SAGE EARLIEST EVER RELEASE FEATURES TOP COLLEGE PIX
VOLUME 2, NUMBER 193
**HOT**BUTTON**STORY**
(MEG DUMPS EBAY GRABS MCCAIN AND THE GOP!!!)
** NEW SCHEDULE FOR THE BRILL REPORT
** SAGE HIT DEBUTS EARLIEST EVER FOOTBALL CARDS
** MEG WHITMAN JOINS THE GOP'S MCCAIN
** GREEN TOYS TO HIT SHELVES
** BECKETT MONTHLY MAKES NEWEST DEBUT
** GOLD & SILVER COME BACK FOR SOME SHOPS
** UPPER DECK TURNS 20 WITH A BANG
** RECORD FORTUNE TURNS TO RECORD FAILURE
** UD PREMIERS NEW ORDERS
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN TODAY'S TBR: THE BRILL REPORT...
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PUBLISHING NOTE: To our loyal readers. We have come to a time in the life of TBR to make some decisions. The first of which is to go from a twice weekly on-line newsletter to a once a week publication. It was never our intention to cut down on how often we publish but due to many circumstances we just don't have the time to put together two, complete and quality reports each week. So beginning this week we will publish on Monday only.
However, we will still update for breaking and important news any day of the week as soon as possible. We will continue to send out emails to loyal readers and update them, when we update the newsletter.
We hope you understand but time has become a serious factor and rather than water down The Brill Report and give you less than the quality reporting you have come to expect, we will publish a high quality newsletter once a week instead.
THANK YOU =============== THANK YOU
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(SAGE ROARS IN EARLY)
Earlier than ever before football is coming to the hobby. This Friday, March 21 SA-GE Hit will make it's way on to hobby store shelves and it will be loaded with hot, key rookies. The reasons are simple according to SA-GE President Tom Geideman.
(SAGE President and co-founder Tom Geideman)
"We are doing this to avoid the trading and selling of illegal cards," Geideman told The Brill Report in an exclusive interview. "There are so many knock-offs and illegal or non-licensed cards which come out right after the combine and before the draft this is a way for collectors to get the player's first legitimate card."
HIT normally comes out the week of the draft but Geideman explains whether the produce arrived later or sooner, the company has already signed all the key players.
"We came to terms with so many athletes so early we decided to, instead of waiting before signing the other players, we should go ahead and release these as soon as possible," he added. "The only player we did not sign in time was Darren McFadden and we will have him in Hit The High Series, which will be out around the April draft."
McFadden is considered the top player and especially the top running back in the draft but waited to announce his signing because he was not a senior and had not declared. Hit Hi Series will still be McFadden's first card. The only other company making draft pick cards is Press Pass.
The product will feature 30 packs in a box as normal, five cards per pack with one insert or autograph in every pack. The autographs are seeded 1:5 or six per box. As for the earliest release ever?
"One thing collectors tell us is they cannot get enough football," said Geideman. "They keep asking when are we coming out with the next series and for those who question it coming out so soon, well, they can wait a month to open it if they want."
The latter comment tongue in cheek from the head of SA-GE.
(Darren McFadden's card from the Hi-Series of HIT.)
"It has become a year round sport and you have to get excited about the rookie class, especially this early," he added. "Thee are some players who people won't know but who may turn out to be the next Tom Brady, whom everyone overlooked in the draft."
Among the top players signed by SA-GE are Matt Ryan, John David Booty, Dennis Dixon, Matt Ryan and of course McFadden.
SAGE was co-founded by COO Robert Sadlak who worked alongside Geideman at The Score Board in the mid-to late 1990's. The pair founded SAGE not long after that. SAGE by the way is the four letters which come from the first two letters of the co-founders last names.
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(WHITMAN GRABS HER MAN; JOHN MCCAIN)
As a reader of The Brill Report you know Meg Whitman has had political aspirations for some time and leaving eBay when she did was planned to the minute evidently. A strong financial supporter of Mitt Romney, the former eBay CEO has now latched her star onto the only GOP hopeful in the field, John McCain.
Whitman was named co-chair of McCain's National Presidential Campaign. The 51 year old Whitman took eBay from a fledgling auction site to a Fortune 500 Company and herself became worth well over a Billion dollars. She stepped down a few weeks ago and the first news out on her is her new position.
Whitman joins Carly Fiorina as a co-chair and their fund raising will be put to the test as the GOP has some trouble raising the kind of money Democrats are expected to raise. Fiorina is the former head of Hewlett-Packard.
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(GREEN TOYS NEXT ON AGENDA DUE TO RECALLS)
When the world goes GREEN toys must change with it. This is the idea behind a move to eliminate toys made with vinyl from major store chains. After last year's recalls of toys with lead paint in China, American consumers are wondering what will be next. Many major stores are pulling, or just not ordering, vinyl toys. The reason? PVC.
"Polyvinyl Chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC is a widely used thermoplastic polymer. In terms of revenue generated it is one of the most valuable products of the chemical industry. Around the world over 50-percent of PVC manufactured is used in construction. Despite the fact PVC production negatively affects the human environment and human health it is still widely used." --- Wikipedia
(A green toy from Green Toys Inc.)
Ultra Pro was among the first to eliminate harmful PVC's from it's petroleum based plastic products such as sports card pages. The company realized what the oil base was doing to cards. It was making them yellow with age and also cracking. A new system was designed and pages became archival safe.
Now there is a movement on line to eliminate PVC from the toys on shelves. Wal-Mart, Target and Sears are looking to make a move. PVC is banned in Europe and will be next year in California. The key contention is small children chew on their toys, and in chewing plastics made out of PVC's; the result is obvious.
Mattel and Hasbro are working on corn based plastics. At least that way something healthy might go into the child's system, might be the sarcastic way to look at the picture. The EPA has said in the past children likely don't chew on PVC toys long enough to do harm but there is growing concern in the aftermath of last year's toy recalls.
Green Toys Inc., a start-up based in San Francisco debuted it's new line at the International Toy Fair this past month. It makes items out of recycled plastics and organic materials. Last year Ty had to replace it's Jammin Jenna Beanie Baby which had plastic shoes containing PVC. Denim shoes made the doll safer.
Meanwhile an industry company called The Vinyl Institute is leading an information charge saying what many groups are saying about PVC is mis-leading.
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(UPPER DECK TURNS 20 YEARS OLD)
2008 is Year 20 for Upper Deck. Tom Geideman by the way (See SAGE Story above) was the person responsible for selecting the first card to ever appear in an Upper Deck series; the 1989 Ken Griffey Jr., Rookie Card no. 1. Geideman was then just a teen ager looking to make a name for himself in the card business. After leaving UD and moving onto TSB, he co-founded SAGE.
Upper Deck is kicking off year 20 with a whole series of promotions. Among them an 80-card set available only by purchasing packs at selected and participating hobby stores. There will be high dollar buy back cards inserts in specialty packs which will be given to box buyers from those same stores. The promotion lasts for about nine months. Included in the distribution is a signed Michael Jordan Rookie Card from Fleer. UD now owns the Fleer name.
"Our goal has always been to drive consumers to our Certified Diamond Partners," said Mike Phillips, UD Director of Hobby Sales. "We are offering collectors an incredible set, fantastic buy-back cards celebrating Upper Deck's rich history and one of the most amazing prizes ever; all for doing what they already do -- that is collecting our products."
Collectors can also win one of the following trips; the next Super Bowl, plus following NBA Finals, World Series and Stanley Cup championship with airfare and some expenses.
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(UPPER DECK UPS PREMIER)
When UD announced it was cutting the number of cases it was producing of it's high dollar Premier Basketball product to 499, dealers gained interest in the product enough to begin ordering. Premier has been a good product but not good enough to be a $300-plus pack, in the past. With dealers holding back on ordering the company decided to move.
(The look of Jordan for UD Premier 2007-08)
It chose to cut the numbers drastically and to pump up the contents.
"We recently conducted a signing with Michael Jordan who was kept very busy with a Sharpie as he added his signature directly to many of the cards in the set," said Chris Carlin, UD Hobby Marketing Manager. "NBA Premier and many other upcoming NBA releases will be brimming with autographs of Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James and Kevin Durant."
Soon after the announcement orders began to come in. Most dealers are now waiting longer to order, uncertain of funds, releases, the economy and foot traffic. The last year saw the numbers of hobby shops income fall drastically and in recent months things have been very difficult for dealers facing the fact they are selling something usually bought with discretionary income during a Recession.
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(GOLD SILVER MAKING MONEY FOR HOBBY SHOPS)
Hobby stores owners who also buy and sell coins are salivating at the streaking values of Gold, Silver and even Copper. While oil hit $110 a barrel, the price of gold actually broke the $1000 barrier for an ounce while silver zoomed past $20. Buying and selling spot gold and silver are becoming mainstays for hobby stores who are into the precious metals as well as the precious card board.
"I bought 78 Walking Liberty half dollars with no numismatic value for $240," said one dealer asking not to be identified. "I paid over $3 each for them and sold them the next day for meltdown at 11 times their value or $429."
Some jewelry stores as well as higher end coin and currency stores are buying on the spot. For small time hobby stores it's basically whatever the buyer is willing to take, and in some cases how desperate for cash they are.
(The gold American Eagles sell from the Mint for $1200)
The price of gold is soaring so quickly the US Mint is really pushing it's upcoming Saint-Gaudens' and other gold coins, due in 2009. The price however might be dicey considering many are wondering what the "top out" point will be. The once ounce American Eagle Gold Proof coins sell for $1200. The uncirculated coin is back ordered at $1045. The Mint announced this month it will remake the Masterpiece $20 gold coins which are so popular.
"We want to spur the highest level of artistic excellence in American coin design," said Mint Director Ed Moy. "Recreating thousands of Augustus Saint-Gaudens' ultra high-relief Double Eagles will be a defining moment in American coinage."
Currently the double eagles are selling for anywhere from $1288 to $1800 depending on condition. The Silver coin uncirculated sells from the Mint for under $26.
(The American Eagle Silver uncirculated from the US Mint.)
The US Mint meanwhile is having it's own troubles because it takes more to make a penny and a nickel than it is worth. In fact, every time a penny or a nickel is minted the US Government loses money and increases the national debt. The penny takes 1.7 cents to make, the nickel nearly a dime at 9.5 cents! The Mint is exploring ways to change this by changing the alloy mix but it will literally take an act of Congress to get it done and so far Congress has been pre-occupied with other things.
In the last five years copper has gone up 440 percent while nickel has jumped 310 percent. The other alloy in the coins is zinc which has seen a 260 percent increase during the same period. What this all means is while the penny and nickel have stood still, the cost to make them has outpaced them. In reality with the value of the dollar dropping the two coins are going the other way.
The key for hobby stores however is finding a local spot buyer and letting customers know they are buying silver and gold. Even buying an ounce of gold at $800 still affords the quick turn around at around $1000 for an easy $200 profit. At one time most card store owners had dabbled if not started in coins and precious metals.
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(RECORD RECORD SALE A FRAUD ON EBAY? WHO WOULDATHUNKIT?)
A bid from Ireland for over $3 million for a record shops entire record collection turned out to be a fake. Not too surprising considering the number of bad sellers and buyers on eBay and also those who just want to pull the proverbial leg. However, the owner of a Pittsburgh based record store says he'll try again. This time though buyers must be pre-qualified.
(Rows and rows of record albums line the back and front rooms of the Record Rama Store outside Pittsburgh.)
Paul Mawhinney of Record-Rama says the guy did submit information he had the money but as it turns out, he didn't. The collection is back on the auction block and closes March 29.
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(NEW BECKETT MAGAZINE TURNS OFF SOME COLLECTORS)
The new Monthly Beckett Magazine debuted this week to less than stellar reviews. Some consumers liked it with comments of "well at least I don't have to purchase four magazines."
(New Beckett Sports Card Monthly makes it's debut.)
Others still were not as enthusiastic.
"This will not fly," blasts Neil Osina, a long time Los Angeles area shop owner. "Beckett needed to at least start at the turn of the century, 2000."
This in reference to only new releases being listed. Some collectors liked the idea of more information such as autographs. The new magazine will come out monthly on a 12 month basis. The regular Beckett Monthly Magazines which were sport specific will now publish every other month basically replacing the Beckett Plus brand and they will remain sport specific but much thicker.
The problem is for most collectors now you can't tell the Tuff Stuff from the Beckett they look so much alike.
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