By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor

Bugs, meteorites and Mars.

That’s not your typical assortment of finds in a hobby box, but Goodwin Champions has never been typical with its hits. This is a product that started a craze with its Entomology Cards where actual bugs were inside shadow boxes.

This year’s Upper Deck Goodwin Champions brings back the entomology cards, but also collectors will have an opportunity to find rocks from meteorites and Mars, and memorabilia pieces from museums, including Civil War and Presidential memorabilia.

This year’s installment is due out in May with 20-pack (five cards in each pack) hobby boxes yielding three hits of either on-card autographs, memorabilia cards, animal kingdom patch cards or printing plates. There are also 10 Goodwin Champions mini and numbered parallels. Early presales are going around $75 a box.

The set won’t be easy to complete. There are 231 cards of different sports figures from over the years, but there are 150 base cards with 40 short-prints, 20 super short-prints and 21 high series minis to complete the set.

The inserts will include: minis, minis with Lady Luck backs, Magician backs (numbered to 10), Presidential backs (1/1), Military Machines and a World Traveler oversized card (one per box).

However, Upper Deck doesn’t end there. For fans of the original, Upper Deck has made it so they would be able to collect the 1888 Goodwin Masterpieces originals, which were 50 hand-painted images.

The Entomology Cards, which have been a big hit for Upper Deck, have returned. In the past, the cards have featured beautiful multi-colored moths, butterflies with spotted wings and a bug that looks like a stick. Fan of these could expect to find more butterflies, beetles and different variations of bugs this year.

Susan Lulgjuraj is a contributing editor for Beckett Media. You can email Susan here. Follow her on Twitter here.

By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor

Remember when the Martians invaded Earth? With their huge heads and ginormous eyes encased in a glass helmet? Fans of the Mars Attacks series remember it all too well. But it’s been 50 years since the Topps science fiction trading card set came out.

Mars Attacks spawned dozens of merchandising options from comics to re-issued sets to toys. The series was so interesting and obscure, film director Tim Burton adapted the storyline into a movie in 1996.

It’s time again to remember when the Martians attacked. In conjunction with the 50-year anniversary Topps is releasing a commemorative set.

Mars Attacks won’t be out until at least July, but the company is putting together a conclusive set for its fans. Topps will reprint the original 55 cards and adding another 25 previously unseen cards. In addition, 10 cards will be painted by Jason Edmiston and are based on the storyboard sketches by the guys who brought Mars Attacks to us first, Wally Wood and Bob Powell.

With the cards, there are also comics in the works. And because comics give us more options, 15 cards in the Mars Attacks set will feature artist John McCrea’s work, the illustrator of the upcoming comics.

Topps will include limited editions cards: multi-colored parallels, 3D lenticulars and sketch cards from various artists.

Because of the uniqueness of the product and its popularity, Topps will use its Heritage-based process in the development process, trying to give them that old time feel of when the originals came out in 1962.

“The original Mars Attacks series enjoys the distinction of being the most sought after and valuable non-sport trading card set of all time,” Topps Licensing Manager Adam Levine said in a press release. “Its legacy status has earned the new series Topps’ full ‘Heritage-style] treatment.  In order to preserve the product’s retro sensibility, all cards will be printed on thick, old fashioned card stock. Similarly, the design treatments for the display box and wrapper mimic the now-classic 1962 packaging.”

This product certainly seems to be popular with sports and non-sports fans. If social media is a gauge, the Mars Attacks’ Facebook page has more than 52,000 followers, which you can find here.

Susan Lulgjuraj is a contributing editor for Beckett Media. You can email Susan here. Follow her on Twitter here.

By Dan Hitt | Sports Data Publishing Manager

Every Monday morning throughout the NFL season, we selected our rookie, veteran and breakout players of the week with a run down on why collectors should take notice. For the postseason we’ll select three standout players for each round. Here are our choices for the Super Bowl.

 Eli Manning, QB, Giants

(296 yards passing, 1 touchdown)

After securing his second Super Bowl victory and second MVP Award, the adjective “Elite” seems to be finally sticking to the younger Manning. There was much talk about this moniker leading up to the game and the results are sure to end most of that debate now. What will happen to Eli’s cards now that he’s officially an elite quarterback? The first level that we’re likely to see is that Eli’s 2004 rookie season cards will increase to that of Ben Roethlisberger – fellow two-time Super Bowl champion. That should be the immediate benchmark. Where his top cards go from there is anyone’s guess, but there’s a great chance that the buying momentum will carry Eli’s most valuable signed Rookie Cards higher than Big Ben’s—at least in the short run.

Cards to Grab:

2004 Donruss Elite #134 RC/500 ($50)

2004 Finest #110 AU/399 RC ($200)

2004 Ultimate Collection #130 AU/150 RC ($300)

Justin Tuck, DE, Giants

(2 sacks)

The Giants’ defense, particularly their pass rush, was anticipated to be a key factor leading up to the game. While Tom Brady seemed to have more time, generally, to throw than most Giants fans would have liked, Justin Tuck came through with two very large sacks of Brady late in the game. Tuck was also the player pressuring Tom Brady in the end zone that forced the intentional grounding penalty resulting in the safety early in the game. That safety proved to be important in the final minute of the game when the Patriots were forced to score a touchdown instead of a field goal. Watch Justin Tuck cards this week and the following week for a possible surge in interest, especially his only certified autograph – 2005 Exquisite Collection.

 Cards to Grab:

2005 Exquisite Collection #125 AU/150 RC ($100)

2005 SP Authentic #142 RC/750 ($15)

2005 Topps Chrome #231 ($6)

Mario Manningham, WR, Giants

(5 catches, 73 yards receiving)

Mario Manningham’s great over-the-shoulder catch late in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl reminds many of us of David Tyree’s famous catch in the previous Giants-Patriots super match-up. Just like Tyree, Manningham is now and forever part of New York Giants Super Bowl lore. Manningham’s hobby status is much stronger than Tyree’s, although his 2011 season statistics where weak. As a 2008 rookie, Manningham has plenty of autographs to choose from and none have been selling strongly for months, so we should see a rapid spike in value for many of them this week.

Cards to Grab:

2008 Absolute Memorabilia #258 RPM AU/299 RC ($25)

2008 Exquisite Collection #159 JSY AU/199 RC ($80)

2008 SP Authentic #282 JSY AU/999 RC ($30)

Beckett Basketball’s Chris Olds caught up with a heavy collector of Flair Showcase Legacy cards (and more), Ted Yates, after he came to Dallas to get a massive haul of the cards authenticated and slabbed by Beckett Grading Services — a stash that includes two Michael Jordan Masterpiece 1/1 cards and 11 other rarities similar to it.

Check out what he had to say — and what he had to show off — in the video above.

By Andrew Tolentino | Football Editor

Calm down, chowda heads. We wouldn’t dare just run a franchise retrospective on the Giants  without paying homage to Pats of the past. That would be wicked dumb. Below is a cardboard tribute to the most beloved names in New England’s pro football history.

Gino Cappelletti | Key Card: 1962 Fleer #3 ($15)

Nick Buoniconti | Key Card: 1963 Fleer #10 ($80)

Jim Nance | Key Card: 1968 Topps #72 ($4)

Sam Cunningham | Key Card: 1974 Topps #502 ($1.50)

John Hannah | Key Card: 1974 Topps #383 ($15)

Steve Grogan | Key Card: 1976 Topps #376 ($3)

Andre Tippett | Key Card: 1984 Topps #143 ($5)

Stanley Morgan | Key Card: 1978 Topps #361 ($2)

Drew Bledsoe | Key Card: 1993 SP #9 ($30)

Tedy Bruschi | Key Card: 1996 Bowman’s Best #162 ($20)

Mike Haynes | Key Card: 1977 Topps #50 ($10)

Ben Coates | Key Card: 1992 Pacific #196 (75 cents)

EMLEN TUNNELL | KEY CARD: 1951 BOWMAN #91 ($100)

By Andrew Tolentino | Football Editor

Looking forward to this Sunday’s epic battle between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots, we thought we’d take a look back at some of the most legendary names from each team. First up, the New York Football Giants.

JIM THORPE | KEY CARD: 1933 Sport Kings #6 ($1,000)

CHARLEY CONERLY | KEY CARD: 1948 LEAF #53 ($450)

FRANK GIFFORD | KEY CARD: 1952 BOWMAN LARGE #16 ($500)

ROOSEVELT “ROSEY” BROWN | KEY CARD: 1956 TOPPS #41 ($40)

SAM HUFF | KEY CARD: 1956 TOPPS #51 ($50)

Y.A. TITTLE | KEY CARD: 1950 BOWMAN #5 ($250)

HARRY CARSON | KEY CARD: 1977 TOPPS #146 ($5)

PHIL SIMMS | KEY CARD: 1980 TOPPS #225 ($10)

By Susan Lulgjuraj | Contributing Editor

The race for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States is on its way with primaries and caucuses already held in several states. Every week, there’s a new debate with candidates are stumping across the nation looking for support.

Upper Deck has joined the political fray with trading cards featuring many of the Republican candidates such as Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. In addition, UD also created a Barack Obama card to be included in this insert set that will be found in World of Sports.

World of Sports is scheduled be released on Feb. 21 with the World of Politics nine-card insert set inside. World of Politics cards should fall at an average of 1:40 hobby packs with even rarer variations of each card.

“We work hard to provide topical content in our new trading card releases,” said Jason Masherah, Upper Deck’s vice president of Marketing and Business Development. “With so much attention around the 2012 election, we thought it was only fitting to produce a set of cards that would help pay tribute to all the highs and lows of this presidential race by capturing the top candidates on cardboard.”

If you’ve forgotten who some of the earlier candidates were, the World of Politics cards has captured them too such as Herman Cain and Michele Bachman. A Sarah Palin card was even thrown in for good measure.

This isn’t the first time Upper Deck has featured political characters on trading cards. In 2008, caricatures of the candidates were made in “Presidential Predictors”, which received a lot of attention. These cards fell 1:8 packs at the time in 2008 Upper Deck Series 1 Baseball. In addition to the candidates, when Obama when the election, Upper Deck produced a special victor card.

The Presidential Predictors cards sparked attention when Hillary Clinton’s cards depicted her as Morganna, The Kissing Bandit, who would run onto baseball fields and kiss players. However, most of Clinton’s cards were pulled from production, but a few sneaked through.

Susan Lulgjuraj is a contributing editor for Beckett Media. You can email Susan here. Follow her on Twitter here.

Join Beckett Baseball‘s Brian Fleischer and Chris Olds as they rip into a pair of 2012 Topps baseball boxes in this latest edition of Box Busters.

What will they find inside? How can you win a hobby box? Watch & find out …

Panini America‘s Tracy Hackler took the field (you know, the one in Indianapolis where that game is being played this Sunday) for Super Bowl XLVI Media Day earlier this week. Undoubtedly enjoying some of the perks of Panini’s NFL licenser, the hobby hype man interviewed a number of pro football stars — including a few members from the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

Watch to see this Sunday stars reviewing some of their very own trading cards (Patriots video after the break).

Click here to view the embedded video.

By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor

Just think if Sesame Street came to your street — or maybe Lansdowne Street, Blake Street or any other street with a major sports arena to be found.

That’s just what you get with the Bleacher Creatures, a fully licensed manufacturer of licensed hand puppets, plush and other fun pieces of oddball memorabilia for baseball, football, basketball and hockey fans.

Several stars from the sports world are captured as 14- and 7-inch plush toys, while others are found as hand puppets from the Plymouth Meeting, Pa.-based company. Founded in 2010, Bleacher Creatures aims to create “toys that inspire love for sports teams and players” obviously between the appeal of sports to young children.

In other words, who needs a teddy bear when you have a Blake Griffin, right?

The 14-inch plus toys are $22, while the 7s sell for $10 and the hand puppets are $20 — most available on the company’s site. Just like when players change teams and their old jerseys go on the discount racks so, too, do the toys. Albert Pujols‘ hand puppet is on sale for $5.97.

If plush weren’t all, the company also sells wind-up walking toys — jerseys, helmets, balls, foam hands, baseballs and more — knicknacks that are under $10 but might be perfect for making the serious sports fan a bit less intense.

Will there be a market for these items? Only time will tell, but there’s no doubting that they could be considered fun for some.

So, which players and teams get the plush and puppet treatment? It’s a who’s who of the four major sports. Check out our gallery below (click for a closer look) for some and click here for more when you’re done for the full lineup.

Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball magazine. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at colds@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.