Above the Mantel 002

Hey there, collectors-

Since starting on this journey building Mantel, we’ve encountered or read about so many people with interesting, off-the-wall collections. Dollhouse miniatures. Pez dispensers. Vintage meat grinders. 

We love that the world of collecting is seemingly endless. And we’re excited to create a home for people to post about their passions, and meet others who appreciate the same stuff. 

So we have to ask, what’s the strangest thing YOU collect?

Collector’s Item

Sports fans love a game of “What If?”. What if Michael Jordan didn’t retire in 1993? What if the Red Sox hadn’t been cursed after trading Babe Ruth? What if LeBron James decided to go to college?  

And what if Tom Brady decided to give up football after being drafted as a catcher by the Montreal Expos in 1995?

This week the team at Topps brought the Brady question to life with their release of the Bowman Draft 2023 set, which includes Tom Brady Montreal Expos rookie cards. 

The Brady stunt - a brilliant marketing ploy - took the sports world by storm, with Topps releasing a funny ad and supporting elements like a Bill Belichick signed card and this video from Eli Manning. 

We’re all about giving credit where it’s due, and Topps (and parent co. Fanatics) certainly deserve snaps for their marketing prowess.

Fanatics has taken some heat since buying Topps, and while not every decision they’ve made has been picture-perfect, it’s clear they are serious about bringing more collectors to sports cards and are backing up their claims to heavily market the hobby. 

And over here at Mantel HQ, we think more eyeballs (and marketing cash) for the hobby can only be a good thing. 

Penny Thoughts

• An ultra-rare 1879 map of Texas, considered the first accurate map of the state, just sold at auction for $705,000. Only three exist, so it’s not surprising the auction broke the record for the most expensive map of Texas ever sold. That’s a lot of coin for a map that doesn’t even direct you to the nearest Whataburger.

• Heritage Auctions has 33 incredible typewriters up for bid from names like Ernest Hemingway, Tom Hanks, and Hugh Hefner, as well as two, shall we say, more macabre offerings… typewriters used by Ted Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber, and Jack Kevorkian, a doctor imprisoned for euthanasia. Our favorite item in the bunch? A typewriter from legendary Los Angeles Times sports columnist Jim Murray that comes with a pair of his signature glasses. 

Mantel Update

On December 6, we launched a closed beta to begin testing the functionality of Mantel.

It’s a strange thing, launching an MVP. We’d liken it to inviting people to your under-construction home for a party. The house is a mess. It’s not as clean as you want it to be. Not everything works (Don’t flush that toilet! Sorry, the lights don’t work in that room!). And you just hope everyone is aware that the house will get better with time and their feedback. 

If you don’t have access yet, reply to this post with “Get me on Mantel” and we’ll get you in the door. If you already have access, please keep posting and interacting. And please keep passing along your feedback and ideas. 

Because while right now it might feel like you’re at a party in a house still under construction, soon, with your help, the wires will be tucked away, the toilets will flush, the floor will be swept, and we’ll all be proud of what we built together.