1981 Japanese Popy Pro Wrestling Cards - Antonio Inoki

Wrestlemania weekend is upon us and I thought I'd share a few vintage Japanese puroresu "pro wrestling" cards of Antonio Inoki.  Arguably the most famous Japanese pro wrestler out there, Inoki was able to bring pro wrestling to the mainstream in Japan...much like Vince McMahon did in the United States.  This 17-card set of Popy cards from 1981 famously features Hulk Hogan's rookie card as well as an early Andre the Giant card.  They came inserted in blister packs along with vinyl figures, but nowadays they are extremely hard to find.  Does anyone else collect these?

1991 Japanese Mike Tyson Toyota Truck Telephone Card

It's Super Strong....piffff.  Back in 1991 Toyota paid Mike Tyson a crap ton of yen to be the spokesperson for their line of Toyota Trucks.  There was a whole advertising campaign behind it with commercials (click here for three of them), magazine and pamphlets....and telephone cards.  Telephone card collecting was in full force in the late 1980s and early 1990s and Toyota decided to use this advertising medium to capture one of the most iconic boxers and athletes of all time, Mike Tyson, with one of the most profitable collecting hobbies ever, Telephone Cards.  Toyota ended up printing three different versions with Tyson on them and this red one is one of the most common.  Anyone else ever run across one of these?

Have a great Tuesday!

Ultra-Rare 1984 Topps Glossy All-Stars Ted Simmons

According to Trading Card Database, only 143 people in the world have the #9 1984 Topps Glossy All-Stars Ted Simmons card with only a handful for sale on eBay.  Not sure why this is card falls in the ultra-rare category, but Diamond Jesters helps highlight the set.