Southwest Florida collector claims Panini’s Super Bowl XLIV bounty

Posted Feb 3, 2010 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated Feb 3, 2010 at 09:50 PM

Dawn McNew began collecting Peyton Manning football cards several years ago as a way to connect with her nephew, a big Indianapolis Colts fan.

She’s a serious collector, too — with an outstanding prep coaching résumé.

McNew, an Indiana native who now teaches physical education at Lehigh Senior High in eastern Lee County (about two hours south of Tampa), owns more than 1,000 different Manning cards.

On Nov. 12, she won an eBay auction for an NFL Limited 2009 Pro Bowl Combo Materials dual game-used card that featured Manning and Saints quarterback Drew Brees. The card, manufactured by Panini, was numbered 44/100. Her cost: $11. Beckett lists its book value at $20.

That modest investment is paying off handsomely.

On Jan. 27, Panini offered a $1,500 bounty for the 44/100 card, since both quarterbacks will be opposing one another in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday in Miami. McNew contacted Panini this week, and because she was reluctant to part with the card, the card company amended the bounty. McNew gets to keep the card (she had to mail it to Panini for verification purposes), and will receive an exclusive 1/1 card featuring Manning and Brees — plus a box from every Panini NFL product issued during 2010.

Panini keeps the cash, but the 10 or 12 Panini products should work out to roughly $1,500. Lots of potential for more cool Manning cards.

“I think it’s pretty cool that Panini would make such an offer to begin with,” McNew said, “and then to not only honor their offer, but also to return the card.”

McNew said she was contacted by e-mail after the bounty was announced. “An eBayer told me, ‘hey, go to this site (Panini’s). I think you might have that card,’ ” McNew said Wednesday.

She did.

“I didn’t know if I wanted to give it up,” McNew said. “So I e-mailed Panini and told them (about her reluctance).”

That was enough to convince Panini to change the offer, according to Scott Prusha, the company’s marketing manager.

“We knew she was a true collector and exemplified everything great about collecting,” Prusha said in a news release.

And of course, the publicity doesn’t hurt, either — card company lets the collector keep the card of her favorite player and showers her with more product. It’s can’t-miss goodwill.

McNew said her students at Lehigh did not know she won the card, but they sure know she’s a Colts fan.

“They’re always harassing me about the Colts, you know, how lucky the Colts are, and how the Saints are going to beat them on Sunday,” she said.

Even though the Colts will be playing for the NFL title in South Florida on Sunday, McNew will not be attending.
“It’s a little too expensive,” she said.

McNew grew up in Greenfield, Ind., several miles east of Indianapolis. Rooting for the Colts was the natural thing to do.

“We attended many Colts games up north because we worked in the concession stands (at the then-named RCA Dome). So, I attended but didn’t watch,” McNew said. “But the good part was that we had to be there three hours early, so we got to see the players come out for warm-ups, including Peyton of course.”

McNew coached girls basketball in Indiana, and guided Beech Grove High (in suburban Indianapolis) to the Class 3A title in 2003. The Hornets were 28-1 that season (“we were three points away from an undefeated season”) and was named Indiana’s coach of the year.

She and her husband moved to Florida from Indiana after that season, settling in Lehigh Acres. She took a teaching job but decided not to coach.

“I coached for 20 years,” she said. “I figured that was long enough.”

But in 2004, McNew was asked to coach the girls basketball team at Lehigh. The Lightning won five games in her first season, and then improved to 15-7 the next season.

“I figured at that point, that’s enough,” she said after going 20-24 in two seasons.

McNew also has helped coach the school’s golf, softball and cross country programs.

Even though she owns so many Manning cards, McNew does not have a favorite. “Maybe a few auto cards,” she said. But the Manning card she won on eBay certainly ranks up there. Some collectors have wondered about the person on the auction site who sold McNew the card. If he knew then what he knows now … but how could he have known? The promotion began two months after the transaction was completed. Still, McNew has had a good chuckle about her special card.

“I was reading the (online) Beckett boards, and one of the posters was speculating that the card was going to be found by some little old lady in Nebraska who bought the pack because it was shiny,” McNew said.

And her ever-growing Manning collection? “I collect because of my nephew. I’ll probably will it to him,” she laughed.
Many years from now, no doubt. After all, McNew is 44 — like the Super Bowl.