What Are You Waiting For?
Certified autographs inside packs of trading cards is not a new concept. In fact, it has been used and overused for over two decades now. Back in 1990 when Upper Deck came up with the idea, pulling an autograph was the equivalent of winning the lottery. Today, you are guaranteed a couple of signatures per box and unless you pull something huge, it is usually worthless despite what the book value suggests.
So for as many autographs littering the trading card industry, one has to wonder who exactly is making the decisions when it comes to creating a checklist. For example: there are several different autographs and used memorabilia cards of Corey Haim and Corey Feldman out there, created by Upper Deck and Donruss … yet no one has gotten legendary producer Brian Wilson to sign a couple of stickers.
Beach Boys > The Fucking Coreys.
How about cut signatures of Hip-Hop immortals Tupac, Notorious B.I.G, and Eazy-E? Surely there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of signatures sitting around collecting dust of these three, fallen pop icons somewhere out there. It sure as hell would be a lot more significant than say, a Jeniffer Love Hewitt autograph, no? While we are on the subject, couldn’t Topps have given us an extra autograph in their Allen & Ginter brand instead of the gimmicky Invisible Man auto?
Here’s hoping Topps, Panini, and Leaf pick up the slack and start adding some more relevant autographs into their celebrity-themed products. No, I’m not asking for a Justin Bieber hair/auto card anytime soon but how about we stop cutting up Willie Aames autographs and take a drive down to Compton to find some Eazy-E cancelled checks and used clothing to cut up and insert into products.
April 10, 2011 at 11:03 pm
Good to have you back in action, Mario.
What bothers me is that the card makers create these Sean Astin-grade cut signature cards as if they would be considered a ‘hit’ by anyone, but sticking them in packs and boxes as if they were.
It’s pointless for Topps, Razor, UD, or Panini to ask, “Would you be upset if you got a Jon Peters Wild Wild West autograph out of a $30 pack?” when they know for certain the answer is a fat yes.
We do have to live with the fact that these lousy hits exist so that actual hits can spur people to buy more product than they would make otherwise.
Is it even possible to make a product that has an acceptable hit in every box? I doubt it.
April 11, 2011 at 1:41 pm
It’s not that they can’t do cuts of dead celebs it’s the permission of the estate. If Tupac was to be a cut, you have to go to his mother and get permission, and bring a check to use his name. Andre the Giant, with the wwe has to have go through estate to have permission to use anything of his, that is why I think you see a lot of living cuts than legends that pasted away, due to the money it takes to get the permission to use there name.
April 11, 2011 at 1:54 pm
Tupac’s mom has been very liberal about using her son’s name. I mean, if she can license these cheapo headphones how hard would it be to give up a couple of signatures lying around her mansion?
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM2104424503P?prdNo=9
Oh, don’t forget the official 2pac licensed belt!
http://www.amazon.com/LICENSED-TUPAC-SHAKUR-BLACK-BUCKLE/dp/B001J5SFR0
April 15, 2011 at 1:11 pm
A Beach Boys on-card auto would rock my world! With the exception of Dennis, who left us long ago, they’re all still alive, so it shouldn’t be that tough. You’re absolutely right about the quality of celebrities the card companies choose to put i their products, and my guess is that they are all affordable, where as a Brian Wilson (the real one, not that tool who closes for the Giants) is most likely fairly expensive.
Nice to see you back in action, Mario.
April 15, 2011 at 1:16 pm
Thanks, Beardy.
Carl Wilson is also dead.
April 18, 2011 at 8:48 pm
A Tupac/Biggie dual cut auto would be amazing… and even single cuts would be insanely popular.
Manufacturers definitely need to put more thought into their autograph selection. Overproduced autographs has killed the value of a lot of autographs… even superstars like Peyton Manning and Ken Griffey Jr.
Now, I’m not saying reduce the total number of autographs in a product… I just think they should limit the numbers and monitor player/celebrity selection.
If UD wants to put autographs of Barry Williams (aka Greg Brady), the I say do it… but don’t have him sign 2,000 autographs. Limit his signature to 25 to 50 copies and you now have a collectible.
Do the same thing with athletes. Do we really need to have 6,225 Nick Young autographs from 08/09 Topps Signature? I mean… the guy’s not necessarily a bench warmer… he average over 17ppg this past season. But you can grab his autograph for a buck in dollar bins.
However… had Topps limited this autograph to 50… even 250… people (Wizards & Young collectors at least) would probably be willing to pay at $3 to $5 for these… maybe more.
Finally… I’m not saying don’t insert those autographs of 2nd round draft picks or even 3rd, 4th, 5th round picks… Heck if manufacturers did… we wouldn’t have Tom Brady autographed rookies out there. But… what if they made these autographs as short prints (25 to 100 total autographs… instead of 500 to 1,200)? At least set builders & fans of that player/team would want them.
Sorry for the long response… but this is a great topic.