CZX® MIDDLE-EARTH

Release Date: Q3 2022

KEY FEATURES:
– CZX® super-premium trading card release
– Based on the the six films in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies
– Ultra high-quality cards: thick, glossy, gold Deco Foil
– Randomly inserted Autograph and Sketch Cards

HITS SUMMARY
– Autographs Cards (1:Box)
– Sketch Cards (1:Box)
– CZX STR PWR Cards (1:Box)
– Film Cel Cards (1:Box)
– Base Set Parallel Cards (1:Box)


Are you looking forward to it?

Could be interesting, the recent DC set seems very well received. I'd be more interested in LOTR than the DC set depending on the autograph list and price.

From the autograph perspective, just like the other CZX releases I don't any real surprises. Most likely many repeat signers.

I certainly have more interest in this than the latest DC product.

I expect the "retail" price will be at least the same as Crisis CZX, or about $300 a box. Unless Crypto simply has more cost in this one and raised the wholesale price.

I think the key will be how many of the original trilogy signers they can get. The Hobbit Trilogy autograph list was pretty comprehensive in the Crypto sets and there seems to be plenty out there still. If this doesn't at least have half the signers from the original trilogy, I think it loses traction.

I don't hold out hope for the sketches either. I was disappointed in the Crisis sketches. I don't know if they have image rights to all characters from all movies like they seemed to have for Crisis. Vast difference between movie and TV actor's contracts.

I'll patiently wait for more information.
I hope we see this one before Christmas.

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:
I think the key will be how many of the original trilogy signers they can get.
Ed

This.

All those TOPPS LotR star autograph cards have gone up now, especially the ones in their first two sets. You can still find most of them if you really look, but the bargains have dried up.

If CZX wants $300 a box, they need at least some of those big signatures to make value and justify the risk or it's a non-starter.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
....
All those TOPPS LotR star autograph cards have gone up now, especially the ones in their first two sets. You can still find most of them if you really look, but the bargains have dried up.
.

I was quite shocked to see how much the LOTR 'Ian Mckellan' autograph cards have been going for recently.

See my first reaction is who on middle earth is going to spend $300 on a box of cards?

However, i already know that loads of people is the answer.

Whatever floats ya boat.

quote:

Originally posted by WOMBLE:

I was quite shocked to see how much the LOTR 'Ian Mckellan' autograph cards have been going for recently.

It's crazy looking at the difference between LOTR john Rhys-Davies and Bond JRD. I picked up a Prisoner Ian McKellan for $36 not too long ago.

It's crazy because the only inherit value a certified autograph card has is the genuine autograph itself. Otherwise, it's simply a card someone got a license to make and however many they produced or didn't produce is just rarity by design.

You shouldn't see a McKellan Prisoner signature card for $40 and a McKellan LotR signature card for $1,500. One of them must be wrong , but not according to card collectors who desire rarity and not according to card collectors or autograph collectors who want only the main title or role.

It's so much simpler when you just want the autograph because it's from a good actor and any certified card will do. Not to mention more economical.

My biggest concern is that at the autographs, many have signed who once briefly walked through the camera. In the LotR issue of Topps, there was a top autograph in every box. That was really fun to collect. I'm still proud of that collection today. But if I were to pay $300 and then get Figwit, I would be anything but thrilled (sorry, Bret McKenzie). I'm excited to see the autograph list. I hope it will be creative. If it's really fun to collect the issue, then you're happy to pay a little more.

I also don't think it's ideal that LotR and Hobbit were combined into one edition. Especially the Hobbit does not meet with everyone's enthusiasm. Cryptozoic could have made two issues out of it.

For example, in STAR WARS MASTERWORK there were many special cards that were very creative and unusual (e.g. patch cards). Such cards never existed in a normal set, because they were certainly costly to produce. Ideal for a high-priced edition. With CZX MIDDLE-EARTH you are more in the standard range that you know.

I am nevertheless very curious.

Judging by the past premium releases with most boxes coming up short, maybe this set should be called Costs the Earth. There's nothing middle about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Graham:
Judging by the past premium releases with most boxes coming up short, maybe this set should be called Costs the Earth. There's nothing middle about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:
I expect the "retail" price will be at least the same as Crisis CZX, or about $300 a box. Unless Crypto simply has more cost in this one and raised the wholesale price.

I think the key will be how many of the original trilogy signers they can get. The Hobbit Trilogy autograph list was pretty comprehensive in the Crypto sets and there seems to be plenty out there still. If this doesn't at least have half the signers from the original trilogy, I think it loses traction.

I don't hold out hope for the sketches either. I was disappointed in the Crisis sketches. I don't know if they have image rights to all characters from all movies like they seemed to have for Crisis. Vast difference between movie and TV actor's contracts.

I'll patiently wait for more information.
I hope we see this one before Christmas.

Ed

I 100% agree with you about the Crisis sketches. They were…underwhelming, for the most part. You can also still find some lower priced premium autographs from LOTR Trilogy Chrome. Unfortunately though, now Ian Holm has passed away and I seriously doubt they get Cate Blanchett to sign.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
It's crazy because the only inherit value a certified autograph card has is the genuine autograph itself. Otherwise, it's simply a card someone got a license to make and however many they produced or didn't produce is just rarity by design.

You shouldn't see a McKellan Prisoner signature card for $40 and a McKellan LotR signature card for $1,500. One of them must be wrong , but not according to card collectors who desire rarity and not according to card collectors or autograph collectors who want only the main title or role.

It's so much simpler when you just want the autograph because it's from a good actor and any certified card will do. Not to mention more economical.

I have the Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson Heroes autograph cards in my personal collection. I know Tessa signed for Marvel and I don’t think Ruth has ever been in a movie with a card set, so those are great steals too.

quote:

Originally posted by Electrawoman Cards f/k/a jane:
I seriously doubt they get Cate Blanchett to sign.

I spotted this video on youtube. It's an interview with artist David Day. If you fast forward to around the 38 minute mark you can see some of his (blank) sketch autographs for the set, including Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett, among others. So it certainly looks like they intend to get her to sign.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa0uxZUx6IE

Had to look a couple of times at that sketch because I didn't think the likeness was that good, but that's what the name says.

I don't think Blanchett is impossible. She signed for the first two TOPPS LotR and she always signs something for fans at events. She's been doing a lot of small things during the UK lockdown, podcasts, zoom interviews and short guest appearances. In the right location, for the right reason, she isn't as inaccessible as some. Her signature is pretty sloppy now though.

None of the big stars of the first trilogy really need the money, so if any sign on for this, it will be because they feel like it. If Crypto got the ball rolling with a couple of them, maybe the others would do it to be part of the group. If they can't find one to start, maybe they all turn it down. It's good to see the cards designed anyway, so there is hope.

quote:

Originally posted by Logan:

quote:

Originally posted by Electrawoman Cards f/k/a jane:
I seriously doubt they get Cate Blanchett to sign.

I spotted this video on youtube. It's an interview with artist David Day. If you fast forward to around the 38 minute mark you can see some of his (blank) sketch autographs for the set, including Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett, among others. So it certainly looks like they intend to get her to sign.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa0uxZUx6IE

Wow, a double Oscar winner. That would be a coup.

I'm very selfishly hopeful that they put all their "big name" stock into people like Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett, because I've already got them. If all the rare, unbuyable stuff is stuff I don't need, I'll be very pleased to just focus on some lower level new signers

Product page (currently not linked from the trading cards page) with images of the binder and some of the sketches: https://cryptozoic.com/product...x%C2%AE-middle-earth

I like some of the images and design, but that STR PWR branding on those cards is so nasty and tacky. I hate those STR PWR cards in Outlander. Why does the wording have to be so blooming large and draw attention away from the picture?!

On the plus point, concerning my wallet I have an extensive collection of LOTR original and Hobbit cards that I see nothing here that would attempt me to buy from this set. Unless there's a few new lower-end signers of characters/actors I like.