Welcome to issue one of Hobby Headlines!
The aim here is simple: provide you with the daily hobby stories and keep you informed in around two minutes per day.
Sports Cards
⚾ Baseball Cards
5 little-known facts about Topps's original 1951 baseball card sets SI
A quick history of Topps’ first baseball issues (Red/Blue Backs), including their game format, scarcity/grade dynamics, and notable quirks compared with the better-known 1952 set.
🏈 Football Cards
3 WR Rookie Cards for 2026 NFL Hall of Fame Finalists: Fitzgerald, Holt and Wayne SI
A look at key rookie-card targets for Larry Fitzgerald, Torry Holt, and Reggie Wayne, with context on notable sales and where the market currently sits for graded examples.
🥊/🎾/🏒 Misc. Other Sports Cards
Topps Chrome® Tennis Product History Topps Ripped
A rundown of Topps Chrome Tennis’ origins and evolution, plus what collectors are chasing in the 2025 release (parallels, inserts, autographs, and key “case hit” style targets).
Non-Sports Cards
Upper Deck to release Harry Potter cards under new license Cllct
Upper Deck announced a new Harry Potter trading card license with the first planned release tied to Sorcerer’s Stone 25th Anniversary, with product details still to come.Upper Deck and Harry Potter: New Cards including Gold 1/1 Outburst parallels SI
Sports Illustrated’s take on Upper Deck’s Harry Potter deal, outlining planned product lines and expected chase elements (including Outburst parallels and a Gold 1/1).
Sports Memorabilia
Willie Mays 1963-64 Gold Gloves up for bid in Part II of Mays auction Sports Collectors Digest+1
Hunt Auctions’ Willie Mays sale highlights a pair of Gold Gloves (1963–64) plus additional rings and memorabilia, with proceeds supporting the Say Hey Foundation.More Cowbell! 'Saturday Night Live' bobblehead series commemorates iconic characters Cllct
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum rolled out a limited SNL bobblehead series (numbered to 2,026) featuring multiple classic characters.
General
The year in collectibles: Have repacks had a positive impact? Cllct
A panel-style discussion weighing repacks’ role in the hobby—highlighting transparency/odds disclosure and the balance between entertainment and long-term collecting culture.Tom Brady is opening a sports card shop in San Francisco. Here’s where (paywall) San Francisco Chronicle
Reported plans for a CardVault by Tom Brady location in San Francisco, including the proposed site and status updates on the storefront/permits.
Pre-sales
Topps Stranger Things Follow Up With New All-Time High Card Sale SI
Topps’ Stranger Things 2026 product reportedly sold out in under 30 minutes during its pre-release window, with box configuration details confirmed (autos/relics/parallels). The story also notes a recent record sale for a 1/1 “Eleven” autograph that closed shortly after the finale aired.
YouTube Video of the Day
I thought this interview with a former PSA grader was really interesting. There weren’t any big nuggets here, but interesting nonetheless.
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