When 2009 SPX was released, there really wasn’t much that was new about the product. In fact, there wasn’t much about it that I really liked. The box hit cards were some of the only cards printed on foil during the entire 2009 UD football calendar, the boxes were incredibly expensive at 150+ per try, and at the time, the rookies really werent selling that well. Despite issues with the set, there was one type of card that many collectors were salivating over, myself included.
The SPX Shadowbox cards were a new innovation that had never really been tried before. It was a multilayered card with acetate infused sheets that depicted the player in two poses. The card consisted of a background layer, a secondary picture layer and then the top layer. They also had signed versions of the card which I believed were among the best cards of the year for ANY set. I was lucky enough to pull a Chris Johnson signed shadowbox card out of a pack of SPX last year, and it was tough selling the card after he hit his 2000 yards. It was tough to pass up because they sell so well, but the card was so cool that I really didn’t want to give it up.
This year, the Shadowboxes are back, and though they are all NCAA uniforms, they are selling better than anyone could ever have imagined. Even though they are rare case hits, I never really expected them to sell for what they are, if not only because all of them are lacking NFL branding. In all honesty, when was the last time you saw a non-autographed card of any kind sell for the kind of numbers the Shadow boxes are getting, without the benefit of a patch or jersey swatch? It RARELY happens outside of the chromes.
I guess that goes to show how some collectors value innovation, if you could even call it that, as these cards defintiely carry a crazy price tag. I would more specify it as creativity, as really its just some filler in between layers of acetate. However, the cards are amazing, and I am STILL looking for the Peterson ones from last year.
Check out some of these prices:
Remember, these are non-numbered, non-autographed inserts. Just ridiculous that they sell like this. Maybe some of the other companies will start to follow suit and actually think about doing something innovative instead of just rehashing the same crap over and over again.
These are great and easily one my favorite inserts in a long time. I did a post on these last week (still up on my home page) as I bought a Thurman Thomas from last year’s SPx. It cost me under $7.00 shipped!!! I want the C.J. Spiller and Thurman Thomas from this year, but they are crazy expensive. Certainly not the $7.00 I would like to pay. UD scores high marks with these in my book. It goes to show that collectors want innovation and creativity in design. I really hope UD come out with these in they basketball products. Any news on that?
I wish Topps and Panini would take note of this and put more effortt towards creating good looking cards, rather than producing more GU cards with little pieces of white jersey… or “event worn” jersey cards.
We’re all looking at you, Panini.
And Topps, you must stop right now from copying Panini with garbage like Platinum and Unrivaled.
No one can out-foil or over-parallel Panini. You will fail it.
Actually, I’ve been pretty happy with Topps this year. Chrome and Finest have been good. Topps Prime is pretty nice too. Panini has been junk. Sorry, can’t get into cards with NCAA uni’s. It just looks and feels wrong. I feel like I’m getting all rookies in a product from the beginning of the season. Haven’t wasted any money on Upper Deck this year and it feels great!
you go back to a simple 90’s design and collectors go ape for them, you open a box of 90’s Junk wax and get something like this it is not hype why, yes the shadow box cards are unique from a throwback kinda way, but here’s the deal, they are late 90’s left overs ideas because nothing else is working. Make anything a case hit and yes it will sell.
I love these shadowbox inserts. I will probably get one of lower costing ones.
I have bid on last years shadowbow cards but never won as they usually topped $10 w/o a problem. This represents some of the best non jersey innovation in some time. Cool design trumps event used every time so take note panini.
I’m just curious about the folks here who talk about old ideas being brought back etc. Not just here but on other articles as well. I don’t remember shadowbox cards in the 90’s honestly. I remember holograms that sort of resemble them but without the color variation. What idea is it exactly that they are rehashing? Are there some ex upper deck employees here that have some beans to spill? I just think when bashing a product we should at least be able to articulate the reason, at least a little. I don’t have a horse in this race either so don’t think I’m cheerleading for UD. I just don’t like Panini.