1992-93 Charlotte Hornets Burger King Standups Set

Twelve Charlotte Hornets players were the subjects of a unique "standups" promotion issued during the 1992-93 NBA season. 

To summarize, four different envelopes were released by Charlotte-area Burger King restaurants during the course of the promotion. Each envelope contained three player standup cards that were denoted on the envelope fronts. The four set sponsors were also listed on the envelope fronts (Burger King, WJZY 46, Coca-Cola and the Hornets). 

Each standup was printed on medium-weight cardstock and perforated around the general shape of the player it pictured. The half-oval "stand" for each player is also perforated on one of the sides. As you've probably guessed by now, the idea was to display the players on a flat surface by removing the excess card backgrounds along their perforations, then using the stand piece to keep these upright. 

The promotion was released at a good time, as Charlotte was excited about the potential of their hometown ballers in 1992. Rookie center Alonzo Mourning was drafted by the Hornets, being picked second overall after some dude nicknamed Shaq who went to Orlando. Adding Mourning to a roster that already included Larry Johnson (who had been drafted 1st overall the year before) and Muggsy Bogues (an overachiever who had been a Charlotte fan-favorite since the club first played in 1988) caused fans to pour into the Charlotte Coliseum. Kendall Gill and Dell Curry rounded out the five players that played the most minutes that year for Charlotte, and by season's end the Hornets found themselves in the playoffs for the first time in their five year history. Though the Hornets beat a surprised Celtics team in the Eastern Conference First Round, the Knicks would prove to be too much to handle in the Eastern Conference Finals, where Charlotte was downed four games to one.

All five players mentioned above are included in the standups set, with the rookie-year Mourning being the most valuable by far. This type of perforated card had been released before in past years and in other places, typically for promotions just as obscure as this one. Due to these being a regional oddball offering, and with cards a size much larger than the standard issue (these standups measure a whopping 4 inches across by 8 7/8 inches tall), the set was pretty much destined to be off the radar of most basketball collectors from the beginning.

While I don't believe these cards to be truly scarce, they do seem to have gone into hiding; one doesn't find these all too often on the internet auction sites. When looking for a set, it would be advisable to find the cards still in their original envelopes and the perforations need to be fully intact to maintain their value. I believe a complete set with envelopes should be valued in the $20 range today, and this oddball gem provides an interesting alternative to the millions of mainstream cards that were produced during the peak of the basketball junk wax era. 

Click here to hunt for Burger King Hornets Sets on eBay

Envelope 1

Alonzo Mourning

Dell Curry

Tony Bennett

Envelope 2

Muggsy Bogues

 Johnny Newman

Mike Gminski

Envelope 3

 Kendall Gill

Kenny Gattison

David Wingate

Envelope 4

Larry Johnson

Sidney Green

Kevin Lynch

Are eTopps Prices on the Rebound?

For a brief explanation of the eTopps card program, click here.

With the increasing popularity of limited-issue insert cards that have dominated the collecting hobby since the late 1990s, one could make the case that eTopps cards never had a chance. After all, are cards with a print run of 5,000, 2,000, or even 499 really that limited? Can the hobby really absorb over five thousand 2002 Curt Schilling eTopps cards? 

Let's dwell on that '02 eTopps Schilling card for a moment... A whopping 5,190 of these were printed and sold, and based on the online eTopps price guide, the card carries a current value of 28 cents. The value of all eTopps cards are determined by taking the average price of the last ten eBay auctions, minus the highest-priced auction and the lowest-priced auction (so really the value is based on eight auctions, not ten). Here's a screenshot showing the details of the last ten '02 Schilling auctions, taken right from the eTopps website:

 

The first thing I'd like to point out is the ten auction dates listed on the left side of the box.  With all of those Curt Schilling cards floating around, surely you can find a hundred or so of these on eBay at any given time... Right?

Well, not according to the dates shown. As a matter of fact, this card has only been sold once on eBay this year! In 2014, the card was sold a mere three times, and only once in 2013! I believe one reason for this is because the low value makes it pointless to sell the card... After all, eBay fees will cost around a quarter for the auction. Another reason is because the vast majority of these cards have been collecting dust in the eTopps warehouse for thirteen years now, still owned by the collectors who paid $6.50 each when they were initially offered. I would bet that many of these card owners haven't even checked the values of their portfolios for several years now -- and who can blame them, since their cards are worth just a small fraction of what they originally paid for them. 

I do have a theory that eTopps prices have been making a modest (but growing) rebound this past year or so. The Schilling card provides a fine example, as you will notice the card selling in the 11 to 22 cent range in 2012-2013. Then, in 2014, prices began to firm up considerably with sales of 44, 31 and 75 cents. The lone 2015 auction ended at 44 cents. But what does this really mean?

While the sample size is admittedly small, it is obvious that collectors are now willing to pay more for the card when it comes available today than they were two or three years ago -- and the same can be said about countless other eTopps cards, too. Take a look Frank Gore's 2007 issue as another example. FYI, 749 of these were printed:

 

You can easily see the price difference between the bottom four auctions, which occurred in 2013 and early 2014, versus the six most recent auctions, which occurred in late 2014. I would be willing to bet that a seller today could easily get $1.99 for the card if that's the price where they started the bidding.

I haven't even mentioned how nice these cards are. Seeing photos of eTopps cards online may give one a glimpse of the design, but these cards must be seen in person to fully appreciate the colorful foil and deep glossy surfaces.  Many modern-era card collectors rank eTopps right at the top for quality, thanks to the company's premium visual and construction elements.

Does anyone else believe that eTopps prices are on the rebound, specifically on the cards valued at a dollar or less? I believe that current and future collectors of the Topps brand will have an interest in these cards, and the "fire sale" will soon be coming to an end. It would be foolish to expect the 2002 Curt Schilling card to head back up to $6.50... But for 28 cents?

I'll take five of 'em.

Click here to find eTopps cards on eBay

What is the eTopps Program?

If you're a collector of oddball sports cards, the eTopps program may be of interest to you. For those not familiar with the program, let me offer a brief explanation.

Back in 2000, Topps decided to try something new... the blending of high-end sportscards and online trading. This was accomplished by creating their eTopps website (www.etopps.com), which is the place where several things happen. First, this is where collectors go to register their personal accounts. Once registered, each collector is given free access to their online "portfolio," which is where they can view the cards they own, each card's current value, and even the price history of any eTopps card. The eTopps website also has a trading post where collectors can wheel and deal with others, trading eTopps cards in and out of their online portfolios. 

Before I get ahead of myself, I should mention the nature of these cards. Topps produced beautiful, physical cards from 2000 to 2011 for the eTopps program. These new cards entered the market through the eTopps website, where they were made available for sale for limited amounts of time. Interested collectors placed their orders for the cards right through the website, and a short time later the newly purchased cards would show up in their portfolios. Basically, physical cards were purchased but not shipped -- unless a collector wanted them shipped. What this meant (and still means today) is that these cards can easily be traded back and forth with anyone registered on the eTopps website. And thanks to an arrangement with eBay that has been in place since day one, card owners can still sell any and all cards in their portfolio right on the popular auction site with the click of a button. Upon an auction's end, payment is made to the seller and the card is simply transferred to the new owner's portfolio.

If a collector wants to take physical possession of a card (known as "in hand"), they can contact eTopps, pay a shipping fee, and have the cards delivered right to their door. Keep in mind that once a card is in circulation, it is no longer eligible for direct online trading or price tracking on the eTopps website. Of course, the benefit of taking physical delivery of these cards is the ability to enjoy them in person, and anyone interested in obtaining some of these "in hand" gems can find them scattered here and there at card shows, card shops and internet auction sites.

As noted above, Topps unfortunately printed their last eTopps cards in late 2011 when they released the 37 cards comprising their final yearly football set. Interest in the cards had sunk to a new low after twelve years of steady releases, and as a result many of the later cards were released with production runs lower than 500 -- very modest numbers for non-insert cards.

So what's the status of the eTopps program these days? 

Though the last sports card ran off the press a few years ago, the website is still chugging along with several active features still intact -- namely the trade post, checklists (price guides) and individual portfolios. Unfortunately, the eTopps message board and a popular "games" section were closed down some time ago. A small but dedicated group of eTopps enthusiasts can be found trading on the site today, swapping cards worth anywhere from a quarter on up (it's really quite addicting). 

I have bought, sold and traded eTopps cards since 2006, and I'm definitely a huge fan. Anyone looking to acquire nice cards at a great price should consider heading over to www.eTopps.com and getting started! It's free to register, and then purchasing a few eTopps cards off of eBay would be the next step. All it takes is one card in your portfolio to join the ranks of potential traders!

My next blog post will examine the cards further, and I'll make the case that these classy gems are making a comeback.

Click here to find eTopps cards on eBay

1989/90 Denver Nuggets Police

Twelve player cards comprise the 1989/90 Nuggets police set. Large game-action photos of the players in their white jerseys account for the majority of the card fronts. A vertical white bar on the right side of the front featured the player's name and uniform number, and three color sponsor logos are lined horizontally across the bottom (Denver Nuggets, Pepsi and 7-Eleven). Card backs contain a safety tip and contact info for the Denver Children's Hospital, all printed in blue. Cards are not numbered except for uniform numbers and the year of issue is not mentioned. Stars Alex English and Walter Davis are the key cards in the set.

The 1989/90 Nuggets police issue seems to be easier to find than the older Denver sets. A fair current value is in the $2 to $4 range.

(1) Eddie Hughes

(2) Alex English

(6) Walter Davis

(12) Lafayette Lever

(14) Michael Adams

(21) Todd Lichti

(23) T.R. Dunn

(24) Bill Hanzkik

(34) Dan Schayes

(35) Jerome Lane

(41) Blair Rasmussen

(45) Tim Kempton

1977/78 Portland Trailblazers Police

Considered the first "modern" police/safety set, the 1977/78 Blazers issue established the prototype look, size and feel for the majority of future public service giveaway sets. Consisting of fourteen cards (eleven players and three staff members), the semi-glossy fronts feature large game-day photos surrounded by thick, white borders. A Trailblazers logo can be found at the top right of the photos. Backs are white with a square red border surrounding a "Tip from the Blazers" and a basketball term. Near the bottom of card backs is an NBA logo and a line stating, "Courtesy of your area Kiwanis Club and Police Dept." Cards are not numbered except for player uniform numbers, and the year of issue is not mentioned. The majority of the 1976/77 NBA Champion squad is represented, with the key cards being early issues of Hall of Fame center Bill Walton and forward Maurice "The Enforcer" Lucas.

These cards may be a bit tougher to find than most other police sets of the era, but are certainly not scarce. A fair current value for a nice set is in the $25 to $40 range.

(10) Corky Calhoun, F

(13) Dave Twardzik, G

(14) Lionel Hollins, G

(15) Larry Steele, G

(16) Johnny Davis, G

(20) Maurice Lucas, F

(23) T.R. Dunn, G

(25) Tom Owens, C

(30) Bob Gross, F

(32) Bill Walton, C

(36) Lloyd Neal, F

Ron Culp (Trainer)

Jack McKinney (Asst. Coach)

Jack Ramsay (Coach)