Weekly Market Report - November 2, 2005

A Fresh Look at Sports Collectibles News

Last week Wheaties announced that they will honor the 2005 World Series Champion Chicago White Sox with a special-edition box featuring Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle. Buehrle will be displayed prominently on the front and back of the package, which will be available nationwide in mid-November. Every time Wheaties produces a special-edition package it brings up the same question - how many people that buy the box actually eat the cereal? Those who don't will probably keep it for years. Does cereal go bad? Do people ever get hungry and bust the box open and try it? I'd pay $20 to see someone eat one of those Wheaties boxes from 1940 that you can find on eBay. [read official release]

A few weeks ago McFarlane unveiled photography for the Sports Picks NHL Legends 3 series. Figures include another Wayne Gretzky (it will be a story when McFarlane DOESN'T include Gretzky in one of their hockey lines, this is like his 23rd figure), Don Cherry, Tony Esposito, Bobby Orr, Marcel Dionne, and Pete Mahovlich. That's right, I said Don Cherry. For those of you who don't know Cherry, he's Canada's answer to Steven A. Smith, famous for his "Coaches Corner" segments during Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts. I sort of get that he's a "legend" and that's why he was included in the series. If I can get past the fact that he was a bad player, I can't get past the fact that the figure includes his dog Blue. Someone explain that to me, please. [read official release]

Their challenge is simple - be one of the first 450 to complete the base set of 2005 Donruss Diamond Kings (all 450 cards, including DK and DK update) and you will get a special logo embossed on every card, a custom storage box, a set of printing plates used to make the cards, and two 1-of-1 cards. This is actually a cool idea. There will always be those people who will not be able to sleep until they have completed the set. Imagine how many packs you would have to buy...or you could just buy a complete set on eBay (yes I checked, they are up for sale). [read official release]