Owning a Piece of Giants Stadium History

As the NFL season comes to a close, so does many years worth of football glory at Giants Stadium. The stadium is 34 years old, making it the ninth oldest arena used by NFL teams (and the same age as American Collectors Insurance)! Although fans across the country were sad to hear about the stadium’s impending demolition, excitement struck when they realized they could possess their very own piece of Meadowland history.

There are many great memories from the stadium including Giants and Jets home games, Major League Soccer games, concerts, and even a visit from Pope John Paul II. Luckily, people can reminisce with the purchase of signed seatbacks, turf, and framed photos.

Aside from eBay, there are many wonderful resources available to purchase such items. In particular, Steiner Sports, the top distributor of authentic sports collectibles, has all kinds of memorabilia from the good ol’ Giants Stadium days. Along with your collectible, you will receive a Steiner Sports Certificate of Authenticity. Check out their website today!

5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Happy New Year!

It is time to ring in the New Year! Of course, making plans of where to watch the ball drop and composing New Year’s resolutions aren’t the only important to-do’s as 2009 comes to a close. Many collectors are busy checking out the upcoming product releases from their favorite collectibles manufacturers.


For instance, Department 56 just recently announced their December 2009 product introductions. They have new additions to their villages, Snowbabies, Christmas items, seasonal items, as well as their year-round items. There are collectibles for every occasion and for all kinds of collectors. You can check out all their latest and greatest here.


Aside from Department 56, many other collectibles companies are beginning to introduce their products for 2010. Keep an eye on your favorite companies by signing up for their email list or checking their website frequently so you don’t miss out on their great new collectibles. Happy New Year!

Pizza Lover’s Diecast

Back in 1983, “Papa” John Schnatter of Papa John’s pizza sold his black and gold striped 1971 Chevy Camaro Z28 to help his father avoid closing his tavern. Not only did the $2,800 he received for the Camaro keep the tavern up and running, but it also allowed him to start his famous pizza business, Papa John’s.

Since then, he had been in search of that Camaro. He started by offering a $25,000 reward to anyone who could produce the title for him, later upping the ante to $250,000. Then on August 25, 2009 his beloved Camaro was returned to him. The car is now displayed at Papa John’s headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.

To celebrate this great story, Johnny Lightning has created a 1:64 scale replica of Papa John’s Z28. Not only is it a great piece to add to any diecast collection, but Papa John’s is donating a dollar from the proceeds of every diecast purchased to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Plus each car comes with a certificate for a free medium cheese pizza. The only problem is that if you want that pizza, you will need to take the car out of the packaging. You can purchase the diecast today from the Papa John’s website.

American Collectors Insurance Hosts Job Fair in Cherry Hill, N.J.

CHERRY HILL, NJ (November 10, 2009) – American Collectors Insurance is hosting a job fair to fill several positions to accommodate its growth as a specialty insurance provider.

Applicants are invited to visit the job fair on Thursday, November 12, from 2-6 pm at the firm’s headquarters at 496 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill, N.J.

Open positions are: licensed sales representatives, sales and service supervisor, large account client coordinator, marketing manager, public relations/communications coordinator, and full/part-time clerical positions. Descriptions and requirements of jobs are available at: http://www.americancollectors.com/jobs.

American Collectors invites interested applicants to visit the job fair or send a resume and salary requirement (indicating job preference) via e-mail to jobs@AmericanCollectors.com or via fax to its human resources department at (856) 779-7261.

A provider of specialty insurance for collector vehicles and collectibles since 1976, American Collectors works directly with consumers, through independent insurance agents/brokers, and through insurance carrier partners.

About American Collectors Insurance
American Collectors Insurance is the nation’s leading provider of collector-vehicle and collectibles insurance. Based in Cherry Hill, NJ, and licensed in 50 states, American Collectors offers products through independent insurance agents, in partnership with several major insurance organizations, and direct to consumers.

Company information:
www.AmericanCollectors.com
(800) 620-5052
info@americancollectors.com
Twitter: @AmerCollectIns
Facebook.com/AmericanCollectors
Collector Central blog for car and collectibles enthusiasts: www.AmericanCollectors.com/blog
Agent Exchange blog for insurance brokers: www.AmericanCollectors.com/Agents/

Playing with Cars - Danbury Mint’s “Little Deuce Coupe” & “Grabowski T”

Here’s another great episode of Playing with Cars. Joe Kelly Jr. says that Danbury Mint created a “dead-on replica” with the Little Deuce Coupe. With its reverse chrome wheels, baby blue carpeting, and “impressive” external engine, it is “nothing short of amazing.” His review tells the tale of how the car itself came to be, and what Danbury Mint included on this replica to make it so accurate.


Also included in this episode is a review of Danbury Mint’s Grabowski T, which was the car of Edd Byrnes’s character, Kookie, from 77 Sunset Strip. It has a scaled model of the bloody scull Grabowski carved and painted on the shift handle, “perfectly replicated” flames, and a removeable uptop. Watch this review to see what Joe says is “the best-looking live axel rear end ever hung under a street rod.”


As always, you can count on Playing with Cars to be a great resource and fun to watch. Enjoy!

8 Customized 2010 Ford Mustangs Premiering at SEMA

This week at the annual SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show held in Las Vegas, Ford will unveil a multitude of custom version 2010 Mustangs. The automaker recently launched the 2010 Mustang Customizer at www.the2010Mustang.com. It has received an overwhelming response from the public and if you haven’t tried it, it really is a lot of fun! You can choose from a variety of hoods, scoops, spoilers, grilles, wheels and even choose the size of your burnout. In just two months, more than 1 million custom Mustangs have been built on the site. The response prompted Ford to get together with a few customizers such as 3dCarbon, Steeda Autosports, Paul’s High Performance, Vaughn Gitten Jr, Galpin Auto Sports, Street Scene Equipment, H&R Special Springs and Ford Vehicle Personalization group to customize 8 rides. All project Mustangs at the show will look dramatically different since self expression is what the brand is all about. Mustang is the most customized car in the $31.8 billion aftermarket industry.

Tell us how your Mustang stands apart

Philadelphia Ride for Kids®

The fifth annual Philadelphia Ride for Kids attracted over 500 participants and $121,725 in donations on a sunny Sunday.

The riders gathered at the IMAX theatre at King of Prussia Mall before following a police escort on a scenic route to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square.

At the end point, 12 local brain tumor survivors told the fundraisers about their lives. These Ride for Kids “stars” included small children such as Althea and Angelina, both 6, as well as PBTF college scholarship recipients Annie, Jason and Laura.

Two 12-year-old survivors said they were thankful for the emotional support the ride offers. “The amount you give goes far, and you give [more than] money,” said Emily. Added Pearce, “Thank you very much for taking the time out to make us feel so special.”

The children were joined on stage by Dr. Leslie Sutton, chief of neuro-oncology at Philadelphia Children’s Hospital, who also rode in the event.

The first-place fundraisers were:

Individuals: Neil and Jill Bookman, $35,701
Chapter/Club: Team Tyler, powered by American Collectors Insurance, $37,161
Motorcycle Business: Planet Honda, $21,379
Neil Bookman won the Honda motorcycle drawing.

The Philadelphia Ride for Kids task force and volunteers, led by Lee and Mitzi Krauss, Joel Samick, and Rex and Lisa Alfes, deserve thanks for all their hard work.