Taylor Swift's Awards Show Card
Taylor Swift may have been shut out at the Grammy's last night despite heading into the night with six nominations, but she appeared to be having a great time, celebrating in the success of her fellow artists. Swift was seen toasting to the success of her fellow nominee Beyoncé after she won her first-ever Album of the Year award, clinking glasses with the Cowboy Carter singer's husband, Jay-Z.
It was something of a full-circle moment. After all, not only have these two titans of the music industry long competed for awards, chart positioning, and sales - their shared history at awards shows goes way back. And, a strange piece of nostalgia that connects the two superstars, once found its way onto a trading card. Today, that card has the highest sales on Card Ladder of any Taylor Swift.
The 2011 Topps American Pie set was an attempt to highlight and showcase celebrities, pop culture history, and major moments in Americana. The cards were divided into subsets of each decade, from the '40's to the aughts. From 'World War II Ends' to 'Hurricane Irene' the set is a weird and fun tale of modern America.
Taylor's entry in the offering, titled "Kanye Interrupts Swift", captures the infamous moment when Swift won her first-ever MTV Video Music Award in 2009. While attempting to accept the award, Kanye West took to the stage, grabbed the mic and insisted that Beyoncé should have won the trophy. Card #196 - sandwiched between 'Michael Jackson Dies' and 'Jersey Shore Premiers' - has become an intriguing piece of Taylor Swift memorabilia.
Among all Swift trading cards listed on Card Ladder, this one has fetched the highest prices. The spotlight foil version of this card has sold for more than $5,000 three times since August of last year.
This card is by far the most valuable of the 2011 Topps American Pie set, with #144 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' coming in at second on Card Ladder, with a sale of $900 in October of last year. The cards are worth checking out, even if for nothing more than a wacky trip down memory lane.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.