The Backyard Find That Turned Into $44M

Collectors,

It’s been a good week for Paul Skenes — and for owners of Paul Skenes collectibles.

The Pirates rookie pitcher opened Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game with a scoreless inning, including a one-pitch out against Aaron Judge in the night’s most-anticipated matchup.

Skenes might already be exceeding the high expectations that came with being the first overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft. So, of course, the collectibles market is chasing his ascent: Last week, Skenes card sales on Whatnot jumped by 170%. On Sunday, a 1/25 Skenes-signed Bowman card sold for $8,600.

In a sport searching for a national face, Skenes could be next in line. Will his collectible value follow? Give us your predictions on Mantel.

Backyard Stegosaurus Becomes “Apex” Of Market

You may remember the Stegosaurus skeleton, nicknamed Apex, discovered by one lucky collector in his backyard. The initial $4M - $6M valuation of Apex proved to be very conservative. When bidding wrapped on Wednesday with Sotheby’s New York, the final price tag stood at $44.6M, a new record in the paleontology space.

The New York Times has more on the dinosaur fossil market.

The Journey of Mantel Co-Founder Brent Montgomery

You’re probably familiar with Pawn Stars, King of Collectibles, and, well, Mantel. Brent Montgomery – the driving force behind those projects (and many more) – was featured by cllct this week. All the bases were covered, from Montgomery’s days as a middle school entrepreneur to his fascinating journey through the media industry. Mantel’s CEO, Evan Parker, even got to chime in on the company’s origins. 

Check out the full story.

Squaw Valley Torch Could Light Up Olympic Auction

An Olympic torch from the 1960 games in Squaw Valley is headed under the hammer with RR Auction, with an estimate standing at $500,000. Considered a crown jewel of Olympic torches, this Squaw Valley beacon has ties to Walt Disney himself. As Disney organized the 1960 torch relay, he assigned Imagineer John Hench for the torch’s design. Bidding on the item – among 400 historic Olympic pieces – wraps today.

Robb Report covered the torch’s globetrotting history.

Meet Mantel at The National

Mantel is headed to the National Sports Card Convention next week in Cleveland, and we hope to see you there! If you’re heading to The National, fill out this form to let us know when and where you’d prefer for Mantel to host a community meetup. And as you prepare for the big show, make sure to check out Mantel’s guides to the show, including how to prep for an autograph session and ways to make the most of one day at The National.

Mantel Quality Stories

Card designer Tyson Beck makes sports cards that are true works of art. On the latest episode of Mantel Quality Stories, he talks with Buster Scher about the pieces from his personal collection that inspire him and his work.