Four-Sport Panini Kaboom! Insert Series

Based in Shelby Township, Michigan, Triple SSS Sports Cards maintains a robust presence at card shows and an extensive online inventory of top players, past and present. Among the cards that Triple SSS Sports Cards has handled are high-end inserts, including the Kaboom!, a Panini “case hit” that is extremely rare and spans a range of products.

With a chrome refractive finish and a comic book-inspired design, Kaboom! debuted in 2013-14 as a basketball-only insert that was seeded in Panini sports cards brands such as Crown Royale and Excalibur. In 2018, the Kaboom! insert was introduced into the NFL football brand Absolute, and in 2021, this was expanded again to include Major League Baseball.

Though Panini does not have licenses to feature Major League Baseball uniforms and team insignia, the Kaboom! cachet transcended this limitation, and the inserts became highly desirable for players such as Shohei Ohtani. In addition, the Kaboom! inserts were added to 2017-18 Select soccer and are currently in Prizm Premier League Soccer sets.

Among the most valuable Kaboom! Cards is the 2019-20 Crown Royale Basketball Kobe Bryant, which was released only weeks after the Lakers star's tragic death. Another “grail” is the 2017-18 Select Soccer Kaboom Cristiano Ronaldo, which inhabits a set that also features global superstars Christian Pulisic and Lionel Messi. For those in search of rare Kaboom! parallels, a 2020 Justin Herbert 1/1 green rookie sold for nearly six figures at auction.

Top MLB Free Agents for the 2021-2022 Season

Michigan-based sports memorabilia business Triple SSS Sports Cards buys and sells third-party-graded cards. Possessing upwards of three decades of experience in the field, the owners of the company combine their sports knowledge with their experience selling sports cards. Triple SSS Sports Cards stays abreast of changes relating to sports and follows news involving major sports organizations, such as Major League Baseball (MLB).

Here are some of the top free agents for the 2021-2022 MLB season:

Carlos Correa: A two-time All-Star, Correa is the youngest free agent who is playing as a shortstop in the offseason. After spending last year with the Houston Astros, he turned down a 6-year extension offer and plans on departing the team. Given his status as a World Series champ, Correa is one of the best free agents in the MLB.

Corey Seager: Plagued by several injuries during his career, including hamstring and elbow issues, Seager remains a highly coveted player. He is a top MLB free agent after leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a World Series title and earning World Series MVP in the process.

Max Scherzer: After starting for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals 23 times, Scherzer is an eight-time All-Star with a 2.65 ERA. Given the fact that he’s 38 and thrown over 2,600 innings with the MLB, some people think Scherzer is past his prime, but his history of hefty contracts suggests otherwise.

1991 Topps Desert Shield Baseball Set

Triple SSS Sports Cards is an established dealer of cards that feature many of the iconic names in sports, from Mickey Mantle to Mike Trout. Offering a wide inventory, Triple SSS Sports Cards stocks collectable cards from every era of sports.

One of the most iconic baseball sets from the early 1990s is the 1991 Topps Desert Shield issue. With several thousand of each card produced, this product exactly mirrors the regular Topps set, which came at the height of the “junk wax era” and had production approaching the millions. The only difference is a gold foil stamp printed on the front, which features the design of a shield with a palm tree. These were originally distributed in packs to US soldiers stationed in the Middle East, in support of Operation Desert Shield.

As noted in a 30th anniversary Sports Collectors Daily article, one aspect adding to the scarcity of these cards is the fact that a substantial number of soldiers who received them were not card collectors and simply threw them in the trash. In addition, no complete factory sets were issued.

Today, the most widely sought-after Desert Shield card is a rookie of Chipper Jones. Graded copies of the Atlanta Braves’ Hall of Famer’s card fetch prices of more than $1,000. Other cards that often bring in more than $100 include Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey, Jr., Cal Ripken, and Nolan Ryan. A nearly full set of Topps Desert Shield cards, graded PSA 10, sold for more than $100,000 in 2018.

Recognizing a Legit 1952 Mickey Mantle

For over three decades, Triple SSS Sports Cards has been selling investment-quality vintage cards. Triple SSS Sports Cards has cards for some of the biggest names in sports history, like the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 card with an inventory of third-party graded cards. This card is one of baseball’s most valuable and more iconic cards.

Given the iconic status of the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card, it is frequently counterfeited. Identifying a real ‘52 Topps Mantle from a fake one requires a good amount of knowledge about the original card.

There are two versions of the original that was made: a type one and type two Mantle. While the version does not affect the card's value, it does affect what you should look for. There is a pixel missing on a type one card at the bottom left corner of the border. This gives the corner a rounded look. Meanwhile, the stitches on the baseball on the back point to the right, and the “s” in DiMaggio’s are in line with the “h” on the right on the back.

Type two ‘52 Mantles have a missing pixel in the upper left background. This has left a small white spot on the otherwise blue background that is easily spotted. The border around the Yankees logo on the front is also lighter than on type one, and the border near the top of the card slightly overlaps with the vertical borders.

A lack of these characteristics indicates that you have a fake ‘52 Topps Mantle, but their presence does not automatically mean you have an authentic one. Fake versions of cards have slightly different colors, tints, or hues; they are made from thinner cardstock and have no signs of wear or have artificial wear patterns. If you are unfamiliar with care collecting, the best option is getting a ‘52 Mantle that is graded, so you don’t risk purchasing a counterfeit.