Above the Mantel: Enthusiasts Fest, WNBA Autographs and more

Hey there, Collectors: Metz from the Mantel group here, filling out this week!Hope everyone that participated in had a good time at Fanatics Fest and a sincere thanks to everyone who dropped in the Mantel booth and those that shared their story with us. With that done we can all unwind up until we need to start prepping for The National.Advertisement Which remains in

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34 DAYS!?! Before real panic sets in, let’s break down a few of the stories from this past week. Mantel establishes its cubicle for Fanatics Fest in NYC.Replay Sports Cards, the first nationwide franchise idea committed solely to sports cards, is now seeking franchisees. Typically, card shops have been local small companies, owned by individuals with a dream and an enthusiasm for cardboard. It’s an intriguing juxtaposition, every regional card store(LCS) you’ve most likely gone to has actually been entirely unique, while the term”chain”conjures pictures of harmony in the similarity brands like McDonald’s, Walmart, and Chili’s. How will this very first generation of “chain “card shops compare to your standalone LCS? Gamestop has actually likewise been exploring this territory, significantly dedicating retail rack area to cards as more games shift to digital-only circulation. But it doesn’t feel like a cards shop- at least not yet.Advertisement Is the period of chain card stores upon us, or is the charm and credibility of a family-owned LCS difficult to replicate?Celebrities have the paparazzi, and professional athletes have autograph hawks– both can make their targets feel unpleasant and ruin authentic encounters for real fans. When and where is it suitable to ask athletes for autographs? Is it appropriate to wait outside a hotel and demand a sign that you intend to note on eBay simply hours later on? This post outlines affordable etiquette standards our company believe are fair: ask just as soon as, never ever demand more than one item, technique athletes just in public areas, and constantly let kids go first.Panini shared this video on Wednesday of a few of the most outrageous Caitlin Clark cards you have actually ever seen. With many 1/1’s costing 6 figures this year alone these sets will no doubt fly off the shelves when available. In the video you can see National Treasures, Flawless, Noir, and Contenders, sets that have formerly not had WNBA releases. At the time of this post it’s uncertain whether these will be individual WNBA sets or something else entirely. With the rate of WNBA hobby boxes matching or exceeding NBA boxes this year we don’t even need to know what the cost point will be when these boxes are released later on this year.A large collection of Princess Diana’s possessions, including her Woman Dior handbag, will be auctioned today. According to the post, more intimate items are the primary attraction, regardless of frequently having lower price tags. Such products open the auction to a more comprehensive audience– individuals who don’t usually take part in auctions but who still want to own a rare piece of history.Advertisement Do you own souvenirs from stars or historic figures? Be sure to share it on Mantel.Search”Honus Wagner T206 “in Google News and you will get dozens of current examples talking about this auction for a PSA 1 Honus Wagner that ended this weekend. The auction was quickly bid as much as over$3.5 M upon opening, but that apparently wasn’t enough. The card went unsold as the reserve was not fulfilled. With the last Honus Wagner T206 selling for over$7M in 2022 one can just speculate what this indicates for