The latest issue of NSU is out. 2 promos, Deep Space Nine Heroes and Villains and Rick and Morty. 2018 Preview and 2 pages of hot lists inside.

Awesome! Can't wait!

Received my copy in the mail today. This is super early for me. I swear the schedule date is so random for my subscription.

You're ahead of the curve this month
How's the changes to the Hot List?

quote:

Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
You're ahead of the curve this month
How's the changes to the Hot List?

Since you ask, NSU is working on it and I don't want to appear critical, just constructive.

Its 2 pages, 10 entries in sections for Non-Sport Boxes, Autographs, Sketches, Featured List: Star Wars, and 8 entries for Key Sales.

I like adding Key Sales for recent individual high items sold. The Non-Sport boxes just look like pictures of the box tops. The sketches just look like sketch samples in the product, rather than specific sketches. No artists are named. The featured list sections looks like it's meant for a single title line, in this case anything from a 2017 Star Wars product.

Since I want to see more of specific cards with pricing, the box and sketch sections were of less interest to me, but the increased coverage is a good step forward.

Thanks! Sounds like it's a start

But the sketch card part sounds just as useful as a price range of $5 to $200

quote:

Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
But the sketch card part sounds just as useful as a price range of $5 to $200

The sketch card section of the list has no pricing at all. It is not about any particular sketch, just general acknowledgment of the product I think.

I think listing individual artists would be even better. Maybe that could be incorporated every other issue

How's The Hot List compare to this month's Beckett Sports Card Hot List for Non-Sports ...

5) Emily Bett Rickards auto (2017 Arrow Season Four)
4) Stephen King auto (2017 Upper Deck Goodwin Champion)
3) Daisy Ridley auto (2017 Pop Century)
2) 2017 Star Wars Masterwork Autographs
1) 2017 Star Wars Stellar Signatures

The Hot List in NSU has Daisy as #4 and Richards as #8 in autographs. Star Wars is the featured title, so Stellar Signatures are well represented. King does not appear.

Kind of brings up an interesting discussion.

Do you think that the chosen non-sport hot cards and products should be the same when published in NSU, as when published in a sister magazine aimed at sports card collectors?

I don't. Having been both type of card collector, I see distinct differences in attitude and goals between people who follow sport cards and people who follow entertainment/non-sport cards. Yes, some collectors still can do both, but its harder now simply due to the cost and the need to manage focus.

I'm not sure who makes up the hot list or what data is used, but if its just based on highest dollar sales, then all non-sport card lists should be the same in all publications.

However, if it is more nuanced to the audience, I do believe that those new big ticket items are of more interest to sports card collectors looking to flip. Non-sport collectors who have been buying these titles all along are more interested in new names, big and small, and good deals. If that is the case, I think the hot lists should not be carbon copies of each other between NSU and another Beckett sports magazines.

That's a good theory about the difference in the audience between NSU and Beckett Sport Card Monthly magazines. I hadn't really considered that. But I like having the variety of information to look at.

I thought that because maybe fluctuations could be because one magazine is monthly and the other is every other month. They just take their respective "snap shots" of the hobby at different times for their Hot Lists.

quote:

Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
I thought that because maybe fluctuations could be because one magazine is monthly and the other is every other month. They just take their respective "snap shots" of the hobby at different times for their Hot Lists.

Also true, a monthly magazine should have the benefit of an earlier selection of new cards and updated pricing over a bi-monthly publication. There will always be lag time either way, so its not going to be an exact science, no matter how much effort goes into it.

My copy arrived on the doormat here in the UK about 5 minutes ago and so just like Raven I am surprised it has arrived so quickly.

Got mine today - looking like a good read

Enjoyed the issue. Nice mix of new and vintage stuff to read about ... and a little bit on upcoming wrestling cards

Of course, the expanded "The Hot List" had most of my attention. Since I did know what to expect for the "Featured List" portion, I was pleasantly surprised that it featured Star Wars. Listing a couple a individual sketch card artists was good to see. But could there be a price range included for them? (Okay, okay. Save that debate of another thread). Then seeing all those auto cards explained why none of them were on the autograph portion of The Hot List from the previous page. But that's a good thing because there's no need to double up on the listings. But curious how many Star Wars auto will make The Hot List of 10 Autographs next issue.

The boxes section almost seemed like a Topps advertisement ... they ruled in that category! But it would seem like from looking at which cards appear in the The Hot Lists that would somewhat lend itself to discern which products might be the among popular.

I like that sketch cards had a section, but I prefer individual artists within a product being listed instead of an all encompassing product that has sketch cards. To me, having it like that is almost an extension of the boxes section.

8 Key Sales was awesome!

Also, I found that the absence of Outlander Wardrobes cards interesting. Memorabilia cards in general have lost most of their luster so not sure if they would warrant a category, but those Outlander ones probably deserve a mention.

I found the new issue at a Barnes & Noble in San Jose, CA yesterday so it might be available all over the country now.

The idea behind Star Wars A New Hope: Black & White might be of interest to some but did I read that right?...150 base card set but only 7 packs of 8 cards per box? You have a shot at only about one-third of the base cards in a box? I realize that a lot of collectors now focus on sketches and autographs and I've noticed that a complete base set per box is less of of a given these days but that's the lowest-percentage yield possible for a non-sport hobby box I've heard of. Or do I need to pay closer attention with something like that being not that unusual?

Also, there was no promo card article as expected in this issue (announced to appear in every other issue and there wasn't one in the last issue).

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by catskilleagle:
Also, there was no promo card article as expected in this issue (announced to appear in every other issue and there wasn't one in the last issue).

Jess

Jess....No need to worry...it hasn't gone anywhere. We had some long articles in the issue and something had to give. But rest assured the promo column will be back.

But Harris, I need my promo news now and I don't even know who Rick and Morty are. Is this like the time I discovered "The Venture Brothers" seven years after Season 1?

Thanks Harris,

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by H_Toser:

quote:

Originally posted by catskilleagle:
Also, there was no promo card article as expected in this issue (announced to appear in every other issue and there wasn't one in the last issue).

Jess

Jess....No need to worry...it hasn't gone anywhere. We had some long articles in the issue and something had to give. But rest assured the promo column will be back.

quote:

Originally posted by catskilleagle:
I found the new issue at a Barnes & Noble in San Jose, CA yesterday so it might be available all over the country now.

Saw the new issue in So Cal B&N this weekend so most collectors should have a chance to enjoy it.