BBM Sumo 大相撲 Card Collection 1997-Date

BBM Sumo 大相撲 Card Collection 1997-Date

This album contains my collection of Japanese-licensed BBM (Baseball Magazine) sumo wrestling cards/sets, starting with BBM's sumo debut, the 1997 "Modern" set, arranged chronologically to date. A description appears under the first entry for each year (in the far left column), and notes the number of cards in the set. Sets from 1997-2010 are represented by scans of about 12-24 cards (12 cards for the more recent 2011-date sets) which include ALL active Yokozuna along with some of the other top/most popular rikishi cards of that year. Also included are special/short printed cards that were randomly inserted in card packs (or "inserts") and were NOT part of the regular set. These insert cards, issued from 1997-2003, are displayed in the rows beneath the regular (or "base") sets they were issued with. The rank assigned in each card's description is the highest the pictured rikishi would achieve in his career, though not necessarily his rank in the card/year shown.
Cards from 2004 through 2007 are particularly difficult to locate, as BBM sumo card production purportedly dropped significantly during this period--which has been referred to by advanced collectors, such as Ryan Laughton and Paul Fogarty, as the "Black Hole" or "Lost Years/Dead Era" of sumo card collecting. A possible reason for the 2004-07 scarcity is a decline of Japanese interest in the sport following the retirement of mega-popular native son Yokozuna Takanohana in 2003 (after he had two years of frequent kyujo in 2001-02). Also, beginning with the 2004 set, BBM reduced the base set size to 99 cards, and discontinued insert cards--obvious signs of less demand in their Sumo product during that time. The tough 2004 set also features the debut of future Yokozuna Hakuho- the all time record holder for victories and championships- who appears on two cards in the set (#65 & #88)--arguably the 2 most valuable base set sumo cards that BBM has ever produced. The 2007 set in particular seems to surface far less than any other in my experience, and may well be the most difficult to complete.
I have added some approximate current values for sets, insert sets and autographed cards underneath their descriptions. The values assigned are just my best guesses (updated as of 2023), as there is no price guide for sumo cards at the moment, and reflect my own purchase prices as well as my observations on recent transactions. At the bottom of the page, I have listed my SCM /BBM promo Sumo cards. I have other sumo related albums on Imageevent, displaying my Trump Sumo playing card decks, my JSA licensed Sumo postcards and other Sumo collectibles. To view my other albums--just click the "HOME" button on the top of any of my pages. If anyone shares this collecting interest, I would heartily recommend the BBM Sumo Card Collectors page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1630250003925942/ or you may contact me at supplex55@yahoo.com.
DAWN--contact John Paul Prestenbach (check my phone) should something happen to me regarding my sumo pages.

815 Images3103 visitsAlbum by Michael Ford

1997 BBM MODERN box 1997 MODERN set (180) Approx set value: $100	1997 BBM MODERN #1 Yokozuna Takanohana (BBM debut card)	1997 BBM MODERN #2 Yokozuna Akebono (BBM debut card)	1997 BBM MODERN #3 Yokozuna Musashimaru (BBM debut card)
1997 BBM MODERN #4 Ozeki Takanonami (BBM debut card)	1997 BBM MODERN #5 Yokozuna Wakanohana (BBM debut card)	1997 BBM MODERN #7 Ozeki Tochiazuma (BBM debut card)	1997 BBM MODERN #9 Ozeki Musoyama (BBM debut card)
1997 BBM MODERN #10 Ozeki Kaio (BBM debut card)	1997 BBM Modern #15 Ozeki Konishiki (BBM debut card) hand signed card (Thank you JP!)	1997 BBM MODERN #35 Ozeki Chiyotaikai (BBM debut card)	1997 BBM MODERN Takanohana puzzle inserts P1-P9 complete set (9) Approx set value: $175
1997 BBM MODERN #S1 Yokozuna Takanohana 1997 Sanyaku insert complete set (5) Approx set value: $150	1997 BBM MODERN #S2 Yokozuna Akebono Sanyaku insert	1997 BBM MODERN #S3 Ozeki Takanonami Sanyaku insert	1997 BBM MODERN #S4 Yokozuna Musashimaru Sanyaku insert
1997 BBM MODERN #S5 Yokozuna Wakanohana Sanyaku insert	1997 BBM MODERN Akebono puzzle inserts P10-P18 complete set (9) Approx set value: $175	1998 BBM EAST Trading card box 1998 EAST set (195) Approx set value: $100	1998 BBM EAST #1 Yokozuna Takanohana
1998 BBM EAST #3 Yokozuna Akebono	1998 BBM EAST #7 Yokozuna Musashimaru	1998 BBM EAST #9 Yokozuna Wakanohana	1998 BBM EAST #13 Ozeki Kaio
1998 BBM EAST #2 Yokozuna Takanohana	1998 BBM EAST #4 Yokozuna Akebono	1998 BBM EAST #8 Yokozuna Musashimaru	1998 BBM EAST #10 Yokozuna Wakanohana
1998 BBM EAST #14 Ozeki Kaio	1998 BBM EAST #R18 Yokozuna Takanohana 20th Century Rivals (insert set of 18) Approx set value: $175	1998 BBM EAST #S1 Yokozuna Takanohana 1998 Sanyaku insert card complete set (5) Approx set value: $150	1998 BBM EAST #S2 Yokozuna Akebono Sanyaku insert card
1998 BBM EAST #S3 Ozeki Takanonami Sanyaku insert card	1998 BBM EAST #S4 Yokozuna Musashimaru Sanyaku insert card	1998 BBM EAST #S5 Yokozuna Wakanohana Sanyaku insert card	1998 BBM EAST Rivals of the 20th Century #R17-18 Akebono vs. Takanohana (uncut redemption set:18 cards/9 panels) Approx set value: $225
1998 BBM WEST #1 Yokozuna Wakanohana 1998 WEST set (195) Approx set value: $100	1998 BBM WEST #2 Yokozuna Akebono	1998 BBM WEST #3 Yokozuna Takanohana	1998 BBM WEST #4 Ozeki Takanonami