Dreams/Mounted Memories and Steiner Sports Sign Exclusive Deal with Superstar Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning

PLANTATION, Fla.

Dreams, Inc. a vertically integrated leader in the licensed sports products industry, announced that Mounted Memories, its wholly-owned memorabilia division and Steiner Sports, a fully-integrated sports marketing agency, have signed Peyton Manning, the immensely popular quarterback for the Super Bowl contending, AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts to a multi-year autograph deal.

"Peyton Manning is the most recognizable face in the NFL today, and is a certain future Hall of Famer," said Ross Tannenbaum, CEO of Dreams, Inc. "His off-the-field persona has propelled him to a level of public acclaim shared by only a handful of athletes in all of sports."

Steiner Sports, based in New York, will partner with Mounted Memories to manage and control the vast marketing opportunities for authentic Peyton Manning autographed items.

"Mounted Memories and Steiner Sports are the premier brands in the memorabilia industry and amongst a small and exclusive group of preferred licensees with each of the professional sporting leagues," stated Jared Weiss, President of Steiner Sports. "This is a formidable team to control the autograph of one of the greatest athletes of our time," he concluded.

"As far as quarterbacks in the NFL go, Peyton Manning is a giant," said Mitch Adelstein, president of Mounted Memories. "His skill, talent and personality make him one of the most desired athletes to market from a memorabilia standpoint. We will immediately begin designing unique, limited edition items featuring Peyton's autograph for distribution throughout the country."

Manning, one of the most brilliant quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, holds several NFL passing records including touchdown passes in a single season, most consecutive seasons with more than 4,000 passing yards and most seasons with 4,000 or more yards passing in a career. His NFL career 94.4 passing rating ranks first among active quarterbacks with at least 1,500 passing attempts, second all-time only to Steve Young's 96.8 rating.

Buyer strikes out with Mickey Mantle cards

By MICHAEL GARTLAND
STAFF WRITER

PARAMUS -- These Mickey Mantle rookie cards surely aren't Topps to Timothy Tarrant Jr.

Tarrant, a baseball memorabilia collector, filed charges against a sports card dealer on Wednesday, claiming the man sold him two fake Mantle rookie cards for $4,500.

Tarrant, 31, of Mahwah, said he and a friend pitched in for two of The Mick's valuable 1951 Bowman cards, one for $2,500 and the other for $2,000.

Months later, he took the cards to an authenticator, who gave him the bad news, he said.

The cards are phony.

But, Tarrant said, the owner of Markzcardz & Collectibles in Hackensack balked at refunding his money.

"I tried to make it easy for the guy," Tarrant said. "I said, 'Give me my money back.' "

Dealer Mark Linquito, however, said he simply bought the cards from a private owner and resold them.

"This happened about eight months ago," said Linquito, a retired Bergen County sheriff's detective. "[The seller] came in and brought me ... cards from her father. He died."

Linquito said he purchased the cards from an employee of The Record. The employee could not be reached for comment.

Tarrant said he doesn't want to hear excuses; he just wants his money back.

So on Tuesday, he filed a fraud complaint in Paramus, where Tarrant said the purchase was made.

"This guy should go away to ... jail," Tarrant said.

Paramus police confirmed that they took a fraud complaint on Wednesday, but wouldn't say who filed it or whom it was against.

A representative from the authenticator said it's particularly easy to spot counterfeit 1951 Bowman Mantle cards, which have one telltale sign.

"The back is glossier on the counterfeit than on the regular," said Bob Luce, a card grader with Sportscard Guaranty, located in Parsippany.

The 1951 Bowman is not nearly as valuable as Mantle's 1952 Topps rookie card, one of which sold for $275,000 in 2001.

Luce estimated that no more than 1 percent of baseball cards in play are fake.

2nd man pleads guilty in Favre memorabilia scheme

By Mike Hoeft

Paul Vidani III of De Pere, the third of three people charged last year in connection with the sale of fraudulent Green Bay Packers memorabilia, pleaded guilty today to identity theft and faces up to six years in prison.


As part of a negotiated plea, prosecutors from the state Department of Justice will recommend Vidani serve 90 days in jail and pay a $1,000 fine. The recommendation also includes three years of probation during which Vidani, 60, will complete 100 hours of community service.

In return for the guilty plea, prosecutors will dismiss seven other counts. Vidani originally faced eight counts carrying up to 36 years in prison.

Brown County Circuit Judge William Atkinson, however, is not bound by the agreement when he sentences Vidani on March 27.

The plea agreement filed Friday described how Vidani, the owner of Green Bay Blue in Ashwaubenon, worked with Michael Van Lanen, the owner of All Sports Marketing, on making copies of Brett Favre autographs.

Investigators allege Vidani’s printing business produced the high-quality autograph copies that were sold as authentic by Van Lanen.

Vidani showed Van Lanen how to tell the difference between authentic and copied autographs and how to use different colors of ink on autographs, it said.

State Justice Department agents raided All Sports Marketing, 2039 Holmgren Way, Ashwaubenon, in January 2006 after undercover agents purchased several poster-sized prints that were deemed photocopies of Favre’s autograph.

After Van Lanen was interviewed by investigators, he met with Vidani, who instructed a Green Bay Blue employee to delete computer files related to the copied signatures.

In late January, Van Lanen brought a proposed catalog to Vidani’s home and burned it in his grill. Van Lanen also brought invoices that were shredded at Vidani’s home.

“I made a stupid mistake,” the plea agreement quotes Vidani as saying. “I’m not innocent, either. I wanna come clean.”

Vidani faced three counts of trafficking counterfeit marks, three counts of unauthorized use of a mark, theft by fraud and identity theft.

Van Lanen, 50, of Allouez, was convicted in September and sentenced in November to four years' probation, six months in jail and ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution, fines, costs and a donation to the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation for his role in the scam.

Van Lanen's wife, Cynthia, paid a $10 fine and court costs for a misdemeanor charge of obstructing an officer during the investigation.

Record Breaker: Bush Exquisite Now Highest Priced Modern Football Rookie Card

The 2006 Exquisite Collection Reggie Bush signed patch memorabilia Rookie Card set a record yesterday for the highest priced modern football RC in history at a whopping $4500.

The Bush card is second all-time only to the 1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski card, says Dan Hitt, football price guide editor for Beckett Football. The Nagurski card has a Beckett value of $5,000, just edging the Bush Exquisite card. The Bush card saw its Beckett Football value debut yesterday to early subscribers of Beckett's New Release Pricing.

"The Bush card easily outpaces the 2001 SP Authentic Michael Vick Rookie Card ($1,250) and the 1965 Topps Joe Namath RC ($1,600) to fall into second place all-time behind the historic 1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski RC ($5,000)," says Hitt.

DiMaggio, Monroe and Mantle Featured on Rare Baseball in Heritage Auction

Dallas, TX – Heritage Auction Galleries' Sports Collectibles division will present an incredible baseball bearing the autographs of iconic celebrity couple Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe with a young Mickey Mantle in their upcoming May 5, 2007 Signature Auction to be held in Dallas, Texas.

The discovery of this special ball, believed to have been signed at the New York Yankees spring training grounds in Florida in 1952, comes on the heels of the Heritage Auction Galleries' sale of a baseball signed by DiMaggio and Monroe alone for a World Record-setting price of $191,200 in May of 2006.

"While we don't expect this baseball to overtake the record-setting Joe and Marilyn ball, an argument could be made that the addition of Mantle makes it an even more desirable collectible," explained Chris Ivy, Director of Sports Memorabilia Auctions for Heritage Auction Galleries. "After all, you're talking about three of the most iconic figures of the era here."

Joining the trio of historic autographs are those of the rest of the New York Yankees team, with Hall of Famers like Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto and Johnny Mize among the signers.

The baseball carries a pre-auction estimate of $15,000 to $20,000.

Football Memorabilia Auction Raises $100,000 for Retired Players

Rich Mueller
February 19, 2007

Retired NFL players in need of financial help will get a boost from phase one of the Gridiron Greats Assistance fund football memorabilia auction. Bidding closed with Mike Ditka's 1975 NFC Championship ring and a play drawn by Vince Lombardi generating the most attention--some of it from new collectors.

Former Green Bay Packers' guard Jerry Kramer finally saw the fruits of his labor this week when 50 items, many donated by his former NFL colleagues, brought nearly $100,000 to the Gridiron Greats fund.

The charity started by Kramer to assist financially suffering players from years past got tremendous publicity during Super Bowl week as the plight of the former pros became something of a lightning rod. Several retired NFL players are said to be in dire need due to a lack of adequate disability and pension benefits. Pro Football Hall of Fame members Mike Ditka, Willie Davis, Gale Sayers, Harry Carson, and Joe DeLamielleure are members of the GGAF Board of Directors.

The auction featured memorabilia as well as 'experiences'. It included a football signed by Dwight Clark with a diagram of "The Catch", a Pro Bowl helmet worn by Lem Barney and plays drawn up by Lombardi. The top selling item was Ditka's ring, which brought a high bid of $12, 200. Mike Sportelli, 45, a sales representative for a Los Angeles area construction company, made the winning bid.

“Being a big fan of the game and a fan of the players that the fund is assisting, I am more than happy to help,” Sportelli said after winning the ring. “Of course I was excited about the chance to bid on the ring and own such a part of football history, but also after reading about what Jerry Kramer, Coach Ditka and the others are doing, it really made me want to do something to help. It is really sad to hear some of the stories and things these guys have had to go through.” Sportelli told the Associated Press the ring would be the "start" of his sports memorabilia collection.


During the first phase of the auction, many legends donated personal items or celebrity experiences. Some of the items sold during Phase I include: Hand-drawn plays by Vince Lombardi (closed at $7,101), a tennis experience with John McEnroe (closed at $11,250), and a football signed by Archie, Eli and Peyton Manning, which was donated by a player who needs assistance himself, Conrad Dobler (closed at $2,210). Phase I closed at 11:00 PM EST on Tuesday, February 13th. Phase II launched Wednesday and closes on February 20th, 2007. To date, phase I of the auction and donation drive has raised over $120,000. That is more than 900 times the amount of money that some players receive as a monthly pension. Hall Of Fame Player, Herb Adderley, for example, receives only $126.58 per month.

Fans across the country have also made cash donations, and are continuing to do so. Donations can be made at JerryKramer.com or by calling 1-800-708-1078. Some extremely generous fans have sent as much as $10,000. Darrel Wright of California called the GGAF office and donated $10,000 to the cause. "This is a charity that is very near and dear to my heart”, said Wright “When Lamar Lundy was so ill and destitute, my father visited him and helped out financially. Thanks to Jerry and the guys for stepping into the breach and getting this campaign underway. I encourage all fans to donate whatever they can afford to help.”

Phase II of this unique online auction and donation drive starts Wednesday, February 14th at JerryKramer.com and closes on February 20th, 2007. New items will also be added while Phase II of the auction is in progress.

Phase II of the auction features a game worn jersey donated by Brett Favre, a helmet donated by Bart Starr bearing his signature alongside Paul Hornung’s and Jim Taylor’s, a trip to the NFL Network to go behind the scenes and hang out with Rich Eisen, Steve Mariucci, and Deion Sanders, Jim Finks' 1973 NFC Championship diamond money clip and a day on the Fox NFL studio set with former Raider Howie Long.

“This is a tremendous cause," said Ditka. "I am thrilled that so many players are stepping up to help and that the fans are supporting the cause by making cash donations or bidding on the items. It is important for everyone to remember who the funds that are raised are going to. It’s going to the guys who started football. Not the guys who are making the money off it, the guys who started it. Visit JerryKramer.com, bid on an auction item, or make a donation and help these guys out.”

“It’s amazing how this initiative has taken off,” said Kramer. “The fact that the so many fans and so many NFL legends are working together to provide assistance to some of the retired players who helped build the league into what it is today is just wonderful.”

Honus Wagner baseball card sells for record $2.3 million

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The "Holy Grail of baseball cards," the famous 1909 Honus Wagner tobacco card once owned by hockey great Wayne Gretzky, has sold for a record-setting $2.35 million, the seller of the card said Monday.

The buyer has only been identified as a Southern California collector. SCP Auctions Inc., a company that holds sports memorabilia auctions, said it bought a small share of the card. It is scheduled to be shown at a news conference at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday.

There are about 60 of the tobacco cards in existence featuring the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop, one of the first five players to be inducted in Baseball's Hall of Fame.

The seller, Brian Seigel, in 2000 paid a then-record $1,265,000 for the prize card, which is in much better shape than the others.

"This particular one was preserved in spectacular condition," said Joe Orlando, president of Professional Sports Authenticator of Newport Beach -- the company that certified the authenticity of the card. "It's the Holy Grail of baseball cards."

Still, the Wagner cards are so rare that even tattered ones will sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars, Seigel said.

The others "you could stick in middle of the street and let cars drive over it through the day, take it in your hand and crumple it up, and it still would be a $100,000 card," said Seigel, CEO of Emerald Capital LLC, an asset management company, who lives in Las Vegas.

Gretzky and Bruce McNall, former owner of the Los Angeles Kings, bought the card for $451,000 in 1991.

During his ownership of the card, Seigel displayed it at several sports collectible shows, showed it at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum and at brought it to opening bell ceremonies for the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York.

"The Wagner card gave me a tremendous amount of pride, excitement and pleasure," he said. "I hope the new owner will have the same satisfaction I enjoyed over the years."

The tobacco cards used to be included in packs of cigarettes. Collectors believe Wagner's cards are rare because he stopped allowing the American Tobacco Co. to use his image, fearing it would encourage children to smoke.

Nicknamed the "Flying Dutchman," Wagner was the National League batting champion in eight of his 21 seasons and finished his career with a lifetime .329 average. He retired in 1917 with more hits, runs, RBIs, doubles, triples steals than any National League player.