If you havent followed @toppscards on Twitter, you have been missing out on some contests to win unique items that arent normally available. Although the contests are tough to win, the winnings are definitely worth a shot at trying to get in on the contests. For the first time, starting near the end of last year, Topps started giving away uncut sheets of cards from their releases. These uncut sheets are final representations of the actual printed cards before they are manufactured, and winning them through twitter is the only way to get them.
2012 Topps Chrome Football Camo Refractor Uncut Sheet – Andrew Luck and RGIII included
2012 Bowman Chrome Blue Wave Uncut Sheet
2012 Topps Chrome Baseball Uncut Sheet – Bryce Harper included
Topps also used programs in 2012 Archives and Chrome baseball to redeem for other uncut sheets, but those are equally as rare. Personally, I think these types of things are pretty cool for any player collectors, as there are so few of them available. The issue remains, many people are card collectors above anything else, and that would suggest a reason why they dont sell for as big money as they should. I have come to understand that unless something fits on the normal space that a card would occupy, it usually wont be worth as much money. There are a few exceptions
, but its infrequent that those barriers are broken.
Here is my discussion point, as I find it incredibly interesting. If a card collector is only a card collector and rarely crosses over to engage in memorabilia collecting, what does that say about our hobby. When you consider how much value is placed on extreme relics and autographed cards, the second you take away the cardboard, it loses more value than I could ever imagine.
In a few different situations, card companies have tried to cross over, offering over-sized redemption items, but they are rarely successful. Even ones that mimic card items dont sell well unless there is some sort of unique reason why a collector would want it. We might be growing towards a hobby where the gap between high and low end cards/products is quickly expanding, but there is limited space in which to do so without changing the perspective of the consumer.
So far, the only answer has been to make patches crazier and crazier, but in every case, its all been card related. At what point will the industry desires ask for something that requires an impossible cross over to another hobby? That scares me.
I started collecting auto’s official jerseys a few years back. I keep it VERY limited as to which ones I choose, though. They look incredible when framed and hung up. I picked up a Mitchell & Ness official double star Aikman jersey during one of their promo sales about a year ago and cannot wait until Aikman actually does a show so I can get this one signed. Picked up a Favre with all the special Packers anniversary and Super Bowl patches on it from his official site a while back, too. Looks incredible with all the patches on there. The kicker – he signed it on the front and the back! So, anyway, I really like being able to display NFL pro style jerseys that are signed. They make for great conversation pieces as it’s way more interesting to a guest when they see a full jersey, signed, than it is to over just a card… that’s probably locked up anyhow.
Here’s another question: can Gellman make one blog post without at least 4 eBay affiliate links?
Seriously dude, you are embarassing yourself. Hell, you even used someone dying as a reason to spam your dwindling readers with affiliate links. Every post, even those about products which aren’t out yet has eBay links.
Would be a shame if a clickbot targeted your ePN account……….
I find the topic interesting as well. Your comment about how we lose interest when you take away the cardboard very much applies to my collecting habits.
For me I think it really comes down to how you interact with things. Displaying something on a shelf or wall doesn’t have the same appeal to me as cards I pick up and hold or flip through in a binder.
I collect cards mostly but have been able to get past it being the only thing. Not sure if this is truly on topic but I hunt down oddball food issues (7-Eleven discs), puzzles (1971 Springboks), NFL drinking glasses and a whole bunch more. I’ve really gotten tired of what most of the companies have to offer as it seems to me that it’s just rubber stamping things. I’m not impressed by who has the biggest piece of jersey and I’m sick to death of the amount of rookie content in sets. There are definitely exceptions and and I really enjoy seeing some of the premiums like Topps is doing as mentioned above and would be interested in obtaining them.