I've read other bloggers' objections to Topps Now, and now get to make my own decision with football cards from Panini Instant.
As I start writing this, there is over an hour left on the first Browns card being offered on Panini Instant. It commemorates first-round pick Corey Coleman's game against the Ravens last Sunday where he had two touchdowns and over 100 yards receiving.
This is what I saw when I looked at the site:
No, I didn't buy the 1/1, or in fact, any of these cards. I'm not going to say that I would object to ever adding one of these cards into my collection, but it won't be from them, and it won't be at any of these prices.
If one ever appears as part of a trade, I'll take it, or if I see one at a buck or two online or at a show, I might consider it, but I just can't support these cards at these prices.
Does anyone know what happens to the rest of the numbered cards if they don't sell out? (I can't be bothered to poke through their site to find out.) If only one person buys a #/5 card, does only one get made or will they find another way of distributing the other four cards? If only one gets made, and word gets out about that, what does the 1/1 person think of spending $50 more for the same print run even though their card has a /1 instead of a /5?
I really haven't thought too much about chasing the rainbow in the past, even though I know that with printing plates and 1/1 cards that it is very unlikely to complete one. However, as much as I complain about parallels, there is something fun about looking at a page of the same cards with color (or whatever) differences.
Seeing a company's own breakdown, however, for their perceived value of a numbered card really makes me rethink whether I even want to keep continuing to try and grab parallels. Who am I kidding? I will, for now, but now the thought is there so that may change in the future.
I don't know if it is in the best interest of a card company to make me want to think about how I'm collecting and spending my money. They may not like the decisions that I come to.
"I don't know if it is in the best interest of a card company to make me want to think about how I'm collecting and spending my money. They may not like the decisions that I come to."
ReplyDeleteI've examined my own spending and concluded that, all in all, this whole hobby is kind of silly. Still, I enjoy it. But you're right, a company should never want to be the one to make you question your spending habits on their products.
I'm not really planning to collect any for the NBA either...I literally could not afford to complete the set. If they ever give one to the Nets I will probably get it just so I have the set represented in my collection. But overall I hate the concept as well.
ReplyDeleteThis seems even shadier than what Topps is peddling. About the only thing I like about Topps Now (still haven't touched the stuff) is that their print run is dictated solely on how much they sell in the designated period the card is on sale. Of course, they can't be bothered to serial number the things, so the print run numbers could all be made up.
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