For someone like me, it is essential that new high end and good looking cards continue to be made, or I will not be as interested in buying new products. With the recent explosion of logo patches used in product after product, it is becoming more and more difficult to create unique content that isn’t done year after year. Rookies face this type of situation the most each year, if not only because of the fact that so many of them are limited in their exposure on a national scale.

When considering that the highest end of the scale is based around NFL shield patches, its easy to see that the companies will run this well dry before moving onto more unique ways of delivering top content. Its already been established with the content of the patch is what drives value – sticker auto or no sticker auto, and therefore, football has shifted its focus from autographs to ridiculous patches. However, with logos being more and more likely to appear in your box, this type of practice cannot be sustainable. Panini is by far the worst, with some of the rookies having up to 5 logo cards per product, and Topps is not far behind. With many of these cards not breaking the cost of the box they are pulled from, it is time to reevaluate the usage of what is considered to be sacred.

Personally, I value unique autograph content above any and all unique patch content, but it looks like I am in the minority. I think 2011 Five Star was the best looking and best produced product released in the entire year. However, my personal affinity is based almost 100% on the way the cards look, not the patches used in the cards. Considering it was the only product released in 2011 to contained hard signed veteran and HOF autographs, it should have been widely successful. However, because there were no patches in the booklets and the patches on the rookies were small, it wasn’t as successful. Im sorry, but that is crap.

We are constantly reminded of how the Panini design team has about as much talent as a wet jock strap, and yet, collectors still chase their products because they focus on the patches. Not only do they abuse the one special thing that a player collector can chase – the shields and logos – but they don’t even make them look even slightly visually appealing.

My point is this. If both Topps and Panini continue to dilute the pool of special cards, box prices will continue to look pie in the sky, instead of a slight gamble. With 18 products per year, its not even a question that there will be more duds than ever for 2012. You cannot create 18 products without mailing it in on a few of them. Considering that Panini is already mailing it in for just about every product they create, there is now a more likely renewal of boredom over everything else.

Collectors will need to speak with their wallets, or there will never be any change. Products will continue to blend together, and the unique content will dissipate faster than you can say “Houshmanzadeh.”