The Dallas Card Show is described as the “largest card show series in the nation.” The event takes place every year from July 4-7 and includes sports autographs, non-sports, gaming, comics, toys, and other collectible memorabilia.
Card collectors pursue the hobby because it quickly develops into a passion, even an addiction for some. Sure, there’s always the chance of pulling a card worth hundreds, thousands, or even millions, but those opportunities are rare. It’s still fun to collect favorite players from favorite teams or even just a young prospect who can become a superstar.
There are always wins and losses. That’s the nature of the game. But most of the time, it’s due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a debilitating injury to the player being collected. Other times, it may be a frightening accident that leads to the loss of valuable memorabilia, such as water damage, mold, or some other event.
But what the Dallas Card Show recently experienced is far more sickening. Over the weekend in Allen, Texas, respected sports card collector Ashish Jai of Legacy Cardz fell victim to a massive theft involving the loss of an estimated $2 million.
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Dallas Card Show theft included loss of $175K Mickey Mantle card
Thieves made away with an entire case of inventory, including six 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards, known to be very valuable items. One Mantle card was valued at $175K. The robbery occurred near the end of the show when the cards were stolen from a case located inside his multi-table booth.
But amazingly, some cameras captured a few of the robbers on film. The footage shows three men who worked as a team, distracting two of Jai’s sons while another swiftly stole the box holding several cards.
Here’s a clip of the theft occurring at the Dallas Card Show.
A better look at the criminals in question can be seen from the tweets Jai shared on X. It should also be noted that they’re offering a $70,000 reward for the return or information that leads to the return of the stolen cards.
Nobody deserves to have their hard-earned work taken advantage of. Hopefully, the masses can help piece together this puzzle and get Jai’s cards back. If you’re looking to ensure you don’t buy any of these stolen cards, a helpful community member has assembled a Google Spreadsheet of the missing cards. Otherwise anyone with information regarding the stolen cards is asked to either message Jai on X or contact the Allen, TX police department at 214-509-4321.
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