Exactly, Raven.

I don't know how far ahead RA have to try and prepare these sets but maybe they couldn't get some of the signers that would have been instant big hits like Oberyn, Olenna, Daario#2 etc. Or didn't know which characters would have the more popular scenes/episodes and become fan favourites. Or people said they would sign then didn't. Who knows?
Like you, I'll keep buying this title but just hope for more goodies next year and not any more duplicate died-years-ago-minor-characters.
Except for Sean Bean, they can put as many of him in the sets as they want, I'll buy.

Sorry to divert a breakdown thread. Please carry on everyone.

Ordinarily, it would be concern me when a set within a continuing run is "down" compared to earlier releases as, even though it sells out from the manufacturers, the retailers usually aren't so lucky with it and that can hinder orders for the followup set, sometimes to the point where the line is made in more limited amounts from then on, issued as premium mini-sets, or else cancelled entirely.

In the case of the Game of Thrones card line, I don't worry about it continuing all the way through, as I think the retailers will still sell through what is certainly a down release compared to the previous three, thanks to the continued presence of the "fine art" sketches, which is amazing considering how the artists are limited to drawing only what are basically locations, props, and animals. (Imagine how popular GoT sketches by these very same artists would be if they could draw the main characters, especially Dany. We've seen it with Buffy sketches.)

Even without the superb autograph lineup of that last three sets and no actual relics of any kind in Season 4, the sketches are still saving the day for retailers and flippers, I think. It's a nice fallback for Rittenhouse's retailers, but I still wouldn't be surprised if the print run on the Season 5 set is a little smaller than it was for Season 4. If that's true, and auto lineup is robust for Season 5, and perhaps real relics return, that combo could make for a very fast sellout of Season 5.

This same kind of thing happened with "Star Wars Gal. 6" and "Indiana Jones Masterpieces", (both followups to sets that did not sell especially briskly for retailers), leading to smaller orders and limited print run for them with double the announced hits in the packs opened by the lucky few who stuck with the lines and got them (and for Raven, and any sports cards fans out there, you may remember a little set called Bowman Baseball 1992. It was a similar scenario).

OK, I realize this is breakdowns, but I wanted to get that out there, it is a kind of breakdown, haha, but I'll shut up now until I get some of this open and have results to post. I'm sure I still will at some point.

Open another box.

Box 10127
Autos: Carice Van Houten (Melisandra)
Ben Hawkey (Hot Pie)
Beautiful Death: BD14
Quotable: Q31 & 37
Gold Base Card #74 (25/150)
9 parallels (at least this time I didn't get any repeat foils)LOL


Saving last box for OTB this weekend.

Box # 137...

- 9 foils (25,29,34,38,49,71,76,81,85)
- 1 gold foil (25 - numbered 91/150)
- 1 Valar Morghulis (G9)
- 1 Beautiful Death (BD17)
- 2 Quotable (Q31,Q37)
- Alexandra Dowling as Roslin Frey auto.
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister auto.