Above the Mantel: It's NFL Draft Day, and Topps and Panini are picking!
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 8: A general view of the 2025 NFL Draft logo at the NFL Experience fan festival a day prior to Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles inside of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on February 08, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Don)
It's NFL Draft Day, Collectors, and this year 34 teams are picking stars… that is, of course, if you include Topps and Panini in the mix.
The two sports card manufacturers have been hard at work competing to sign the biggest names in the draft, and Mantel broke down which players have been 'picked' by each sports card team (including Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, Cam Skattebo, Jaxson Dart and Emeka Egbuka).
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Who faired better - Panini or Topps? Let's debate!
Speaking of Topps vs. Panini… For the first time since 2020, Patrick Mahomes will sign autographs for licensed NFL trading cards, with new autos set to appear in Panini's 2025 product line. Mahomes, one of the hobby's most valuable names, is returning to Panini just as the brand nears the end of its NFL license (Topps takes over in 2026). His involvement is expected to drive major demand, especially as Mahomes' autographed cards have fetched record-breaking prices, including a $4.3M sale in 2021. The partnership also includes strategic and marketing initiatives between Mahomes and Panini.
Luxury watch startup Kettle, founded by three Penn State grads, is fusing high-end timepieces with NFL hype by creating custom-engraved Rolexes for 2025 draft prospects Will Campbell and Tyler Warren. Each watch—retailing at $17,000—features the player's name, signature, and 'Draft Day 2025' engraving, and fans can enter a $10 raffle to win the watches or signed gear.
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A baseball autographed by the late Pope Francis is being auctioned by RR Auction and is expected to fetch over $15K. Signed with 'Francisco,' the ball comes from Randy Kaplan's unique collection of baseballs signed by world leaders. Kaplan, who has gathered over 450 such balls since 1996, worked directly with the Vatican to obtain the signatures of both Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI. The winning bidder will also receive Kaplan's correspondence with Vatican officials, including a candid letter from Cardinal Turkson explaining an autograph mix-up.
Miu Miu and New Balance have teamed up with tennis star Coco Gauff for a co-branded collection of activewear and sneakers. Gauff will debut unique colorways of the gear during tournaments in Rome, Berlin, and Cincinnati, showcasing distinct palettes for each city. On court, she'll wear updated versions of her Coco CG2 sneakers, while off court she'll sport casual looks, including the New Balance x Miu Miu 530 SL and co-branded tracksuits. The collection launches online and in select Miu Miu stores in September.
A collection of four Shakespeare Folio's are headed to auction with Sotheby's, marking the first time all four will be sold together since 1989. The First Folio, printed in 1623, is considered one of the most important literary works ever published, preserving 36 of Shakespeare's plays. Only about 235 copies survive, mostly in public institutions, and complete editions are especially rare—one sold for nearly $10 million in 2020. The later three Folios are updated versions, with the Third Folio being the rarest due to the Great Fire of London, with only 182 known copies remaining. The sale is scheduled for May 23rd, and the lot is expected to fetch more than $6M.
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Valentine is technically the most traditional outside corner of the three and he's flashed over his first two seasons in the NFL, but his playing time has come inconsistently. Trotting out that top three at cornerback figures to put more pressure on Green Bay's pass rush, which was inconsistent last season and didn't add any clear-cut Day 1 contributors in the offseason. Gutekunst opted rather to trust that the likes of Rashan Gary, Kenny Clark and Lukas Van Ness will be better, which is another calculated gamble for a defense tasked with following up Hafley's impressive debut season with a worthwhile encore. The Packers have grown accustomed to playing without Alexander over the last two years, whether it be from the perspective of their secondary or their pass rush, so doing so again won't necessarily be new. 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The Packers better hope it is or those Super Bowl dreams will remain just that.
