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Miracle Season Fuels Bobblehead Craze, Unseats Pope
And the Chase for Alexis Ohanian's Mantel-Inscribed Card is ON
Evan Parker
December 04, 2025
Collectors, my Spotify Wrapped has me humbled today, estimating my age at 71 based on listening preferences. I guess Gen-Z is spending too much time doing that whole 6-7 thing to appreciate Steely Dan?
My podcast stats were less controversial, with a few hobby-related shows breaking the top 5, but in general Wrapped always leaves me slightly irritated. I’m sure the data is accurate but it always feels a bit off, doesn’t it?
Credit: Mantel
Mantel co-founder/mega collector Alexis Ohanian completed his first-ever trading card signing for yesterday’s Topps Allen & Ginter release, signing 600 on-card autographs. Several cards include doodles, personal inscriptions, and Easter eggs referencing wife Serena Williams, his daughters Olympia and Adira, Reddit’s Snoo, Chelsea WFC, and even Mantel. I had the pleasure of being with Alexis as he signed the cards and was impressed by how little his autographed deteriorated over the course of the session. By the way, if anybody reading this pulls an autograph that mentions Mantel, shoot me a DM please. I need that card to have a permanent spot on my mantel.
Indiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti’s bobblehead became the best-selling release of 2025 from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame Museum, outselling even Pope Leo XIV. The first Cignetti bobblehead, limited to 2,023 units at $40, sold out in under a week, triggering a second edition with a sideline pose. The original features audio of his viral “I win. Google me.” quote. All proceeds from both runs are being donated by Cignetti to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. I guess an American pope is less surprising than a competitive Indiana football team…
The Mantel Hobby Awards are locked in for December 18th at 4ET, and we’ll be running a break for 30 lucky Mantel users. It’s free to enter- just comment on this Mantel post. Make sure to tune into The Hobby Awards stream on Yahoo Sports and YouTube on December 18th to see if you were selected, and, of course, to see which hobby brands, products and personalities will be taking home the hardware.
🏆🏆 You can add the invite to your calendar through this link, so you don’t miss all of the action. 🏆🏆
Credit: eBay/cllct
An anonymous collector known as Kabuto King has ignited a viral chase to collect every first-edition Kabuto from Pokémon’s 1999 Fossil set, amassing 1,783 copies since August. Once a sub-$1 Near Mint card, the Kabuto now trades around $37, with PSA 10s clearing four figures this week. GameStop offered Kabuto King first access to graded trade-ins, and a Solana-based meme coin launched to fund further purchases. Of course, plenty of collectors are now hoarding Kabuto cards to keep the Kabuto King from achieving the goal. Gotta respect the pettiness.
The Fabergé Winter Egg, one of only seven Imperial eggs still in private hands, sold at Christie’s for £22.9M ($30.2M), setting a new auction record for the jeweler. Commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II in 1913, the rock-crystal piece features platinum snowflake detailing and 4,500 rose-cut diamonds, with a miniature floral basket inside. Its extreme rarity and craftsmanship drove intense bidding and renewed market interest.
Credit: Bring a Trailer
Paul Walker’s personal 2005 Ford GT is currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer, offering buyers both celebrity provenance and a low-mileage example of one of America’s most important modern supercars. Finished in Mark IV Red with 3,700 miles, the car features a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 producing 550 hp, paired with a six-speed manual. With only 4,038 first-generation Ford GTs built, bidding has already surpassed $562,000, exceeding its 2021 sale price. Bidding closes tonight, if you want to toss in a flier.
India is rapidly emerging as the next major growth market for luxury watches as demand cools in China. Swiss exports to India rose 25% in 2024 and continue climbing in 2025, fueled by a young, expanding middle class and rising wealth. Brands from Frederique Constant to Bremont are posting explosive growth, while local players like Titan and Bangalore Watch Company move upmarket alongside increasingly informed consumers. In the watch world, this is a story worth watching.