This has to be a printing nightmare with all those different versions of the cards.

Agree with the rarity vs. value but here is an interesting thought.

Game of Thrones S8 had 8000 boxes and a 60 card base set. There are well over 14,000 possible base sets based on those numbers.

If they print the same amount of boxes there would be less than 500 possible base sets assuming that they printed the same amount of every card. Take into account how many people will just want one of each card and there will probably end up being half that actually put together.

My one question is on the sales page it has under the archive box that it excludes base set variations. Are the base cards going to be numbered 1A, 1B, 1C, etc. and the 1A set is considered the standard base set? If that ends up being the case than there would be even more of the `A' cards than the others.

quote:

Originally posted by ifish73:
If they print the same amount of boxes there would be less than 500 possible base sets assuming that they printed the same amount of every card. Take into account how many people will just want one of each card and there will probably end up being half that actually put together.

Are the base cards going to be numbered 1A, 1B, 1C, etc. and the 1A set is considered the standard base set? If that ends up being the case than there would be even more of the `A' cards than the others.

You'll probably be one of the first ones to know those answers when you start opening. So you can tell us.

My guess is that base cards won't be numbered beyond the number, no letters.

Also I would not be surprised if some base cards are not short printed, either by specific inscription, or even just by the character. If you are going to such extremes to create artificial rarity, why not go all the way and make main character base cards fewer than guest/minor characters?

I think the only thing stopping it might be that it is too complicated for the printing or packing to handle. We'll see.

Checklists are starting to go up. No images yet. There doesn't appear to be any letters, just the card number for base cards and autographs. Autograph inscriptions are listed, but base cards just say the number of inscriptions without details. Maybe more breakdowns of actual inscriptions will be forthcoming, or not.

I'm disappointed with the autographs. Was hoping to acquire some, but see little I need or especially like. Some of the more underused actors are still missing. At least I got a laugh out of Takei's "Oh, Myyy".

Just a question I was thinking about - I should probably ask it to Steve on the Rittenhouse boards but I doubt he'd give me an answer - how much of a price difference do you think it is for an actor to just sign their name vs. name and inscription? Double the signature only price? It's much more time consuming so they have to pay more.

quote:

Originally posted by Logan:
Just a question I was thinking about - I should probably ask it to Steve on the Rittenhouse boards but I doubt he'd give me an answer - how much of a price difference do you think it is for an actor to just sign their name vs. name and inscription? Double the signature only price? It's much more time consuming so they have to pay more.

Good question, but he'd never tell you.

In fact I can't ever recall seeing any information about how much an average signing contract pays. The most obvious varying factors would be the status of the celebrity (star or bit player), their going autograph price and certainly the number of cards signed.

Since all of the RA inscription cards are basically carrying the SCARCE designation, it could be that the number of cards is reduced by half, rather than pay twice as much. For many of the common signers, they might not ask much more for anything, just be happy to get the extra cash. At shows I've been to I never had to pay more for an inscription or personalization, but sometimes they just weren't allowed because the signer didn't have the time or didn't want to be bothered.

It could also be that if RA has developed good relationships with these same signers over the years, they just do it for them. I'm guessing that the inscriptions don't cost a great deal more to get because they are being used in different titles and it can't increase expenses too much.

Opened two cases the other day. The base cards have a second numbering on them so you can keep track of what is what. For instance card #1(Kirk) has a x of 22 on it as well. I only looked at that card and with only two cases I could not say if any one quote is more rare than another. Definitely did not get all 22, got most with a few doubles. If you are a TOS fan and like to collect base sets this is a winner for you. Great challenge and not an expensive one.

Unfortunately the autographs were rough. There was one of the main bridge crew autographs in each case. One case had a sketch and the other had a redemption for the laser cut insert set. After those top two cards there is a deep drop off. Was really hoping for at least two of the main bridge per case.

It's good that RA added the (x of) to the base card number, but I really don't understand why they had each character have such a broad range of numbered variances. Miri has the fewest different cards with 10, while Roger Kordy, Trilane and Harry Mudd have 36 cards each. All the other character quote base cards have numbered variances that jump all over in-between that range.

Why not have 10 base cards for all, or 22 base cards for all, or whatever equal number you want to choose. Then you could have had even base sets by collecting every characters (8 of X) card for example. The way it is, there is no link to a set unless you stay with those that are (10 of X) and under. If you try for one of each character, which some may do, you will likely have to take base cards that are numbered in the higher ranges.

It's a little thing I suppose, but why are card makers so determined to keep card collectors from feeling like they can complete anything anymore? Do they think anyone will try to get all base cards in all versions? How much storage space would you even need to keep the set together? I don't know why we keep getting such extremes when I don't hear that anyone is asking for them.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Raven,

Just finished opening up a box I got from Derek's Trading Cards, I'm missing one base card #70 and when I mentioned it to Derek he said he was missing the same card from six boxes out of his case.

Just a heads up.

quote:

Originally posted by AJJ:
Just finished opening up a box I got from Derek's Trading Cards, I'm missing one base card #70 and when I mentioned it to Derek he said he was missing the same card from six boxes out of his case.

Just a heads up.

Finished sorting the two cases. Was able to make 20 sets out of 24 boxes. Was short one card for three more sets and 3 cards from another. It was card #56, not #70 for me that I ran out of.

quote:

Originally posted by ifish73:

quote:

Originally posted by AJJ:
Just finished opening up a box I got from Derek's Trading Cards, I'm missing one base card #70 and when I mentioned it to Derek he said he was missing the same card from six boxes out of his case.

Just a heads up.

Finished sorting the two cases. Was able to make 20 sets out of 24 boxes. Was short one card for three more sets and 3 cards from another. It was card #56, not #70 for me that I ran out of.

I emailed RA and there sending me a replacement card.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
It's good that RA added the (x of) to the base card number, but I really don't understand why they had each character have such a broad range of numbered variances. Miri has the fewest different cards with 10, while Roger Kordy, Trilane and Harry Mudd have 36 cards each. ...

Marta only had 9.

The trouble is that some characters talked a lot, while others were prone to action or eye candy instead. So you gets lots of quotes from Michael Strong as Roger Korby in "What Are Little Girls Made Of", but nothing from Ted Cassidy as Ruk.

This checklist is going to take some time. Though I have made my semi-scientific estimates for the scarcity levels by actor for all of their inscription autos, from tallying 1072 current and sold auction items. In the order of # observed:

Very Rare: Sorel (Black Border), Shatner.

Rare: Babcock PS, Maurer, Babcock ATOA, Call, Beecher.

Uncommon: Meriwether, Takei, Pollard, Nichols, Goodwin, Koenig.

Common: Banks, Bonne, Washburn, Rapelye, Scharf, Brill, Donner, Mars, Antonio, Dante, Downey, Donahue, Wheeler.

Very Common: Frankham.

Sorry, but I just don't see much sense in this selection process apart from thinking of ways to frustrate card collectors more than usual. Just because minor characters or guest characters may have talked more doesn't mean you need more quote variations for them. Even in base cards, the ones that feature the photos of the popular or main characters always receive greater attention. If you are going to pump up the volume you should do it there, unless you are going for short printing of key cards, which I suppose is a different strategy, but not a good one for base cards.

The breakdown for the main cast base cards are as follows: Kirk 22, Spock 26, McCoy 23, Uhura 17, Scotty 23, Sulu 11 and Chekov 12. That's pretty mixed up by numbers and I'm sure they could have pulled a lot of dialogue from all of them if they tried. Compare that to some of the more minor characters like Apollo, Flint, Korby, Cochrane, Decker, Trilane and Vina that racked up more than 30 variant cards each.

Obviously Star Trek in all versions is a well worn title and there is nothing wrong with trying to spice it up with different angles, RA has to, but I keep wondering the same thing. What makes card makers think that anyone asked for these extremes? When did making a set a challenge become making it impossible or just impractical to complete? Who would even want to collect 36 cards of a minor character? It makes no sense to me.

You hit the target with "trying to spice it up with different angles."

I consider this series an experiment to see if the collecting public wants more. It was certainly possible that it could bring back some of the enthusiasm for base card sets. I like it more than other attempts like splitting base sets into tiers with regular, SP, and SSP cards, with the intent of making a "complete base set" more interesting by calling insert subsets "base" simply because numbering is sequential.

The missing card arrived from RA today, so now I have a full base set.

I don't mind the idea at all.

I have Tons of Base sets from other Trek releases that will NEVER SELL. EVER.

most people pick up a Box in hopes of hitting a Good Autograph or sketch for the price of a Box. every box of previous sets except Premiun Boxes have a Base set.

I open cases on the occasions when I buy cases. 2-9 cases of Base sets that I can't possibly sell. I went Very modest on this set. I only ordered 4 cases. I built One Master set & am Very close to a 2nd Set.

I actually sold a Base set. It was a Master base set. I would have had to have sold 120 regular base sets to get the same price. The Base Sets have Value again.With some sketches selling for under $50 on the horrible auction site. I'm happy to see people buying the Base sets.

when it's all said and done I may have 700 extra singles vs. 10K singles on any other set.

I did very well with the Autos & pulled 2 sketches. I got 2 City on the Edge of Forever set with less than 20 spares... i got 6 character sets & 3 of the Laser cut cards...

I knew better than to try and sell the good cards now... people are dumping them at prices I'm buying them up at.

when the world gets back to normal. I will have the goodies I want and plenty for conventions & you know where.....


oh yea....
I did get one card I was hunting for....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kryten67,

If you look at the couple of breaks listed there are no duplicate base cards, so for once you can put all the base cards in the binder. I think that's great. I wouldn't be chasing a master set but I'd be happy with no wasted base cards.

quote:

Originally posted by Kryten67:
oh yea....
I did get one card I was hunting for....

And the inscription would had to be, "Please, Help Me Again."

I bet the card cost a few quatloos.

quote:

Originally posted by Kryten67:
I don't mind the idea at all.

I have Tons of Base sets from other Trek releases that will NEVER SELL. EVER.

most people pick up a Box in hopes of hitting a Good Autograph or sketch for the price of a Box. every box of previous sets except Premiun Boxes have a Base set.

I open cases on the occasions when I buy cases. 2-9 cases of Base sets that I can't possibly sell. I went Very modest on this set. I only ordered 4 cases. I built One Master set & am Very close to a 2nd Set.

I actually sold a Base set. It was a Master base set. I would have had to have sold 120 regular base sets to get the same price. The Base Sets have Value again.With some sketches selling for under $50 on the horrible auction site. I'm happy to see people buying the Base sets.

when it's all said and done I may have 700 extra singles vs. 10K singles on any other set.

I did very well with the Autos & pulled 2 sketches. I got 2 City on the Edge of Forever set with less than 20 spares... i got 6 character sets & 3 of the Laser cut cards...

I knew better than to try and sell the good cards now... people are dumping them at prices I'm buying them up at.

when the world gets back to normal. I will have the goodies I want and plenty for conventions & you know where.....


oh yea....
I did get one card I was hunting for....

One of your cases had a sketch and a redemption? I figured with the odds it was going to be one or the other, not both.

I actually think the idea of multiple variations of base cards is great. For somebody like me who buys a box or 2 of a set, I will probably end up buying a few more boxes since there will be something to look for each time. With singular base cards, once I had them all, If I were to buy another box, it was simply for the inserts / autos. This way, every box has a chance of some different base cards which makes it worth the time and money. Will I try to get them all - Not on my budget, but I may decide to go for a few complete sets through trades which could be fun. Good Job by Rittenhouse and Steve for mixing things up in a different way rather than the standard base, /99, /25, /10 and /1

quote:

Originally posted by AWR:
I actually think the idea of multiple variations of base cards is great. For somebody like me who buys a box or 2 of a set, I will probably end up buying a few more boxes since there will be something to look for each time.

Extremely good point. The variants are interesting enough to be much more satisfying to find "what's in this next pack" instead of "maybe I'll find a green-border parallel for a card I already have."

As for a complete set, for this series I see a new wave of auctions for "case lots of only base cards returned to packs after Hits are removed. They saved you the labor of slitting open the packs, but retained the sense of anticipation and passed on the Rittenhouse Rewards points.