I guess my concern on the Upper Deck Bond, is that if I decided to pursue it, some dealer will tell me that there are autos or signed relics that that are limited to 5 or 10 or 20 in existence, and that obviously he can't get those for me. That would be a major turn off, as RA never did that with Bond !

I looked at the checklists for recent UD sets like Defenders, and other Marvel stuff, and there must be 10 levels of chase per set, none of it remotely easy to put together.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Since Denise Richards is being mentioned as a top autograph pick, can someone tell me what is up with her 1999 Inkworks' World Is Not Enough card?
The Inkworks' autograph card looks to be going under $50
So does anyone know why the Richards is showing up now and selling for so very little?

I'm amazed it is going for that much. The 6 autograph cards in that set were all by redemption which meant all the cards were in the Inkworks warehouse sale. Nobody knows how many of the cards there are but it would appear that loads would not be far from the truth. The only auto from that set that we know is scarce is the Desmond Llewelyn as he was very ill at the time and did not sign many of the cards sent to him.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Since Denise Richards is being mentioned as a top autograph pick, can someone tell me what is up with her 1999 Inkworks' World Is Not Enough card?
The Inkworks' autograph card looks to be going under $50
So does anyone know why the Richards is showing up now and selling for so very little?

I'm amazed it is going for that much. The 6 autograph cards in that set were all by redemption which meant all the cards were in the Inkworks warehouse sale. Nobody knows how many of the cards there are but it would appear that loads would not be far from the truth. The only auto from that set that we know is scarce is the Desmond Llewelyn as he was very ill at the time and did not sign many of the cards sent to him.

The reason why I found it so strange is because there usually is a symbiotic relationship between autograph cards done by the same signer and certainly within the same title. I haven't been looking for Richards' cards and these seem available in the UK, so I didn't realize that her Inkworks' autos are trading as low as $31 just in the past couple of months.

Regardless of the fact that they may have been seriously overproduced, I'm still really surprised. You have a limited RA auto card at say $350. Then you have the same certified autograph, on an official card from Inkworks in the same title, and it's hundreds of dollars less? That's too much of a difference. The Inkworks' cards should have increased since the close out. So they won't be near to her best RA card, but never only $31.

And why are most of the really cheap sold cards coming out of the UK anyway? The Inkworks' liquidation sent the relics to a UK dealer, I thought all autos went to Razor and got sold in their Ink Vault boxes. These TWINE autos weren't in any of the Razor boxes. I bought enough of them to know.

It's just weird, which just shows that you can't figure it out even when you think you can.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
...
Regardless of the fact that they may have been seriously overproduced, I'm still really surprised. You have a limited RA auto card at say $350. Then you have the same certified autograph, on an official card from Inkworks in the same title, and it's hundreds of dollars less? That's too much of a difference. The Inkworks' cards should have increased since the close out. So they won't be near to her best RA card, but never only $31.
...

As wolfie says, all the remaining autograph cards are out there somehow. There are none hiding in sealed boxes, only redemption cards are in those. There must have been well over 500 of each autograph card, probably nearer 1000 since there were 9000 boxes. When Rittenhouse do those numbers of autographs now, they usually go for only a few dollars.

The Desmond Llewelyn card was rare as he did not sign a large amount of his cards before he sadly died in a car crash.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Since Denise Richards is being mentioned as a top autograph pick, can someone tell me what is up with her 1999 Inkworks' World Is Not Enough card?
The Inkworks' autograph card looks to be going under $50
So does anyone know why the Richards is showing up now and selling for so very little?

I'm amazed it is going for that much. The 6 autograph cards in that set were all by redemption which meant all the cards were in the Inkworks warehouse sale. Nobody knows how many of the cards there are but it would appear that loads would not be far from the truth. The only auto from that set that we know is scarce is the Desmond Llewelyn as he was very ill at the time and did not sign many of the cards sent to him.

The reason why I found it so strange is because there usually is a symbiotic relationship between autograph cards done by the same signer and certainly within the same title. I haven't been looking for Richards' cards and these seem available in the UK, so I didn't realize that her Inkworks' autos are trading as low as $31 just in the past couple of months.

Regardless of the fact that they may have been seriously overproduced, I'm still really surprised. You have a limited RA auto card at say $350. Then you have the same certified autograph, on an official card from Inkworks in the same title, and it's hundreds of dollars less? That's too much of a difference. The Inkworks' cards should have increased since the close out. So they won't be near to her best RA card, but never only $31.

And why are most of the really cheap sold cards coming out of the UK anyway? The Inkworks' liquidation sent the relics to a UK dealer, I thought all autos went to Razor and got sold in their Ink Vault boxes. These TWINE autos weren't in any of the Razor boxes. I bought enough of them to know.

It's just weird, which just shows that you can't figure it out even when you think you can.

As you have said many times, and many other collectors have the same approach, for you it is about having a certified signature on any trading card title, rather than a specific autograph card. I don't think that is the case for a lot of collectors.

In recent completed sales, why did one Bond John Rhys-Davies full bleed sell for $17.50 and another different full bleed for $280? The latter was a 15-case incentive. For some it is literally all about the card. Maybe the different image used was a factor too?


For the TWINE Richards selling low there are 2 main factors (3 for me):

Firstly, as wolfie & WOMBLE have said, there are A LOT of them. All autos from that set were redemption (so in the inkworks 'warehouse'). When they lost the Bond licence I asked them what they did with any remaining cards and they told me they were contracted to destroy them. Well, we found out when they liquidated their remaining inventory that was BS.

This particular UK dealer selling them low bought a good chunk of the inkworks stock and has been tricking these Bond autos out for 6 odd years. There is no reason to bid hard on these cards when you'll have another shot at a 99c auction a week or too later.
All the Rittenhouse Richards cards are MUCH rarer, and as a collectable that clearly adds to the asking price. Some people like stuff more just because it is rare too.

Secondly, even though I really like the look of these TWINE autos myself, I'd say the Rittenhouse designs are stronger and there is a far more passionate fan base chasing them. Collectors are clearly prepared to pay a lot more for nicely designed cards that they need to complete a really deep and impressive autograph series.

Finally, since the RA Richards came out I have had doubts about the authenticity of the inkworks cards. I am NOT saying the autographs are fake, because signatures can change over time but there are few similarities. The 's' in Denise is nearly identical to what is on the RA card but beyond that it is a complete overhaul of her written style.

quote:

Originally posted by X:
As you have said many times, and many other collectors have the same approach, for you it is about having a certified signature on any trading card title, rather than a specific autograph card. I don't think that is the case for a lot of collectors . . .

Finally, since the RA Richards came out I have had doubts about the authenticity of the inkworks cards. I am NOT saying the autographs are fake, because signatures can change over time but there are few similarities. The 's' in Denise is nearly identical to what is on the RA card but beyond that it is a complete overhaul of her written style.

Yes, you're right, I'm very jaded when it comes to certified autograph card prices. I'm all for the concept of "best" card, but when the best card is unaffordable, I happily settle for the same genuine autograph on a lesser issue.

As for the Richards' signature, no doubt it is different. The Inkworks' card was done prior to 1999, RA came years later. Most of the Inkworks' cards that I have seen in online examples seem to have very broad, black ink strokes. Both the age gap and pen used can contribute to the changes.

Having said that, I would agree with you, they don't match the autograph on the RA cards. Absent any other knowledge, I think you would just have to call them variants.

Since I finally got some free time, I was able to put together a few autographed James Bond displays that I had in the back of my head for a long while.

I decided to do three displays featuring the three original credited EON Blofelds. They're composites of cut signatures and RA relic cards.

Hope you like them.

Blofeld would be proud!
Very nice indeed!

For the TRUE Bond fan.

Looks great!!

I finally had a chance to put the Bond Baddies up on the wall. Also put together a little Stromberg display. Click on the pics for larger versions.

Wow, very impressive.
What is the gun from Goldeneye? A prop replica?

Hello Cardaddict, sincerest thanks. I collect all types of Bond memorabilia. The Goldeneye piton gun was an unofficial prop I had made for me many years ago. I embellished the display with full bleed auto cards.

Those all look great, very nice.

Just for the heck of it, I took pictures of the Bond stuff gathering dust around my house. What a bunch of junk!

Not just Bond there cardaddict. Many of those DVDs look familiar. It's nice to have stuff, I don't care what they say. Well done.

Cardaddict, very nice display and fabulous book collection. Looks like we have similar tastes outside of Bond. I too collect Star Trek and noticed you have a litho from one of my favorite all time sci-fi film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Wolfie, many thanks for the compliment on my Bond auto display.

space phantom, 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY is my all time favorite movie. That's a lobby card. I have some posters and other things from 2001 as well. I used to have a 16mm print, but I sold all my 16mm stuff except some old projectors.

Thanks, Raven, glad you liked the pictures, and I agree about the stuff.

BTW, behind that big poster are the other 3 Spy Who Loved Me banners. I also have the Moonraker banners.

Nice stuff, Cardaddict. I like the lighters and the "Spy Who Loved Me" banner and of course, the Aston Martin model. I have a Johnny Lightning Lotus from "For Your Eyes Only" on my nightstand among other cars (60's Batmobile, Shelby Cobra) and a glow-in-the-dark Creature from the Black Lagoon." When my youngest niece was five she said she liked my room, pointing at the toys there.

I took the Lotus out of the package, not just to take out the card, but to play with the car.

Jess

I think my toys come to life when I'm out of the room, but I can't be sure...

quote:

Originally posted by cardaddict:
space phantom, 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY is my all time favorite movie. That's a lobby card. I have some posters and other things from 2001 as well. I used to have a 16mm print, but I sold all my 16mm stuff except some old projectors.

cardaddict, as a 2001 fan you may enjoy this one from my collection....