Welcome to September, and welcome to another edition of ALT HITS, your newsletter covering what’s happening in the alternative asset space.

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Use ALT to search across marketplaces

Trying to track down a specific card? Now on ALT’s mobile app you can search for cards across marketplaces, helping you track down that elusive asset no matter where it’s for sale.

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The BIG news

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Mickey Millions

In case you missed it, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle with a 9.5 SGC grade sold for $12.6 million in an auction, making it the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold. It’s the third time in a year that the all-time record sale for a sports card has been broken, with the Mantle selling for nearly double the price of a T-206 Honus Wagner that went for $6.6 million in August of 2021. While the buyer hasn’t been revealed, we know it’s a “baseball fan from Rye, New York,” giving the card a home that’s just a short drive from where Mantle made his name.

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SEE INTO 2023

Jumping 71 years into the future from the Mantle card, Topps has already announced the look for their 2023 baseball set. The design features an inset photo of the player, continuing a trend Topps dips into every 20 years. So if you like the look, you’ll just have to wait until 2043 for another one like it.

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READY FOR KICKOFF

The NFL season kicks off tomorrow, which means it’s time to pick your horses for the upcoming season. Where can you find value? Take a look at some MVP odds to see where you should be placing your bets.

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OPTICTUNITY KNOCKS

The biggest product release of the past week was 2021-2022 Donruss Optic Basketball, a set packed with variations of last season’s top rookies. Good luck tracking some down, and better luck tracking down Cade, Mobley, Barnes, and the rest of the class.

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SPIDA, MAN!

After months and months of speculation, Donovan Mitchell was finally traded to the Knicks Cavs last week, prompting a little extra interest in his rookie cards. Cavs Nation took a look at how Spida’s market moved.

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GOTTA GRADE ‘EM ALL

Worried that your Pokémon cards are a little too banged up from your time flipping through them as a kid? Maybe you shouldn’t be, as some lower graded cards could be worth more than you think.

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GOBBLIN’ UP THE CASH

A Green Goblin action figure from 1975 sold for over $76,000 at a recent auction. The highest-ever sale for a Mego figure. Time to clean out that attic!

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THE GAMING GAME

Interested in collecting vintage video games but not sure where to start? Nintendo life has a nice look at how to dive in without spending too much money.

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WATCH WHAT’S NEXT

The Robb Report highlighted 8 new timepieces ready to turn heads — and wrists!

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WHAT A LONG, STRANGE SHIRT

Like most things from the 90s, the tie-die shirts the Lithuanian Basketball team wore in the 1992 Olympics are popping up all over the place. Not familiar with their history? Here’s a look.

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PRIME RIBBING

Russell Wilson teamed up with Amazon to create a prank to promote Thursday Night Football. Did you fall for it? If so, that makes one.

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