Man collects a million Cubs cards 🧸

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Rise and shine, card enthusiasts! This is Penny Sleeve, the sports card newsletter as memorable as a weekend in Vegas.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• Man collects a million Cubs cards 🧸

• Caitlin Clark grading is through the roof 💥

• Auctions ending soon 🔎

• People to follow in the hobby 👥

• Meme of the day 🃏

MAN COLLECTS A MILLION CUBS CARDS 🧸

Collector Beau Thompson just became a millionaire, but not in the way you’d traditionally expect. Since 2017, Thompson has been on a quest to collect one million Chicago Cubs cards, everything from vintage pre-war to ultra-modern. His lofty goal has taken him to card shows, estate sales, online auctions, and everything in between.

The goal was never just a million random cards — it was to capture the history and essence of the Cubs’ legacy, memorializing everyone from hall of fame players to obscure benchwarmers and promising rookies.

As he approached a million cards, Topps and the Cubs organization took notice and made sure to make a spectacle of the achievement. They invited him to Wrigley Field and presented him with his millionth card — a custom superfractor with his photo on it.

Stories like this remind us of what’s good in the hobby — collecting for the sake of collecting, instead of just for profit. Thompson now runs a trading card store on eBay full-time. According to his Twitter, he’s going to continue collecting Cubs cards but (unfortunately) isn’t gunning for two million, although he’ll be moving duplicates to make space for other cards.

CAITLIN CLARK GRADING IS THROUGH THE ROOF 💥

Although Caitlin Clark’s college career didn’t end the way she hoped, there’s no doubt that she’s been the face of March Madness, and the greatest thing to come out of Iowa since corn. Iowa’s final versus South Carolina averaged 18.7 million viewers, substantially more than all of the men’s finals since 2019.

Unsuprisingly, her grading numbers have skyrocketed — from 34 cards graded with PSA in May 2023 to 4,209 card graded in March 2024. Clark’s most graded card is her 2022 Bowman Chrome University #50 base card with 2,319 cards graded, 954 of which are PSA 10’s (41% gem rate). Coming in second is her 2023 Bowman U Now #49 base card, with 701 graded and 633 PSA 10’s (a whopping 90% gem rate).

Now that Clark is heading to the WNBA, it’s unclear whether the rabid collectors will follow. If the WNBA has any business sense, they’ll do everything in their power to make sure Clark becomes a superstar.

AUCTIONS ENDING SOON 🔎

• Steve Novella: ends April 9 (tonight)

• NBA Auctions: ends April 10

• Clean Sweep Auctions: ends April 10-11

• Goldin: ends April 11

• Alt Liquid Auctions: ends April 11

• Bagger’s Auctions: ends April 11

• MeiGray Auctions: ends April 11

• NBA Auctions: ends April 11

PEOPLE TO FOLLOW IN THE HOBBY 👥

• topps85401: Baseball collecting content

• Bluejacket 66: Vintage baseball collector

• Degen Rips: Degenerate pack ripper

MEME OF THE DAY 🃏