I've heard about supreme ultra rare 1 of 1 cut autograph cards like in Disney sets and The Incredible Hulk set and I'm sure lots more.

Have these holy grail 1/1 autographs (usually cut autographs) ever materialised anywhere over the years?

I'm sure they DO exist but it seems very 'mythical' when no proof ever materialises of them being found.

Not an auto, but someone pulled a red foil variant on a Garbage Pail Kids card inserted in the comic 2-3 years ago, and it says 1/1 on it. I saw a scan posted

Also, Twilight Zone had a Rod Serling auto limited to 5, and a few have been pulled

I don't know about 1/1 autograph cards but I would love to know if the 1/1 'The One Ring Card' gold metal card from the first Cryptozoic Hobbit Set 'An Unexpected Journey' was ever found.

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin F:
I don't know about 1/1 autograph cards but I would love to know if the 1/1 'The One Ring Card' gold metal card from the first Cryptozoic Hobbit Set 'An Unexpected Journey' was ever found.

Yes, but the poor fellow put the card on his ring finger and disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again.

Most of the really expensive 1/1s just slip into collections and are never heard from again. Not everyone wants to advertise what they have. Its only if something turns up on eBay, or is big enough to make an advertised auction, that anyone might see it available for that time. Then it will disappear again.

On the flip side there are plenty of 1/1 cards that do turn up on eBay that go begging and just lay there. A lot of it comes from the likes of Pop Century or Americana or even old Razor. There is just little demand for the subject. Limited production and a stamped number may increase demand for a card when its already there, but it won't create it if it isn't.

I can't imagine anyone who ever found it would NOT share their good fortune?

Unless it's 'rigid' by manufacturers so someone within the company 'picks' the pack or box in which it's housed?

Surely the manufacturers wouldn't want an unsuspecting collector to be able to make a small fortune on one of their cards?

More than the company would make on the general sale of the whole set?

There should be a checklist on the 1/1 cards and mark off if / when it was found.

Otherwise it feels a bit like Charlie Bucket where rarely or never does anyone find THE 'golden ticket' (1/1 card).

quote:

Originally posted by TC00:
I can't imagine anyone who ever found it would NOT share their good fortune?

And lotto winners don't move away?

There are plenty of collectors out there who do not want what they get known and their collection publicized. Here are a few reasons why a big card is never heard of being pulled.

- they don't want to be bothered by people trying to buy their cards or get unsolicited sales offers because people know what they collect.

- they don't want people to know what they have because they are afraid of theft.

- they don't want people to know what they collect because if sellers know you collect something they will raise their prices in hopes to make an extra buck off of you.

- You would be surprised how many people are not on collecting forums or ebay. No presence on the internet means no one will know what you have pulled.

Exactly!

Yes, I've known a few collectors who are very private. They tend to be older collectors. It's not that they're all recluses. Some of them are somewhat-very social but they have to get to know you or if you have friends in common before you get invited to their house. And then, they might ask you not to mention what you see.

It's all the reasons you gave plus some older collectors never used computers at work and don't think they need one now. They still send checks.

quote:

Originally posted by ifish73:
There are plenty of collectors out there who do not want what they get known and their collection publicized. Here are a few reasons why a big card is never heard of being pulled.

- they don't want to be bothered by people trying to buy their cards or get unsolicited sales offers because people know what they collect.

- they don't want people to know what they have because they are afraid of theft.

- they don't want people to know what they collect because if sellers know you collect something they will raise their prices in hopes to make an extra buck off of you.

- You would be surprised how many people are not on collecting forums or ebay. No presence on the internet means no one will know what you have pulled.

A lot of good points raised about privacy and even safety (?) of collections (perhaps more an American issue but leaving it at that).

I just find it strange than you don't ever see articles in trade magazines or auction places about these cards materialising from private collections or people wanting to share their awesome finds.

Kind of makes you lose faith in the integrity of some sets. For example there was Hulk movie set a few years back which was fairly basic: Base set, foils, promos. No autographs, costumes or sketches. But there was A chance of a cut signature 1/1 card which I've yet to hear of being found or what became of it?

Is it in a private collection or sitting in a sealed box in a warehouse somewhere waiting to be 'found'? Feels like a red herring sometimes to lure collectors into sets with nearly zero chance of being 'the one' to find these cards.

Not hating on the Hulk cards or the manufacturer (Topps? Upper Deck??). I collected the series myself as a kid when it was out and it was nice set. Nothing too special but fun packs. (But lets face it, when are packs never fun? )

I always wondered about that Disney cut signature card. I do have a few 1/1 Walking Dead parallel cards but I don't think that counts. also have a Ric Flair 1/1 parallel purple chase card thing. Dunno where I got it or when.

"To be the man you gotta beat the man!"

quote:

Originally posted by willgull:
I always wondered about that Disney cut signature card.

Those big 1/1's were more the kind I was talking about but all 1/1s have their place.

I've wondered about cards like that Disney cut and I didn't even collect that set.

I just wonder how the manufacturer could take a risk on acquiring materials for such rare cards, knowing the potential wind fall of money to be made and then just putting it out there for Joe Public to find?

Perhaps I'm missing something but it would be nice if there was a way the manufacturers could of 'tracked' those rare cards. Maybe with a code (like Lottery?) where they could call it in if it was found, even if they wanted to remain anonymous.

Would be a shame to think such cards really went out into packs and might be in an unopened pack somewhere.

I seem to recall that the duo auto card of Jack Kirby (cut auto) and Stan Lee was pulled out of Upper Deck's 2003 Incredible Hulk.

Cryptozoic's redemptions for comic book pages have been pulled. Also, but not exactly 1/1, redemptions for larger prop pieces have been pulled. Here's an example from 2011 The Walking Dead:

Cryptozoic Walking Dead Season 1 Redemption R10 Badge Patch Variant Trading Card https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0...2Fitm%2F183204354747

Pulled out - Do you mean as in out of a pack and found? Or pulled out of the production of the set?

Wasn't familiar with the CZE redemption cards but they sound / look very cool. Thanks for the link.

A collector pulled the Jack Kirby/Stan Lee duo auto out of the packs

Back in 2011 Leaf produced a very controversial 1/1 card for Pop Century. It was actually a "booklet" that had cut signatures of both JFK and Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as a piece of the leather seat from the assassination limo. Some people, including myself, thought it in really poor taste. But there is a huge market for anything associated with JFK, so this was a big deal.

The card was pack pulled by a dealer and promptly sold, I believe on eBay. The price was over 10K. Some years ago Leaf was trying to locate the card, probably for some promotion. They were estimating that the value at that time might be over 25K. As far as I know it didn't publicly surface again.

So the idea that card makers are going to be able to trace these valuable 1/1s could only happen if they were redemptions that had to be signed for in order to be received and that public disclosure would be part of the redemption agreement. Much like certain US States force big lottery winners to appear in public in order to claim their money prizes.

Short of that, and we are not getting that, you have to trust that big ticket items are indeed pack inserted because, for a variety of reasons, some card collectors won't shout it from the roof tops.

quote:

Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
A collector pulled the Jack Kirby/Stan Lee duo auto out of the packs

Holy - all censored words I can't type on the boards - that's one of the greatest pulls I've ever heard of. Lucky person.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
The card was pack pulled by a dealer and promptly sold, I believe on eBay. The price was over 10K. Some years ago Leaf was trying to locate the card, probably for some promotion. They were estimating that the value at that time might be over 25K. As far as I know it didn't publicly surface again.

(1) That JFK card is hideous and cannot be good karma to own something someone was murdered in. *shudders* Didn't even hear about that. I get some history buffs - and I'm a history nerd - think it's OK like the Titanic sets they did with relic cards but I don't think any amount of time can make such cards okay to produce, acquire or profit from in any way. Gruesome. A simple cut signature JFK card would be OK.

(2) I have a pet peeve when dealers pull the good stuff. I know any collector could sell it too but dealers are only in it for the chance of pulling hits like 1/1s by bulk buying and tearing through packs and boxes of more product than the regular collector could afford. It's like the people who run the arcades are always the guaranteed winners in the end.

(3) Not surprised they don't surface again. But that's why I'm surprised manufacturers can 'afford' to let such valuables go out into the world, unless they're willing / hoping to trace and buy them back to obtain them for increasing future value?

(4) I think, though not happening, the signed for redemption idea is good BUT I know in the USA you guys are publicity hounds and that public disclosure would be a must. We don't have that here in the UK. Your neighbour could have won millions and you'd have no clue. Heck your spouse could and so long as they bought the ticket alone I don't think you'd have any right to know (or collect) either. A small blessing I think.

1/1 cut autograph cards are often made rare by virtue of having been made into a card meanwhile something like a signed 8x10 of said personality can sell for less than the card. It's just the artificial inflation of prices that is common in the modern card market.