company for grading and authentication.
GemRate.com’s number crunching shows nearly 230,9000 basketball cards graded over the last 30 days, with gaming cards second at 129,186; baseball third at 128,964 and football fourth at 78,605.
So far this month, PSA has graded 520,122 cards. Its most productive month was in June when 778,933 cards were examined.
The company is on pace to grade 7.8 million cards in a 12-month period but has been essentially down for all but the highest service level submissions since last March.
PSA is continuing to hire more personnel and plans to open a grading operation in New Jersey at some point in the near future.
Sales are still booming but Topps’ debt rating has been downgraded in the wake of last week’s news that Fanatics has struck a deal with MLB and its players union that will end the company’s long-term deal.
If you want to go to a card show these days, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding one.
Despite the death of founder Rich Altman earlier this month, his Boston Show is on for this weekend at the Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington, MA. Paul Pierce is among the autograph guests on Saturday.
The show takes place Friday-Sunday.
The Dallas Card Show returns this weekend as well, at its usual location inside the Watters Creek Convention Center in Allen with 600 tables of cards and memorabilia. Some former Dallas Cowboys are lined up to sign autographs.
The Nashville Sports Cards & Collectibles show is this Saturday with 105 tables and promoter Jeff Roberts says the twice yearly larger event is on for September 25 with over 200 booths and 145 tables. Both events take place at Lighthouse Christian School in Antioch, TN.
There’s a three-day show planned for the Tampa Convention Center September 3-5 (Labor Day weekend). Wander Franco (Sept. 4) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (Sept. 5) are scheduled to sign autographs at Tampa Collector Con.
There’s now a three-day show planned for Las Vegas in October. Promoters say they’re “anticipating 400+ dealer tables along with sponsor booths.” The Las Vegas Card Show will be held October 22-24 at The Expo at World Market Center on South Grand Central Parkway.
Triple Play Vintage is hosting a three-day show October 1-3 at the Emidio & Sons Expo Center in Cuyahoga Falls, near Cleveland.
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe paid a visit to a new age card show at TD Garden this summer and wrote about the hobby as it is in 2021.
Derek Jeter’s famous dive into the Yankee Stadium stands 17 years ago this summer is now a bobblehead.
FOCO is immortalizing the July 1, 2004 play with a bobbling Jeter that’s just been released.
BTW, FOCO is having a sale on most other previously released bobbleheads through Saturday.
MeiGray Auctions is digging into the archives for its latest auction, with a group of jerseys on the block from the 2016-17 season of the Dallas Stars.
Jerseys worn in November games from that season are up for bids, including those donned by Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza.
The auction runs through September 16.
