THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503120455
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN L. BIGELOW, SPECIAL TO THE VP/LS
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Collecting hobbies often overlap and share ``territory'' with each other. For example, hobbyists who concentrate on sports cards can be tempted to collect figurines, magazines, or other memorabilia that pertains to their specific area of interest. Manufacturers are conscious of this crossover market and try to capitalize on it.
Currently, milk-bottle cap makers, dealers, collectors, and players are busily developing a newly created hobby on the U.S. mainland. It's only natural that the enthusiasm for these little round discs will somehow intersect with the ongoing interest in major league sports.
Collectors who are familiar with milk caps know that the discs carry all sorts of colorful designs and figures. The most plentiful images are those of comic characters, fantasy heroes and foil-enhanced artwork. Among this great variety are a few with sports themes.
Courtside and Classic have produced milk cap pieces featuring the likenesses of football, basketball and hockey players, but they didn't catch on with either collecting hobby. TWCC football player discs, issued in 1994, did little better. They were too expensive for the people who actually play the game for which the items are intended and they were at the time, too bizarre for those desiring mainstream-type ``cards.'' Recently, though, the general popularity of caps has caused the sports card market to take a second look: it's now more receptive to athlete-subject caps.
The renewed interest will be problematic for milk cap manufacturers. Milk caps are enjoyable, in part, because they're inexpensive. Since sports-licensing agreements are so costly for producers, this factor can inhibit potential crossover. Unfortunately, also, Mexican-made ``bootleg'' sports caps are becoming freely available.
And there's a different collecting mentality to overcome. Cap players typically ``slam'' the pieces together while using them for their intended game-playing purpose. This is in opposition to the card-collecting habit of storing acquired treasures under the protection of thick lucite.
Despite the licensing and handling obstacles, it's reasonable to expect that the milk cap craze will make its contribution to the sports card hobby. Those who seek items that apply to their favorite league, team or player should watch for pieces to appear on this new collecting horizon. MEMO: Brian L. Bigelow is store manager and appraiser for Candl Coins &
Stamps, located on Independence Blvd. and North (Lynnhaven) Mall Drive
in Virginia Beach. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Bears fans can enjoy this ``bottle-cap'' card of Gale Sayers and
Walter Payton.
by CNB