Balloon Boy saucer turned into trading cards

[pixy0stix]

This guy is a friend of DH's. DH spends a ridiculous amount of money every time he goes to visit him. /random anecdote

www.timescall.com/news/longmont-local-news/ci_21148407/balloon-boy-saucer-turned-into-trading-cards

Pieces of the infamous flying saucer that starred in Colorado's 2009 balloon boy hoax are now available for purchase.

Several months ago, Michael Fruitman, the current owner of the defunct balloon, struck a deal with New York City-based sports and entertainment card company Topps to use a segment of the Mylar saucer for individual trading cards. The card is included in the recently released 2012 Topps Baseball Allen & Ginter Relics Set.

"If this was the Mona Lisa I would not send it to them to be cut up, but I understand what this is," Fruitman said. "I figured this was a way that any number of people are able to own a piece of Colorado history."

Former Fort Collins residents Richard Heene and his wife Mayumi were convicted in Colorado state court after using the homemade flying saucer balloon to construct an elaborate and far-reaching hoax that claimed their 5-year-old son had been carried off in the alleged stowaway. The Heenes, who have since moved to Florida, were ordered to pay $36,000 in restitution to authorities who responded to the 60-mile rescue chase.

Fruitman paid $2,502 for the balloon in an auction last year and hung it from the ceiling of his Aurora shop, Mike's Stadium Sportscards. The Heene family was legally prohibited from profiting from the sale of the balloon and donated the money to charity.

The family was also not involved in the undisclosed arrangement with Topps, and Fruitman called the balloon's inclusion in the relic set an honor of sorts.

"December will mark 20 years in owning my store and we've never been able to contribute to a card product like this," he said. "I don't play baseball; I don't have a jersey that Topps would want, so this is as close as I can get."

The Allen & Ginter Relics set costs around $3 a pack at mass retailers, but dozens of individual balloon boy cards have sprung up on Ebay, with sellers seeking anywhere from 99 cents to $49.99 for the Mylar-adorned cards.

Clay Luraschi, director of sports at Topps, said the Balloon Boy card was viewed as a good fit for the set, which commemorates not only sport champions but also popular events.

"From what we've seen thus far there has been a lot of interest in it," he said. "It's definitely unique and different and that's kind of what the product is about."

Those holding out to see the deflated balloon and not just a swatch of it are still in luck: Fruitman said that about 95 percent is intact, after sending only a small section to Topps. It's still on the ceiling of his Aurora business, a reminder of Colorado history, like it or not.

"At this point I don't have any immediate plans for it," Fruitman said. "It hasn't worn our its welcome here; we still have a lot of people who come in and want to see it."

[ESF]

Balloon boy!!!! That was hilarious. I love that he is back in our lives.