Over the past few years, on average, Topps has been releasing 6 to 7 SW sets PER YEAR

Besides this, they have another Star Wars Galaxy set coming in the fall !

As to prices for vintage Star Wars sets softening, I have to disagree. The original 3 movies and the sets that came out at the time are holding strong. A PSA 10 1977 #1 Luke Skywalker just sold for $6877 on eBay!!!

Upcoming Star Wars sets:


Star Wars Finest 2018 (chrome) (November)

Star Wars Galaxy 2018 (December)

Star Wars Stellar Signatures 2018 (Dec)

Star Wars Empire Strikes Back Black and White (Jan)

Star Wars Resistance (cartoon) (April)

quote:

Originally posted by Capt Jon1:
As to prices for vintage Star Wars sets softening, I have to disagree. The original 3 movies and the sets that came out at the time are holding strong. A PSA 10 1977 #1 Luke Skywalker just sold for $6877 on eBay!!!

With vintage cards the grading becomes vital. If there was such a sale it would be because it was #1 card, which is always likely to get the most damage along with the last card in a set, and because it hit a PSA 10. PSA does not give out a whole lot of 10s on anything, certainly not on a 41 year old #1. So this is an example of the most exceptional kind. Interesting enough a PSA 9 of #1 is on eBay now asking $450, so it goes to show.

It is quite easy to pick up TOPPS base cards, full sets and stickers on the original SW movies. The cards were massively overproduced. They will be here till doomsday. Getting the highest condition is the quest, not getting the card.

The most recent cards for retail are just as overproduced, but the hobby cards have been limited and in some cases extremely limited. Still and all, in the end it will only be the top tier autographs and the best sketches that will be valued and even they may have peaked in terms of price at release. Just MHO.

All of the recent Star Wars sets have been horribly uninspired as far as design goes. Topps has an 80 year history to draw on too, they could produce retro Star Wars cards with 1940s, 1950s, 1960s designs based on their other releases. Think Mars Attacks, Scoops or Batman 1966 but with Star Wars theme, perhaps even painted art (which would require paying an artist so thats out of the question) in the style of Norman Saunders. There's no excuse for these lackustre sets except laziness. But all anyone cares about anymore is autos, so really what's the point of putting any time into making a nice base set? Plus they know there are still people who will buy anything with Star Wars printed on it regardless of quality.

Upcoming Star Wars, for the second 1/2 of 2019


Star Wars Chrome Legacy (August)

Star Wars Skywalker Saga (Late August)

SW Journey to the Rise of Skywalker (October)


And I am sure there will be Episode IX sets in December !

A dealer told me a few months ago that last year's SOLO set sold poorly.

No Masterworks 2019 set coming? Those are the only design from Topps I've liked.

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:
A dealer told me a few months ago that last year's SOLO set sold poorly.

If you are looking you can find Hobby boxes of Solo in the 25 to 30US price range. I picked up 2 boxes at this price.


I got a Warwick Davis auto out of 99 and an awesome Lando Sketch and a patch out of one box.

The other box had a patch and a sketch of the Falcon which was nice.


The base set was standard looking, the card stock was light.


I rather enjoyed the movie so the cards in my opinion are nice at the current price.

quote:

Originally posted by ravenheart:
No Masterworks 2019 set coming? Those are the only design from Topps I've liked.

Topps did announce it, but I don't think there's a release date yet.

Yet more limited print run cards on the go:

From Upcoming Card Releases, NSU Aug,/Sept. 2019:

August - Star Wars Chrome Legacy
Star Wars Skywalker Saga

September - Star Wars Authentics Blind Bag Series 2

October - Star Wars Journey to Star Wars: Episode 9 The Rise of Skywalker

November - 2019 Topps Star Wars Masterworks

So 5 products in 4 months, not including any of the weekly installments or any mention of SW Stellar Signatures 2019, which should be lurking somewhere.

I know Ewan McGregor is the next "never before now" signer , but seriously, how can Star Wars card collectors support all this? I know that its different episodes covered in different products, but its the same fan base and many recurring characters. Star Wars has to go down as the most grossly overproduced card title in history.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

Star Wars has to go down as the most grossly overproduced card title in history.

yes i agree...however...it must also go down as being a series of cards that have been running constantly for 42 years and still sell out of every card that is printed, that is mind boggling.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

Star Wars has to go down as the most grossly overproduced card title in history.

yes i agree...however...it must also go down as being a series of cards that have been running constantly for 42 years and still sell out of every card that is printed, that is mind boggling.

Yes I know what you mean, but its been an ongoing series over those 42 years and the connection between the movies have been such that if you started collecting the cards at any point in the trilogies, you probably picked up some others released before and after.

However, by virtue of acknowledging the overproduction beyond all possible demand, what does it mean to say every card that was printed sold out? Sold out from the maker? Sold out from the retail store? But laying somewhere else now? I just searched eBay for 1977 Star Wars trading cards and there are 5822 listings, many for large lots and full sets. All of those cards sold out from someplace and they are all still available 42 years later, condition issues variable of course. And that's just for the oldest series.

Unlike RA with Star Trek, TOPPS put out Star Wars and did tons of retail business. Now not counting even current retail, and saying that many of the current products are limited and hobby only, the accumulation is still overproduced and the effects are being seen in the declining value of the more recent issues of individual premium cards. Plus these cards, both old and new, are readily available and will be readily available to card collectors decades after they are selling out.

I agree that it is mind boggling.

Another Topps Now 10 card set - Star Wars:The Mandalorian, reasonably priced though:

Is this thread title the understatement of this hobby?

I don't know how hardcore Star Wars collectors keep up. And we still have Ep.9 to come, the new trilogies planned, The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan TV shows....
It's ridiculous what Topps keep churning out and I'm amazed these dealers keep buying it only to complain about getting $5 "scrub" autos every time.

That said, Topps are diluting the market so much that everything, including top tier autograph signers, are getting more accessible and affordable than ever.

In the last 3 years, across the 3 Star Wars Stellar sets, Topps will have dumped 300 on-card Harrison Ford autographs onto the market and driven his prices down. Who would have thought that would happen and that Ford would keep participating?
Daisy Ridley & Adam Driver have plummeted to less insane amounts too.

Another positive development of late is the inclusion of some great new signers: Domhnall Gleeson, Alden Ehrenreich, Ahmed Best (technically a repeat but was only in one set 17 years ago), Emilia Clarke has apparently been signed up for future sets, and finally Ewan McGregor(!). Never thought McGregor would sign in a million years.

In the case of Ford, he has opened the floodgates not just for Star Wars, but for other card makers and for general personal signings. I'm sure he doesn't need the money and I kind of doubt he is looking for greater interaction with the public, but this seems to happen with some older celebrities some times. Maybe its a legacy thing or maybe someone convinces them they are leaving easy money on the table. I thought Ford and Tommy Lee Jones would always be tough because of their professed personalities, but only Jones has stayed true to form.

Of course a Ford autograph associated with Star Wars is worth more than on an Allen and Ginter generic and the like, but they all still count to up the supply.

As for Emilia Clarke as a new Star Wars signer, she will be in demand for all the fans that can't get her GoT autograph cards. If she doesn't appear in RA's final season cards, which may not be the last ones anyway, her Daenerys autos should keep a good value. However as a long term investment I'm not at all sure about her doing anything worthwhile in films, maybe back on TV again. So far, at least for me, it's a case of the character being better than the actress.

I think with Ford, it's a combination of easy money and finally loosening up a bit.

See the Jimmy Kimmel interview with Ford dressed up as a hot dog. The 2010 comedy 'Morning Glory' where he brilliantly sends up his grouchy real-life persona. This isn't the old Ford.

I'm member of a facebook group that organised his first private send-in signing last year. This was done in coordination with Coolwaters who brokered his relationship with Topps when he first signed for 30th Anniversary back in 2007. Apparently he has a good working relationship with these guys, and it must be the case because he keeps signing cards and he's agreed to another private signing this year because he enjoyed the last one so much.
Looking at the returned signatures people showed, he consistently took great care with signature placement, size, pen colour, legibility/quality of signature, and he had a LOT to get through. As a fan it's nice to see.

As for Clarke... never understood the hype myself. Don't rate her as an actress at all. But I understand the popularity: I don't mean to be crass but a stereotypically attractive woman got her ***** out for a bit in Game of Thrones. Of course her autograph cards should go for $1000
It's the modern equivalent of the Jessica Alba, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Garner and Alyson Hannigan auto cards everyone seemed to go mental for a few years ago.

quote:

Originally posted by X:
It's the modern equivalent of the Jessica Alba, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Garner and Alyson Hannigan auto cards everyone seemed to go mental for a few years ago.

Your being too kind, they still are mental for them. And you left out a major in Megan Fox and a minor in Lindsay Lohan.

2020 Topps Women of Star Wars arriving March 25.