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Topps Printing Money with Jack Hughes Golden Goal Card
And is this the end of One Piece promotions at sporting events?
Above the Mantel
February 26, 2026
Good morning, Collectors.
More than 250,000 Topps Now cards featuring USA Hockey hero Jack Hughes sold before the deadline yesterday, a huge number that leads me to believe at least a few people reading this hit the "Buy” button. Odds are heavily weighted against pulling anything better than a base card, but we like the optimism! One card collector guaranteed to be happy when the cards start hitting mailboxes? Michael Rubin, given Topps made a quick 7-figures off the card run.
The National Sports Collectors Convention is expanding beyond its annual show through a new partnership with the Sports Cards Nonsense Media Network, aiming to become a year-round storytelling platform centered on collectors and community. New initiatives include “National Stories,” highlighting attendee experiences, and the Youth Collector Clubs program, which uses collecting to teach financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The National, which drew more than 100,000 attendees in 2025, will be back in Rosemont, Il July 29th- August 2nd.
Topps’ Hobby Rip Night returned with roughly 800 shops worldwide hosting collectors for breaks of 2026 Topps Series 1 and other products, with giveaways, athletes and shop events driving turnout. Big names including Tom Brady, Mike Trout, Chris Sale, Cooper Flag and Caleb Williams made appearances and hung with collectors. The night also produced headline hits, including pulls like…
… A potentially 7-figure Ohtani 1/1! The owner, who pulled the card at Legend’s Attic in Claremont, CA (Dodgers Country) plans to hold for now, though we’ll see how long “for now” lasts. Legend's Attic owner? Dodger great Orel Hershiser.
St. John’s canceled its final “One Piece” giveaway ahead of Saturday’s game vs. Villanova at MSG, citing security concerns. The promotion has drawn massive crowds chasing cards that have been selling for hundreds on the secondary market, with incidents like a Rutgers burglary heightening scrutiny. While rumors of $2 million in stolen cards were exaggerated, schools have adjusted logistics as demand outpaced expectations. The promotion spanned five schools and 15 total games.
Alysa Liu victory lap time, since her autos have jumped from ~$25 to around $200 after winning Gold in Milan. Writer J.R. Fickle, who has been on pushing Liu autos since late last year, has not been shy about yelling “Told Ya!”. And given he made good money selling his tickets to previous One Piece Night's at Rutgers, well before the promotions were canceled, we can expect more gloating in next week’s newsletter.
Victor Wembanyama’s “alien” doodle inscriptions have become one of the hobby’s most lucrative modern autograph premiums. Jerseys with the doodle have been priced near $3,000, while cards show even larger gaps — a 2023-24 Topps Mercury Foilfractor Auto 1/1 with an alien sold for $170,800, nearly $100K more than a comparable example without it. So it’s no wonder Nikola Jokic asked for the alien when getting Wemby’s auto after last week's NBA All Star Game.
Physical media is showing early signs of a niche resurgence, particularly among younger cinephiles. Los Angeles video stores like Vidiots and Cinefile report rising rentals, memberships, and foot traffic, while Barnes & Noble says disc sales are up mid-double digits. The appeal centers on ownership, permanence, and relief from streaming fatigue, with boutique labels like Criterion seeing strong growth. If you are touring a Gen Zer through a video store, which DVD are you telling them to pull off the shelf first?