For a product with this high a cost, more info is needed before I can even think of pre-ordering.

David, are artists being held to tighter QA on this product? Will some of the "big name" artists like Hughes, Brooks, Kayanan, Vanderstelt, etc. be doing cards? What are anticipated overall odds for autos vs the manufactured patches?

Who knows, it might be the 1st Star Wars product that I take a pass on since I started with 30th.

I will, in the coming weeks provide a list of all who have signed on for sketch cards.
Autos and Patches are evenly matched. There are the same amount of both going into the product.

Well, that definately helps. I can't wait to see what kind of names are on the sketch list.

With Star Wars 30th, I remember getting one hit per box, either a sketch or an autograph and the odds were half and half.

This time, with a sketch in every box plus a patch or autograph, you're getting one more hit per box, so that definitely makes the price increase reasonable. But if that second hit is 50/50 between an autograph or a manufactured patch, well, I'd rather have the worst autograph than the best patch.

The patches I'm sure will be well done, but there's still time for Topps to get a real costume or two to add into the mix. Even if they were only able to produce a handful of authentic Star Wars memorabilia cards, but such a card could replace the patch in say, every 200th box, that would definitely lessen the sting of getting a patch instead of an autograph, and bring collector interest to the set with the mere chance at a owning a real piece of Star Wars.

This set deserves, nay, demands something new and I hope Topps can do something like this. It's been done once before, for an Ewok fur card released to instant popularity a couple of years ago.

Heh, but I'm more of an autograph collector anyway, so I remember being disappointed when I'd get a sketch in a 30th Anniversary box instead of an autograph, and the sketches I got were all pretty awesome. Even with its higher price and patch cards, I'm definitely in for a few of these, maybe not a case like usual, but 3 or 4 boxes for sure.

If I recall correctly, David has indicated previously (a year ago or more) that costume/relic cards will not happen as they are cost prohibitive.

30th was indeed only 1 hit per box but with all of the extras (the parallels and the box toppers) it added up nicely. The main problem is that the Star Wars market has been saturated with sketch cards over the last 5 years, so what would have been a $30 sketch is now a $5-$10 sketch while the box price is rising big time. With the news of an even ration of autos/patches, I may give it a spin, but I sure hope the artist list is extremely strong from top to bottom because people are not going to overpay for sketches just because they came out of a $100 box as opposed to a $60 box.

quote:

Originally posted by igman7:
If I recall correctly, David has indicated previously (a year ago or more) that costume/relic cards will not happen as they are cost prohibitive.

30th was indeed only 1 hit per box but with all of the extras (the parallels and the box toppers) it added up nicely. The main problem is that the Star Wars market has been saturated with sketch cards over the last 5 years, so what would have been a $30 sketch is now a $5-$10 sketch while the box price is rising big time. With the news of an even ration of autos/patches, I may give it a spin, but I sure hope the artist list is extremely strong from top to bottom because people are not going to overpay for sketches just because they came out of a $100 box as opposed to a $60 box.

Then barring relics ever appearing in a Star Wars set due to cost concerns, they could up the sketch quotient by getting some of those Panorama folded sketches like they did for Indiana Jones Masterpieces, or else put an entire sketch puzzle into a single pack as Upper Deck, Rittenhouse, and Breygent (I think) have all recently done.

Multiple actor signed cards cards would be a plus. If they are sticker autographs anyway, why not do 5 copies of a fold open card with a picture of Luke, Han, and Leia on one one panel, and the 3 signatures of Ford, Hamill, and Fisher on the other. I can think of numerous triple signature cards from both trilogies that would just be fantastic. How about Neeson, MacGregor, and Ray Park on one card? How about Lloyd, Christensen, Prowse, and James Earl Jones on a single card? Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker would be a nice twosome. Ford and Mayhew, Park and McDiarmid, Prowse and McDiarmid, Cristensen and McDiarmid, the actors who played Jango and Boba Fett, and on and on.

Put one of those of those double or triple autos in every other case or so, and people will pony up the $100 per box in droves.

I agree, that if we are really talking $100 a box, then the artist list needs to be good. We can't have several filler sketches per case, as that would be unfair against an $800 case price.

quote:

Originally posted by Goldfish:
I agree, that if we are really talking $100 a box, then the artist list needs to be good. We can't have several filler sketches per case, as that would be unfair against an $800 case price.

We are indeed talking $100+ boxes. Probably more like $109 a box or $1225.00 a 12 Box Case.

SRP is $4.99 a pack or $119.76 a box. Not sure if there are going to be any retail exclusives, but they will be expensive to get if there are.

Going to be a tough sell to some, but the faithful will love the huge set and the chance at A+ autographs.

Ed

-Edit: 12 box case, not 8 like normal.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Scifi Cards,

quote:

Originally posted by chesspieceface:
This time, with a sketch in every box plus a patch or autograph, you're getting one more hit per box, so that definitely makes the price increase reasonable. But if that second hit is 50/50 between an autograph or a manufactured patch, well, I'd rather have the worst autograph than the best patch. Even with its higher price and patch cards, I'm definitely in for a few of these, maybe not a case like usual, but 3 or 4 boxes for sure.

This box price is too high for any collector who isn't already locked into Star Wars cards. I usually try to sample a box or two of any non-sport cards that come my way, but not at this cost when you don't even have a full base set. There is certainly going to be a lot of pressure on the premium hits to have added value, and those sketches had better ALL be of good quality.

As for the patches, I not only agree with you, I am even more opposed to using them as a premium insert. Manufactured patches are not any kind of memorabilia, not even if they are all stamped 1/1. There can be 5000 1/1s and they have no relationship to the films anyway.

Either it's a piece of a real patch, off of a real film worn costume, or it's not. These patches are not. They are just limited cards, and that might be fine to use as an extra hit, but it should never take the place of autograph. To do that in a box with an asking price over $100 is inexcusable to me.

12 cards per pack, 24 packs per box, 12 boxes per case.
Suggested retail is $4.99 Pack or $119.76 per box

350 Card Base Set (yep, 350)
10 Card “Duels of Fate” Set (1:6 Packs)
8 Card “I Have a Bad Feeling About This” Set (1:4 packs)
10 Card Classic Lines Set (1:4 Packs)
10 Card “Heroes on Both Sides” Set (1:6 packs)
20 Card Foil Set (1:6 Packs)
Sketch Cards (1:Box)
Manufactured Patch Cards
Autograph Cards

Harrison Ford

Mark Hamill

Carrie Fisher

Ray Park

Peter Mayhew

Amy Allen

And more…

____________________
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Trading Page Now Online: http://www.scifi.cards/trading.html

Collecting Sketches of the Character Crystal

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
This box price is too high for any collector who isn't already locked into Star Wars cards. I usually try to sample a box or two of any non-sport cards that come my way, but not at this cost when you don't even have a full base set. There is certainly going to be a lot of pressure on the premium hits to have added value, and those sketches had better ALL be of good quality.

As for the patches, I not only agree with you, I am even more opposed to using them as a premium insert. Manufactured patches are not any kind of memorabilia, not even if they are all stamped 1/1. There can be 5000 1/1s and they have no relationship to the films anyway.

Either it's a piece of a real patch, off of a real film worn costume, or it's not. These patches are not. They are just limited cards, and that might be fine to use as an extra hit, but it should never take the place of autograph. To do that in a box with an asking price over $100 is inexcusable to me.

I'm with you, but Topps has been issuing sports cards with MUCH higher pack/box prices for years now, I think they're trying that model out on non-sports cards. What better property than Star Wars to try it out on? I mean, grown men spend hundreds of dollars for lightsaber replicas to complete their Jedi costumes. No judgment there, I'm just saying, there's a lot of money out there for Star Wars, whatever the product.

At least Topps is putting 12 cards in each pack, so each box should yield 288 cards, or around 250 base cards once the inserts are taken out. So figure with 2 boxes and some trading, you should be able to make a base set. If, like me, you are willing to sell off the majority of the hits to get some of your money back, you can buy a couple of boxes, and it's the same as always, a base set and a few chase cards for $50 to $100, not to mention the chance to pull something amazing from the two boxes.

That's pretty much the same amount I used to spend on the Star Wars Galaxy sets back in the early 1990's for the same thing, a base set and a few inserts, with no chance whatsoever at cast autographed cards or sketch cards.

Finally, I always like numbered parallels in Star Wars sets, since they are very easy for me to get rid of as I don't collect them (my interest level in those kinds of cards could be serial numbered: 0/0), and luckily there are quite a few out there who don't share my opinion and will pay decently for them, especially when the cards are newly released.

Any chance of more sketchagraphs? The prospect of a Ford/Hughes is simply too much for my circuitry to take!

$5 a pack AND a 12 box hobby case???? Maybe this isn't such an easy case purchase. I was guessing a $4 pack price and an 8 box case.

Is Topps completely unaware that standard card sheets are 9-up? What's with the "10" & "8" count chase card sets???

Obviously Topps has NO clue that there are these sheets that fit into binders that you can store your cards in. These sheets generally fit 9 cards per page.

When is Topps going to wise-up and make chase sets that have "9" cards in them? Or even "18"??

Completely ridiculous.

It'll be 408 cards in total, so they won't fit into 9 pocket sheets without any spaces left over, but I usually use the extra pockets for promos and the like. There'll be 6 empty spaces left over this time after the mini master is assembled. That's about as many sketches and autos as I hope to get, mostly autos, so I can use the 6 extra spots for those.

Topps should definitely make an official binder for a set like this, and definitely with a binder incentive, maybe an autographed card since this is such a deluxe offering.

quote:

Originally posted by chesspieceface:
Topps should definitely make an official binder for a set like this, and definitely with a binder incentive, maybe an autographed card since this is such a deluxe offering.

While they are at it, why not let the dealers get the binders too instead of just selling them on their website? I could move binder to people who have no ability or desire to keep checking Shop Topps to see if there is a binder being offered.

Ed

Mr Scifi Cards,

Can I ask since you are a dealer, how much of this product you might buy? I got sent the pre-order info from a dealer last night, but I think a case is too much on this occasion, especially when its 12 boxes and you have shipping and import duty to the UK. Maybe a couple of boxes and try to do a base set might be the way to go for me.

Will be interested to see the full artist list. At around $1200 a case, the sketch quality really needs to be good...

rich

quote:

Originally posted by Goldfish:
Mr Scifi Cards,

Can I ask since you are a dealer, how much of this product you might buy? I got sent the pre-order info from a dealer last night, but I think a case is too much on this occasion, especially when its 12 boxes and you have shipping and import duty to the UK. Maybe a couple of boxes and try to do a base set might be the way to go for me.

Will be interested to see the full artist list. At around $1200 a case, the sketch quality really needs to be good...

rich

Yes, this is an extremely expensive product. My Topps man quoted me approximately $1100 for a 12 box case, with orders due by the 10 July.

I definitely need to see more before taking the plunge on this one.

Eh, i'll be in for a case only. It's just too expensive. On a side note, if they did put costume cards in this product, it would be insane. I just heard a piece of storm trooper armor in decent used shape from ROTJ sold for $3200...one piece...Trooper helmets sell 23,000-45,000. Star wars props are impossible, Lucas owns them all and is active in stopping people from buying/selling them. The archive wont admit it, but i know they also buy pieces back that are real that hit auctions. If Topps could land 2-3 pieces, cut em up, with real provenance you would be looking at 300+ dollar cards each time, maybe more if it was a hero piece. I know I would make a set LOL.

quote:

Originally posted by Goldfish:
Mr Scifi Cards,

Can I ask since you are a dealer, how much of this product you might buy?

Rich,

Good question...

My orders are almost always determined by how much my regular customers are pre-ordering. If a lot are buying a couple boxes, I order myself more because they will be looking for chase to finish off their sets.

But, right now, the pre-orders are almost non-existent. I think people are shocked at the price. They are concerned that a $108.00 box will get them a bad sketch, a manufactured patch, and half a base set.

Hopefully, David Waldeck can share some more information before I have to turn in my orders. A full list of sketch artists and autographers would be a very good start.

Ed