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Collectors! We’re less than a month away from Fanatics Fest and news is starting to trickle out about what collectors can expect. Last week Michael Rubin + team announced Fanatics Games, a competition (think pitching accuracy and 'closest to the pin’-type challenges) pitting regular Janes and Joes against celebrities like Tom Brady, Druski, Logan Paul and Kevin Hart, with the winner taking home $1M.
And just yesterday LeBron James announced that he’ll be hosting his podcast, “The Shop”, from the Fanatics Fest show floor, with special guests like the aforementioned Brady, Victor Wembanyama and Kai Cenat.
If you’re planning to be in NYC June 16-23 for the festivities, make sure to come hang with the Mantel team at Bleecker Trading, where we’ll be throwing trade nights and more every night after the show closes down.
via Sports Collectors Daily
The Baseball Hall of Fame has debuted “Getting the Nod”, a new bobblehead exhibit showcasing highlights from Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria’s personal collection. The exhibit features hundreds of nodding likenesses, from legends like Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige to modern stars like Clayton Kershaw and Giancarlo Stanton. A human-sized Willie Mays bobblehead anchors the display, paying homage to the 1999 giveaway that helped reignite the bobblehead craze. A lineup of Hall of Famers are slated to attend the opening, which celebrates the evolution of bobbleheads from kitschy souvenirs to collectible snapshots of baseball history.
To fight patch swapping fraud, Upper Deck is introducing tamper-proof encased rookie patch auto cards in its upcoming “The Cup” NHL set, releasing next week. Each card will be sealed, serial numbered, and linked to a QR code that displays multi-angle images of the original patch for verification. This new verification system, dubbed “The Authority Authenticator”, aims to restore confidence in relic cards, which are sometimes altered with more desirable patches to boost resale value. While grading complications may pop up, the company hopes its “U” (uncirculated) designation on the sealed cards becomes a value marker. If successful, this approach could reshape collector expectations and fraud prevention across the hobby.
Speaking of patches! Topps is expanding its Debut Patch program to include the UFC, with the first patch appearing at ESPN FN 189 this weekend, featuring Andreas Gustafsson. The Debut Patch cards have resonated with collectors by offering a true one-of-one tied to a specific debut moment, something increasingly rare in a market oversaturated with “one-of-one” variants. After Gustafsson’s fight, the patch from his walkout jersey will be embedded into a signed card for a future UFC x Topps release. This move continues Fanatics’ strategy of anchoring physical collectibles to verifiable, culturally significant moments in real time.
Swiss watch exports surged 18% year-over-year in April, hitting $3B, with the U.S. accounting for a 33% of that total. The spike was largely fueled by new tariffs on Swiss imports, prompting retailers and collectors to stockpile before a potential 10–41% price hike. High-end models made from precious metals and bimetallic materials led the charge. However, outside the U.S., global exports dropped 6.4%, with sharp declines in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The buying frenzy appears to be more about avoiding tariffs than a surge in organic demand.
One watch collector who benefitted from buying his Rolexes in April? Newly minted NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who celebrated his award by showering Thunder teammates with expensive gifts. Spotted among the boxes was a two-tone Sea-Dweller, multiple Datejust 36s, a Sky-Dweller, and a Submariner. The rollout, shared on IG by teammate Jaylin Williams, also included iPhones, Beats headphones, and custom Canada Goose jackets celebrating the team’s 68–14 season. As usual, Rolex takes center stage as the timepiece of choice for sports icons looking to mark greatness with something tangible… and timeless.
via The New Yorker
A worthy long-read for the music fans among us. A secretive, decades-long quest to preserve America’s most iconic guitars has culminated in the donation of nearly 600 vintage axes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Long whispered about in collector circles, the trove includes legendary models like the 1959 Les Paul “Brock Burst” and a prototype from Leo Fender. This unprecedented collection, built on obsessive curation and deep provenance, will have a permanent place at The Met starting in 2027.