After seeing the initial auctions and some of the awesome looking cards for 2011 Supreme, I KNEW I needed to buy a box or two just to see what I could get. I stopped by Sports Cards Plus in San Antonio, and was delighted to find they had 2 boxes left from their case today. Not only am I glad I bought the boxes, but the cards look better in person than they do on eBay. It is going to be tough to find these boxes shortly, with many distributors already sold out, and the cards are only getting more and more crazy.

First box was definitely weaker than the second, but I was actually happy because I was able to hit a Vikings player autograph for the first time all year. I pulled a Kyle Rudolph jersey auto, which looks pretty nice for a sticker, numbered to 50. Rudolph should be a great tight end for the Vikings for years to come, and though TE cards are NEVER worth anything with few exceptions, its not something I was unhappy with.

Second box was where the fireworks happened, even though I cannot stand the player that was my hit. After sliding back the base on the first of four cards, I was really disappointed when the next card was a 1/1 printing plate of Ryan Williams. Although its a 1/1, I thought that was my hit. I was wrong, as the next card was a Tim Tebow blue auto /27, which is a pretty nice pull considering what could come out of a box like this.

Overall, this was definitely the most fun I have had breaking packs since Topps Chrome, and I am thoroughly impressed with the overall design of what Supreme is showing so far.

Here are the pics:

Last year I hated Topps Supreme. Not only did I hate it, but Im surprised the rest of the collectors out there loved it as much as they did. It was such a hit and miss product, pack wise, that I was completely against buying any boxes. On top of that, the singles looked like revamped Triple threads cards. I just didn’t think it was all it was cracked up to be.

This year, now that some of the cards have started to hit eBay, I think Topps has done a pretty awesome job making the product shine brighter than last year’s and then some. Although it is a sticker product, the cost per box doesn’t make me as worried when the hits look as good as they do. Hell, if the cards were hard signed, and someone told me it was five star, I wouldn’t second guess them. Although I am disappointed these are not hard signed rookie autographs, the design presents a card that outshines many of the other sets they have done so far this year.

Here are some of the auctions posted so far, I really like all the changes in design they had for the booklets and autographs in terms of card content. I think there are going to be chased by a lot of people, you might have to fight off a few collectors for the players you want.

Drew Brees Six Patch Auto Booklet 1/1

Joe Montana Jumbo Patch Auto

Michael Vick Six Jersey Auto Booklet /10

Titus Young Jumbo Patch Auto

Randall Cobb Patch Auto RC

For twenty plus years, Ken Griffey Jr was the face of Upper Deck, and for that matter, the face of the game. Griffey’s dynamic play, moon shot home runs and overall success was one of the main reasons that Upper Deck was what it was. Even after injuries brought his career potential from one of the best ever to just one of the best, collectors still loved everything the kid brought to the table. Once Upper Deck lost the ability to produce licensed baseball cards, their focus shifted to sports that more fit their college themed sets. Griffey retired the following year, and his contract with Upper Deck expired this past off season.

With their exclusive license to produce licensed cards, Topps wasted little time signing him to an autograph and memorabilia deal, something that many people like me felt was a pretty big deal. Griffey is Griffey, and they felt that adding him to their lineup was a perfect way to boost their influence among the baseball faithful. Today, among some previews for 2012 Allen & Ginter, we got our first look at what his signed cards will look like. I have to say, that although it seems odd to have Griffey sign a card without the UD logo, Topps definitely made the right choice.

I think that there are a ton of people out there who want hard signed Griffey cards for their collection, even more so now that he can be depicted in his Mariners uniform again. On top of that, the ginter design this year looks on par with previous years, looking to continue its tour de force among set collecting baseball fanatics.

Griffey will always be one of the most famous baseball players ever to play, even without a Babe Ruth level of statistical success. As people are about to find out, his cards will still bring the heat in terms of value, and I think that as the year moves on, its going to be interesting to see what Topps does with their new addition. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about how much more I would love to see Sports Art as a focus of products in the future. I feel that quality paintings, with hard signed signatures could be a very successful part of a product, especially due to how awesome they usually turn out. Art is generally as visually appealing to the naked eye as most of the dynamic photography that is usually present in football, and I don’t think there is enough of it around the hobby.

Back before the catastrophe of the last decade, Upper Deck produced Masterpieces as a tribute to sports art. Although it was completely unsuccessful as a standalone product, it produced some of the most amazing looking cards of the last decade. Around the same time, Topps released National Chicle in both Baseball and Football, both of which produced some of the WORST looking sports art cards ever produced. I mean, laughable is an understated way of talking about the success of the products. What Topps should have done is model Chicle more after sets like 2002 Topps Gallery than anything, and that is putting it lightly.

Check out some of these awesome cards:

Tom Brady Topps Gallery On Card Autograph

Hines Ward Topps Gallery On Card Autograph

Chris Chambers Topps Gallery On Card Autograph

The simple and understated presentation of these cards with the hard signed autograph is incredible. Although the checklist is SEVERELY outdated, the cards look as good as any from the recent years. Chicle was unsuccessful due to stickers and terrible artwork, but these cards (if they are even artwork instead of filtered photos), make the others look bush league.

If we had a level of dedication, and dedication of funds to match, the prospects of a set or product like this would be untouchable. You just never see quality like this, and when you do get the quality, there are always stickers to take it down a few notches below where it should be. I think there needs to be a major commitment to driving quality over quantity, and I would hope ideas like this are only one of hundreds.

For the playoffs every year, there are always storylines that have major hobby impact for seasons to come. It is the time where national attention shines on the good and the bad, especially as the rounds move closer to the Super Bowl. There are always a few players who gain the spotlight they would normally not have, and for 2011, there seem to be a few more late round and undrafted guys that are poised to make a huge splash. Of course you have guys like Julio Jones, Andy Dalton and AJ Green, but both already had a lot of attention going into the game yesterday. However, when a player is not a top pick on a top team, its tough to cultivate value outside of games where the whole nation is watching.

Arian Foster – Texans

Although Foster had a tremendous year last year, his lack of autographs and cards prevented a huge hobby bump because of his status as an undrafted free agent. His explosion was highlighted by a HUGE game in the first playoff victory for a team on the bubble. He is going to factor in more than any other player on the Texans because of the lack of a passing game, and the performance yesterday did him a ton of favors among the collectors who love hard nosed running backs. To start the year, it didnt look like he was poised to repeat his league leading production from 2010, but once he returned from his hamstring, it was obvious he was not going to have any issues. As a result, his cards have continued to grow in value, and after a win against the Bengals, this should continue in spades.

Look at these prices:

2009 Arian Foster Bowman Sterling Auto RC /25 BGS 9.5

2011 Arian Foster Gold Standard Auto Jersey /10

TJ Yates – Texans

Although he will NOT be the starter next year, Yates has proven to be someone that can benefit greatly from an injury plagued season by Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. Yesterday, Yates was able to find the endzone on a bomb to Andre Johnson, which did wonders for his cards already moving up the value spectrum. I never understood why someone would buy cards for a guy that has no chance to be the continued starter for the team they play for, especially one that plays for a team that isnt widely collected outside of Texas.

Hasnt stopped anyone:

2011 Certified TJ Yates Mirror Black 1/1 RC auto

2011 Gridiron Gear TJ Yates RC auto /25

Victor Cruz – Giants

In general, wide receivers are not worth anything unless they are named Jerry Rice. Cruz has had a career year in a town that always has national attention for its sports teams, and a win today for the Giants could do wonders for his prospects. As a guy who was not expected to have a lot of playing time, he had very few rookie cards in 2010. With Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham on the roster, Cruz was likely to ride the bench for his career unless something drastic happened. Luckily for him, he got his shot, and definitely made the most of it. Since his coming out party during the middle of 2011, his few autographed cards have gone through the roof. He will no doubt be a guy companies will include in many 2012 products, but I dont see much value for anything but his rookies. Collectors are chasing them like crazy, so that may be an issue for Giants fans.

His cards are now worth quintuple what they were worth to start the season:

2010 Victor Cruz National Treasures Auto RC /99

2010 Victor Cruz Playoff Contenders RC Ticket Auto BGS 9.5

Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski – Patriots

The gruesome twosome of tight ends for New England have had record years during 2011, and look to be on track for a very productive playoff run. After scoring more TDs than any tight ends in the history of the NFL, Gronkowski’s cards have been among the most expensive of any rookie from 2010. Hernandez, as a Florida Gator, had value to start, but has become incredibly collectable on a very popular team. If New England makes another Super Bowl run, these guys’ cards will no longer be able to be purchased due to price.

Check it out:

2010 Rob Gronkowski National Treasures Logo Patch Auto RC

2010 Aaron Hernandez National Treasures Auto RC /25

Jordy Nelson – Packers

The Packers have since eclipsed the Cowboys as “America’s Team” per a recent poll, and Nelson has ridden the coattails of Aaron Rodgers all the way to hobby top billing. Nelson had a ridiculous campaign this year, and will likely play at least two games in this year’s playoffs. His Exquisite autos from 2007 have almost tripled in value during the course of the year, and it sure doesnt hurt to have a team around him like the Packers. Again, WR cards are rarely worth anything past rookie year offerings, but that is all that is available for Jordy. He has not had autographs in the last few years, and demand will always overshadow supply in that case.

Here is what I mean:

2008 Jordy Nelson Exquisite Auto Patch RC /199

Overall, I still expect there to be a very predictable outcome to the playoffs this year, but that will never be a bad thing for collectors of these popular teams. As the Super Bowl approaches, many of these cards will have potential for huge growth, however, holding instead of selling could be the worst idea possible. My advice is to strike while the iron is hot, especially on guys who probably wont make it all the way to the dance. Once the season is over, value disappears along with it.