FRAMED JERSEYS- A Sports Fans Favorite Gift

A gift that is sure to knock the "Red Sox" off of any sports collector is a custom framed jersey. Collectors of framed jerseys don’t always restrict their collecting to only one  particular player or  team. The choices of what jerseys to collect are endless. Pick your favorite current player, a classic Hall of Famer or a new hot rookie. Collectors often cross over and collect jerseys of athletes from a multitude of sports.

 A quality custom framed jersey should be double matted and the overall frame size is usually 32x40 inches or 36x48. The jersey should be hand pinned either vertically (generally baseball and basketball jerseys) or horizontally (generally football and hockey jerseys) although space limitations on a wall vary so any jersey can be framed to the preference of the collector. Metal or wood frames are used and team colored matting makes a jersey a piece of art that literally pops off the wall and becomes the focal point of any room. Glass or plexi-glass can be used in the jersey frame but keep this one rule in mind when exhibiting any signed collectibles: “sunlight is your enemy!” Even UV protection doesn’t prevent sunlight from damaging and discoloring items. Blinds, drapes or black out shades are a good way to protect your collectibles during daylight hours. The most important thing is to make sure that no sunlight comes into a room directly onto your jersey or any signed collectible.

 Authenticity is #1 so don’t be  afraid to ask questions about when and where a jersey signing took place. You want to have a good feeling when you look up at your wall. Your local sports collectible store should be willing to answer your questions and educate you. A super good deal doesn’t mean that the item is  necessarily genuine. Provenance is #1 and there are many legitimate sellers with genuine collectibles that can also offer you what would be considered a good deal. Shop around for a solid source offering genuine autographed jerseys with quality framing.  Contact your local sports collectibles store and ask them about their selection of custom framed jerseys. Most custom jersey frame jobs are priced between $250 and $400.  Most custom framed jerseys are priced between $400 and $1000. Naturally there are some signed jerseys that are more expensive: Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Ted Williams, Lebron James, Kobe Brant, Pele and others.

  When a sports fan receives a custom framed jersey as a gift it is something that they will have for the rest of their lives. They will display it with pride, look at it every day and probably pass it down as a family heirloom. A professional might have a custom framed jersey displayed in their office as an "ice breaker" and “conversation piece”. Some corporations have sports jerseys and memorabilia on display in their conference rooms. Many business usa custom framed jerseys as incentives and rewards to their outstanding employees. Make a big splash by giving a custom framed jersey as a gift this coming holiday season or any time of the year!

2008 Box of Baseball Cards- How to choose

Buying a box of baseball cards that is the right box , whether it is for a holiday gift or specifically a box for yourself is sometimes difficult. The hard part is finding a baseball box with good content. There are over 100 products produced by the major baseball card companies each year. Comparing the baseball card business to the car business may be a good analogy. We can see that there are low end, middle of the road , high end and super high end products in both examples. All levels of product have similar content but with different "bells and whistles". Going to your local baseball card shop and viewing example cards from each of these products is one way to compare "apples to apples". You can look at the examples and have the prices of the baseball card boxes laid out right in front of you. baseball card memorabilia stores should offer fair prices, good service and that personal touch. Your experience should be fun and informative as you get to hold what you are buying in your hand. It is also helpful in choosing the right baseball card box for you. Here you can narrow down which box of packs you are going to purchase by determining a couple of things. Do I really like the look of the card? Is this box in the price range that I need to stay within? Can I expect a good "break" or "opening experience?"  As you can see, there are some cool decisions to make that contribute to a fun shopping experience. The dealers at your local baseball card shop can also be asked one particular question that will help you make your decision in less than 60 seconds."What's the hottest box of cards that you have for __X__ amount of dollars?" The result in choosing the right box of baseball cards is the "Happy" opening!!!!!

Buying Rookie Cards- How to Choose

Long before most of us started to buy, sell and trade baseball cards, "The Rookie Card" was a players most desirable card to have. Before autographed cards, game used memorabilia cards and numbered insert cards were produced, The rookie card was the collectors most prized possession. When we talk to card collectors about collecting today, the rookie card still seems to top want lists for both vintage and current players. You would be hard pressed to find a Ruth, Mantle or Jackie Robinson card that would be valued higher or more desirable than a mint rookie card. There is a certain desire when collecting most things to want to own the first of something and with baseball card collecting it’s the players first card, his “Rookie Card.”

Pre 1981 there was usually only 1 Rookie Card for your favorite new player because Topps was the main producer of baseball cards. Roberto Clemente Rookie Card:1955 Topps. George Brett Rookie Card: 1975 Topps, etc..

In 2008 there will be many rookie cards for each new player. How do you choose which to put in your collection? Naturally we are all guided by our availability of funds so that will help us to choose which rookie cards we are able to purchase.

If we go back to 2001 and look at a future Hall of Famer like Albert Pujols we find that he has many rookie cards ranging in value from $20 to $15,000. Value is dependent upon different factors including brand, limited numbered cards,autographed cards and of course graded cards.. An Albert Pujols Topps rookie card may be $50.00 however an Pujols Bowman chrome rookie card that was issued autographed might trade for more than $10,000 in a PSA 10 holder It’s all about supply and demand fueled by ultimate condition in a graded holder.

So which cards should you buy?

For the 22 years I’ve been in business I have always made the same recommendation when it comes to choosing what rookie cards to buy. Buy the best you can afford and also a card that appeals to you visually. Eye appeal is an important factor when collecting so make that one of your considerations when choosing. A baseball players rookie card will most likely appreciate based on supply and demand coupled to his recent and past performance and popularity. The best keeps getting better so buy the best you can afford to buy. However it doesn’t make sense to put all your apples in one basket when you have a large pool of rookie cards to choose from. If you like David Wright and Alex Rodriguez then try to spread your current budget so you can acquire both cards. You’ll have to do some homework but it pays off in the long run so do your research and ask questions before you start buying blindly.

Rookie Cards will always be in demand and will surely gain popularity as a players career continues to get better as he heads towards stardom.

Scott Allen is owner of Southbay Baseball Cards (a family owned business since 1986) and avid lifetime collector of vintage and modern sports cards as well as memorabilia.

SBayCards offers quality sports and non-sports cards, collectibles and more. Order Online at low competitive prices.Wide selection. Check them out- http://www.sbaycards.com

Know Who You Are Buying Your Collectibles From

There are only a few sports card stores in the country that have been in business for 25 years or longer. If any of these stores are near where you live or work then you know that they are great places to go to help you build your collection. Most businesses that have been around for that period of time know a lot about what customers expect and treat their customers right.  These business owners are pioneers in  their field. They take pride in their establishments and value the return patronage of their customers placing great emphasis on customer service, fair pricing and good accurate advice when asked. They are still in business because you, the customer, sincerely like doing business with them and they are for the most part responsive to your needs and are willing to educate collectors along their way collecting. I commend them and I commend you for shopping in these stores.

For many collectors  there isn’t a really cool card store in your area. The big sports card and memorabilia shows are only 2 or 3 times a year and you have to take trains, planes and automobiles to attend them. Then there are the hotels, food, cabs and admission costs. Thank goodness for the internet, right? The internet has brought these collectibles to your finger tips and then to your front door. You've seen cards and collectibles you never thought you'd see. You can see hundreds of items in minutes. The down side is that you have also encountered crooks and scammers that you never thought would prey on you. They won’t go away any time soon. It’s the law of averages for them and they’re good at what they do. It’s your hard earned money that they‘re after and you have to face the realization that you might get stuck some day.

 I’m not a negative person by nature and I don’t like playing the devil’`s advocate . The facts are however that fake autographs, trimmed and doctored cards, paying for an item and not receiving it are but a few of the pitfalls of internet collectible buying. Have any of these things happened to you or someone you know? Many collectors....thousands of them have been burned.  The internet is a huge playground for crooks to play in. They prey on the uneducated buyer and the greedy buyer.. When a deal looks like it’s too good to be true then it probably is. Stay away, BEWARE!!!!!  They will take your money and run and you may not have any recourse.

Protect yourself with your number 1 defense- common sense! Only buy from a secure web site. You also might possibly phone in your first couple of orders. Purchase from an Ebay, Naxcom or Beckett.com  business with lots of  positive  feedbacks.  Gather as much information as you can about them and their companies reputation. Ask your collector friends about their positive experiences. Referrals are great and can offer valuable info.  Do as much homework about the seller you are buying from as you do about the items you are buying.

The sports collectibles business is a billion dollar industry. This means that in 2008 collectors will spend millions of dollars on fake  autographs, doctored cards, damaged goods and undelivered merchandise.

  I prefer to hold an item in my hand when I’m buying, but when I can’t, I expect a reputable online business  to hold my hand when I’m making my purchases!

(SBayCards offers quality sports and non-sports cards, collectibles and more. Order Online at low competitive prices. Wide selection.)

Good Old Baseball Cards - America’s Greatest Hobby

The baby boomers have helped us develop one of the greatest hobbies in America: baseball card collecting. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard the story about "Mom throwing away my baseball cards", I could retire tomorrow! Even my own Dad gave away his baseball cards when he moved 3000 miles from New York to California in the 1960's.

When the Baby Boomers began buying their baseball cards back in the early 1980's, the hobby exploded. Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax,Ted Williams and Hank Aaron were on the top of their lists. Baby Boomers started building complete sets from the years they were born as well as building sets from the years they remembered when they opened packs during their childhood. It was a bit more affordable in the 1980's than in the 2000's, however in the last five years I have learned a lot about the desire of collectors to own vintage cards. Collectors today are privy to much more information than what was available 20 years ago. We can learn much more about the type of people and team mates players like Mantle, Mays, and Koufax were. We all know that it’s more difficult to find a nice vintage Aaron or Clemente than it is to find a modern Jeter or Rodriguez.

Perhaps the most significant observation I’ve made in the past 5 years is that more collectors between the ages of 15 and 30 are gravitating back to the cards from the 1950's, 1960's and even the 1970's. Is it due to the "Steroid Era?" Is it because most players during those early years were with the same team for most of their careers and they seemed to play for the "Love of the Game?" Is it because these young and educated collectors believe that it will become progressively more difficult finding these vintage cards in the future so they better get started now before these 50 year old and even older cards are all impounded in collections?

The answer is "yes" to all of the above. I can give you countless reasons why vintage is the future!

Nice quality cards of Hall of Famers and regional stars have always been in high demand. Now even lower grade Hall of Famer cards, team cards and high number cards are being sought. It will get tougher to find these cards in the future making it more difficult to complete older sets.

Here’s a challenge! Try one or a few of the following approaches. Go ahead and pick a vintage player you like or your favorite team. Browse a list of 500 Home Run Hitters or pitchers with 300 wins Check out the different types of older cards that appeal to your eye. Consider building your birth year set a few cards at a time. You'll enjoy building your collection even more when you have a goal in mind. While this is all happening, your collection will begin to include some of the greatest players ever to play the game.

That’s how I started when I was just 5 years old, enjoying older cards. Almost 30 years later, I still have my cards and I have only 1 regret.......I should have bought more!!!!!!

Purchasing Certified Autographed Memorabilia

When I was a kid it was exciting to get an autograph from a pro player. I might meet a Dodger before a game at the ball park and have him sign my autograph book or possibly go to a card show where a Laker player would be signing. Maybe attend a summer sports camp and get a photo or baseball autographed by a pro baseball or soccer player. You can still do this today but it's much harder to get close enough to an athlete then it was 20 years ago. In a less then perfect world there are people who take advantage by forging autographs and try to resell them as the genuine article. What can you do to get an autograph if you can't meet your favourite athlete or star in person? How do you know when you purchase an autograph that it's the real thing? Why should you spend your hard earned money on an autograph that you are not sure is genuine? Good questions......

This is the reason why major multi million dollar sports autograph companies were formed.  You can protect yourself and buy an autograph of your favourite player that has been certified 100% authentic. These companies contract athletes and stars so that their representatives can work with them to bring authentic autographed goods to the marketplace.  Some of these companies have been in business for more than a decade, serving the hobby and its collectors.They set up autograph sessions with current athletes and past greats. Upper Deck Authenticated, Steiner Sports, Mounted Memories, Tri Star, Schwartz Sports and Radtke Sports are some of the top sources for genuine autographed collectibles.

These totally reputable companies sign exclusive deals with the athletes. The items are certified with secure holographic stickers on the items or with serial numbers tying the item and its certification number to the certificate that accompanies each item. Sometimes you can even go to a local sports card and memorabilia  store and get an autograph from an athlete in person or purchase an item from a private signing that an athlete has done. Whether you are purchasing a Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, Muhammad Ali or Tom Brady autograph and paying from $500- $5000 or buying an autographed photo of my boyhood idol, the great former Dodger Steve Sax, you should care that your items come with a certificate of authenticity from a top company that sells genuine autographs. Do your homework, ask a lot of questions, your collection is worth it. I know mine is!

For a great selection and terrific deals, check out: South Bay baseball Cards Inc.

The INCREDIBOX - The Best 2008 Box of Baseball Cards

For as long back as I can remember I have looked forward to the start of a new Baseball season and with it the arrival of new boxes of that years Baseball Cards. The smell of the gum packs, the new card designs, and the answer to the question "What can I get in this year's box of cards?" Of course, the cards and the game have evolved and only a couple of products still have gum but no matter what pack you buy, with prices ranging from $4.00 to $400.00 each, you can expect the new 2008 Boxes to have even more exciting stuff than the year before.

As of right now one company has produced the most exciting 2008 Baseball Box of Cards and its limited to only 200 boxes. The Box of cards I am speaking of is the "2008 Baseball Incredibox". Each "Baseball Incredibox" contains an Autographed Baseball, Autographed Cards, Memorabilia Cards and a chance to Win Autographed Custom Framed Baseball Jerseys...(10 of them to be exact)! The 2008 Baseball Incredibox does not have any common cards or regular cards and you will not be disappointed when you open your box of goodies. Every one of the 200 Incrediboxes produced contains an Autographed/Certified Baseball from players like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Frank Robinson, Pete Rose, Dodgers, Angels, Yankees ,Rookies or Prospects and more. Each 2008 Baseball Incredibox has Autographed/Certified cards from Rookies, Stars, Prospects, Hall of Famers and more. Every 2008 Baseball Incredibox has Certified Memorabilia Cards from stars like Bonds, Rodriguez, Pujols, Mantle, Mays, Williams as well as Rookies, Stars, Prospects and Hall of Famers. There are Random Inserts, Numbered Cards, Vintage Cards , BGS and PSA Graded Cards and more.

Not only is this the best 2008 Baseball Box of Cards that you can buy, you also get a chance to win one of 10 Different Autographed/Certified Custom Framed Baseball Jerseys. Players included are Barry Bonds, 2 different of Ken Griffey Jr., Steve Garvey, Stan Musial, Russell Martin, Fernando Valenzuela, Willie Mays, Pete Rose and Alex Rodriguez. One in every 20 boxes will yield a winner of one of these Custom Framed Autographed Jerseys. Sports card stores are selling these Baseball Incrediboxes for only $99.00 each and they are a great buy when you consider each comes with an Autographed Baseball, Autographed Cards and Memorabilia Cards plus the opportunity to win one of those beautiful Autographed Jerseys. Don't wait to order yours. They are going fast- currently more than half are sold out!

Don't delay. Purchase your box or boxes and enjoy the fun and excitement that so many have experienced since these annual Incrediboxes began 10 years ago.