In the world of promo collecting there are gray areas as to what counts as a promo. Some people don't count cards that you can pull only from cereal boxes or taco shells because the cards aren't actually free. You have to buy something to get them. The counter argument to that is if I'm buying that cereal anyway, then it is a freebie.

Another gray area, and one briefly discussed in another thread is the situation in which a card from a set is handed out as a sample but the full set is actually for sale. Can you really call that a promo set?

In 1999 I was at the San Diego Comic-Con in the Artists' section and the creators of Tohubohu comics were giving out a show exclusive promo card and also a sample card from a small set they were selling. I think it was an 8-10 card set so you could assemble a set if you passed by the table a couple of times a day over 3 or 4 days and perhaps traded with other people at the show.

There's a large set of cards called Wisconsin Wildcards which were given out as singles from 2002 to least 2009 at parks in Wisconsin. There are several subsets promoting environmental awareness in general with topics like Native Reptiles, Invasive Species, and Special Places. There must be at least 100 cards to collect. However, you could also buy them by the subset at the visitor centers. Someone visiting the parks a lot could finish subsets over time but someone else could just buy whatever was available in one shot.

There isn't much of a difference between a set that is intended for sale and a set you could assemble card by card for free or just buy outright. I guess you could call the latter a hybrid set.

However, there are other sets like SuperStars MusiCards (Pro Set, 1991) and Yo! MTV Raps (Pro Set, 1991) which were sold by the pack but sample cello-packs of base cards were also given away. The sets were so big it seems unlikely you could build even most of a set from sample packs. Because of that, I'm not sure that counts as a hybrid set but there is an argument for it.

Anyway, it's something we can talk about. Below are scans of a Tohubohu card (Series 2) and two cards from two different subsets of Wisconsin Wildcards.

Jess

How about in cases like Zombie War, where have cards numbered beyond the 50-card boxed set that were bagged with comics, but were available as part of a signed version of the boxed set? They were not promotional cards to start with, but they kind of lost their uniqueness by being part of a purchasable set.

I definitely don't agree with singles being handed out for a set that is for purchase, like the Tofufufu whatever set you mentioned, as being promo. No different that Rittenhouse handing out base cards to people walking past their table.

The Wisconsin cards same thing, they cease to be truly promotional once they are available for retail.

The MTV cards sample packs you mention cease to be promotional once you bust em open. My opinion.

The ones that really got me were the Brainstorm cards. I started looking for them and buying them, and did so for a while until I was convinced they too were sold as sets.
I agree with you guys on the Wisconsin Wild Cards. I still really enjoy those cards. I think I'm missing one, if thinking of the right set.

On the Tohubohu, Jess was the one who convinced me that one could buy a whole set at SDCC so they have come off my list as well. Similarly, Todd, you mentioned in PCE that the SPOOF COMICS set on page 132 was sold. So I gladly gave up looking for all those singles. The "real" promos in column 3 are not so easy to find, though. I'm still looking for the #3, Wolverbroad after all these years.

Would this be considered a promo card?
I found it in my DVD of Barry Lyndon.
The back is blank and it has a glossy finish.
(I had this posted in the wrong thread earlier)

You betcha!!

I think I'm getting the jist of what this discussion is saying, so here's my two cents worth...
Yester
day, I received in the mail, the two promotional cards P1 and P2, for Extreme Speed 1996 (page 56 PCE), also in the package, received some pamphlets related to the set and a numbered 10 card set 10-1, of what look like regular cards, which probably fit into the "grey area" promo slot. Very nice looking set too, anyone else have these?
Hope I'm on the right track lol

quote:

Please, a little respect, for I am Costanza, lord of the idiots

You're saying you got and extreme speeds card numbered 10? And is it promotional? Is that what your asking?

quote:

Originally posted by cardscout182:
I think I'm getting the jist of what this discussion is saying, so here's my two cents worth...
Yester
day, I received in the mail, the two promotional cards P1 and P2, for Extreme Speed 1996 (page 56 PCE), also in the package, received some pamphlets related to the set and a numbered 10 card set 10-1, of what look like regular cards, which probably fit into the "grey area" promo slot. Very nice looking set too, anyone else have these?
Hope I'm on the right track lol

quote:

Please, a little respect, for I am Costanza, lord of the idiots

Hi there, any chance you have pictures or scans of what the pamphlet materials looks like?

For Extreme Speeds there was a #1 card that was given out that turned out to be different than the #1 card in the 10-card set so it appears to be an unmarked prototype. There was a P1 that may have been sent to some dealers but I don't know for sure. The P2 was only available with the 10-card set which was sold in a zip-lock baggie with a pin-up photo (woman in a bikini). This package might have been available through Diamond.

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by cardscout182:
I think I'm getting the jist of what this discussion is saying, so here's my two cents worth...
Yester
day, I received in the mail, the two promotional cards P1 and P2, for Extreme Speed 1996 (page 56 PCE), also in the package, received some pamphlets related to the set and a numbered 10 card set 10-1, of what look like regular cards, which probably fit into the "grey area" promo slot. Very nice looking set too, anyone else have these?
Hope I'm on the right track lol

quote:

Please, a little respect, for I am Costanza, lord of the idiots

There's a set floating on the "bay" at the moment. It refers to the set as a promo but I saw it for sale in a local comic store at the time. It was maybe $10 and I bought it.

In any case it would be interesting to hear what's said on the pamphlets (whether it was a product for sale rather than some kind of promo that was sold secondhand by the store).

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by Zane DeVan:

quote:

Originally posted by cardscout182:
I think I'm getting the jist of what this discussion is saying, so here's my two cents worth...
Yester
day, I received in the mail, the two promotional cards P1 and P2, for Extreme Speed 1996 (page 56 PCE), also in the package, received some pamphlets related to the set and a numbered 10 card set 10-1, of what look like regular cards, which probably fit into the "grey area" promo slot. Very nice looking set too, anyone else have these?
Hope I'm on the right track lol

quote:

Please, a little respect, for I am Costanza, lord of the idiots

Hi there, any chance you have pictures or scans of what the pamphlet materials looks like?

Naturally, I was looking through my Stone Temple Pilots CDs, thinking about grey area promos, I mean, like, who doesn't, and I found this German CD single with a Limited Edition (probably less than a million!), tour sticker in it!
Is it a promo? Only our Divine Creator knows for sure, and He (She?) ain't talking!

I say the Stone temple Pilots sticker is a promo for sure. I used to have that from my old CD too. I just wouldn't list it in PCE.

Hi Todd,

I know you were against listing music group promo cards because you'd have to include every card ever given out at record stores (especially Tower) along with those of every garage band no one has ever heard of but I think you should at least consider listing promos of nationally-known artists. I don't have any Stone Temple Pilots albums but I've heard of them and they have a following. Some card collectors would like to know if they have any promo stuff to look for.

I have a Fleetwood Mac bumper sticker I'd like you to list too.

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by pcetodd:
I say the Stone temple Pilots sticker is a promo for sure. I used to have that from my old CD too. I just wouldn't list it in PCE.

That sounds like a great publication for YOU to compile. I have enough on my plate.

So is this a promo card?
https://imgur.com/JawmAfV
https://imgur.com/srVA1l9

What about "promos" included in "Mystery Packs" sold at places like San Diego Comic Cons? For example the Grimm CC-1 through CC-3...are they really promo cards? Or the oversized reproduction sketch cards numbered to 50?

This sort of thing seems a gray area to me. It seems I should list them in PCE, but are they technically a promo card? My gut says no, but my heart for giving cards a historical listing home says yes.

Zane, that is a very interesting Tim Burton card. I have never seen that one before. Where did you find that card ? Is it part of a set ?

The back text indicates that it's connected to one of the Topps Mars Attacks sets. It's not numbered. It could be an oddball comic book insert we didn't notice back then or maybe something not officially released like those Last Action Hero cards (also from Topps).

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by David R:
Zane, that is a very interesting Tim Burton card. I have never seen that one before. Where did you find that card ? Is it part of a set ?

I found mine about 15 years ago. When I bought it, the seller wrote she had gotten it with a fancy Mars Attacks mug. So I agree that it was probably some type of cross promotion with that franchise. Zane's is only the third one I see.

Digging through my AC Comics box I came across what appears to be my Fan Club introductory items, including my membership card from 1993. Some of it is trading card related. Unfortunately, someone wrote 'Free p&H' on the back of all the cards. The two black and white drawing copies are signed.