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New Red Sox Sets Bound to Sell Well

by Paul Angilly
November 2, 2004

If you’re a Red Sox fan, by now you’ve probably already stocked up on T-shirts and caps prominently featuring the Red Sox name and/or logo along with the phrase, "2004 World Champions." So here’s a look at some other collectible items that celebrate this year’s historic World Series victory.

One trading card set I’ve already ordered is the Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Gift Set, available from the online Topps store (www.etopps.com/store).

Advertised as being ready to ship on Nov. 29, each commemorative gift box will contain a factory sealed 55-card set featuring an oversized Red Sox team card individually wrapped as a box loader. The set also includes 29 players (not including Jason Varitek, who apparently did not reach an agreement with Topps to be included in the set), manager Terry Francona, a team photo, eight season highlights, three ALDS highlights, seven ALCS highlights, four World Series highlights, one ALCS MVP card and one World Series MVP card.

Topps also made a Boston Red Sox Collector Chip Set available during the playoffs for $39.99 -- perhaps a bit too pricey to attract much attention. It was advertised as being available only through the playoffs and World Series, but sets might make their way onto eBay and other places. The set contains 25 unique casino-style chips (9 grams each and 1½ inches in diameter), with player head shots on the front and the ALCS logo on the back. The set includes all the players on the Red Sox’ postseason roster except -- again -- Jason Varitek, plus one for Francona.

Earlier this year, Topps had made available a special factory set of its base brand that included a special five-card set of Boston Red Sox prospects (David Murphy, Kevin Youkillis, Juan Cedeno, Matt Murton and Kenny Perez) inside a special Red Sox box. The sets, originally offered for $50 each, are sold out from the company’s web site but have been selling well on eBay, with one auction closing the day after Boston’s World Series victory fetching a $96 winning bid.

Upper Deck’s online store (www.upperdeckstore.com) also has several items available.

A Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Champions Commemorative Card is offered for $9.99, and will be available to ship the week of Nov. 30. The 3½x5-inch commemorative card pictures Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, Johnny Damon, Trot Nixon, Derek Lowe, Keith Foulke, Jason Varitek, Bill Mueller, Mark Bellhorn and Orlando Cabrera. Each card comes packaged inside a snap-holder.

A similar Boston Red Sox 2004 A.L. Champions Commemorative Card is also available for the same price, picturing the same players.

Also available for $24.99 each are a pair of limited-edition framed photos with nameplates, called Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Champions Memorable Moment and Boston Red Sox 2004 A.L. Champions Memorable Moment. The 13x13-inch World Series photo shows the Red Sox celebrating after Game 4, and is limited to 1,918 copies made. The A.L. Champions Memorable Moment is a montage of 12 players: ALCS MVP David Ortiz, Johnny Damon, Derek Lowe, Curt Schilling, Keith Foulke, Mark Bellhorn, Bill Mueller, Manny Ramirez, Trot Nixon, Pedro Martinez, Jason Varitek and Orlando Cabrera. Limited to 204 copies, the montage measures 11x15 inches.

I’ve also seen an Upper Deck "Curse Reversed" set offered on eBay, although there’s no mention of it on Upper Deck’s website yet.

According to the item description the 20-card set, with a bonus 3½x5-inch jumbo card showcasing Babe Ruth surrounded by this year’s Red Sox starting lineup, is due out on Nov. 30. The checklist includes base cards for David Ortiz, Mark Bellhorn, Orlando Cabrera, Bill Mueller, Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon, Trot Nixon, Jason Varitek, Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, Bronson Arroyo, Tim Wakefield, Derek Lowe, Mike Timlin, Curtis Leskanic, Keith Foulke, "Memorable Moments" cards of Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and Curt Schilling and an MVP card for Manny Ramirez.

Fleer is offering the official commemorative Boston Red Sox 2004 MLB World Series Championship tractor-trailer. The 1:80 scale collectible prominently features the Boston Red Sox Championship logos, MLB World Championship trophy, and the colors and logos of the World Series and Major League Baseball. The top of the tractor-trailer has a banner that reads, "The Curse is Over." Along with the banner are the 1918 Red Sox World Series logo and the 2004 World Series logo. They will be available in December.

Beckett magazines is also getting into the act with an upcoming commemorative issue called, "Beckett Presents The Boston Red Sox: A Championship Season." The full-color tribute includes 80 pages devoted exclusively to Boston’s 2004 World Series title. Highlights include: a look back at 10 of the most beloved Red Sox players of all time, a reverential tribute to the undying devotion of Red Sox fans, team photos of the 2004 Red Sox and their 1918 counterparts and a quick look at some of the hottest 2004 Red Sox collectibles. The magazine will be available this Friday.

Of course, anyone who wants to relive this year’s World Series title over and over will want the official 2004 World Series video/DVD. Due for release on Nov. 23, the 80-minute long video will include highlights and exclusive behind the scenes access and interviews. It is available from many sources, but one of the cheapest prices offered is $14.67 from Amazon.com (www.amazon.com).

I picked up some souvenirs for myself from the official Red Sox team store in Boston this past weekend. Some prices: World Series champions T-shirt, $35; official 2004 World Series program, $15; two World Series champions lapel pins, $10 each; Red Sox World Series champions bumper sticker, $5; bringing home some event-used confetti from the Red Sox victory parade in Boston stuck to my jacket -- priceless.

About the author
Paul Angilly is a sports reporter for The Bristol Press in Connecticut, and has been collecting sports cards and memorabilia for 30 years. He is not a dealer, nor does he make a profit from buying and selling cards. His weekly sports card and memorabilia collecting column appears each week in The Bristol Press and several other daily newspapers in Connecticut.

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