I still haven't acquired a single card from this release.

There are a few I have considered, but the following things have kept me from buying:

The design is too busy.
I hate the black and white pictures.
I dislike most of the photos used.
Deteriorated Signatures.

I was chasing a Tony Hawk, but after I saw the Pro Set Action Ink card I bought that instead -- the design of that release is better in just about every way.

Prices on these are starting to come down so I'll revisit, but my want list has shrunk.

Some examples:

Geena Davis -- I don't love the 2019 design, but her 2019 card has a much less distracting design, and a much better photograph.

Steven Seagal -- I'm not convinced the same person signed both times, also the new photo is strange.

Paula Abdul -- the 2015 card is not chrome, has a better design, better photo and the new signatures are starting to be wavy.

quote:

Originally posted by webjon:
I was chasing a Tony Hawk, but after I saw the Pro Set Action Ink card I bought that instead -- the design of that release is better in just about every way.

If you're not married to the trading card format he regularly offers signed photos on his website for $25-$30.

Geena's numbers are on par with just one of Swanks card versions. Not much more than 100 - 120 of those.

Seagal and Abdul signed quite a few this time around.

I have Paula's Americana card which I thought was really nice. The numbered one I have is not what I would call chrome but it is definitely a shiny card.

quote:

Originally posted by webjon:

Prices on these are starting to come down so I'll revisit, but my want list has shrunk.

Some examples:

Geena Davis -- I don't love the 2019 design, but her 2019 card has a much less distracting design, and a much better photograph.

Steven Seagal -- I'm not convinced the same person signed both times, also the new photo is strange.

Paula Abdul -- the 2015 card is not chrome, has a better design, better photo and the new signatures are starting to be wavy.

Ohh, dang -- that 2015 Abdul is Americana.

I miss those releases too.

Really would love to see Americana come back as well as more music sets like Panini Country music.

Ohh -- and I actually thought the concert ticket was a cool idea -- I didn't realize they had to hack the ticket down to fit, so that sucks, but I'm kinda surprised those don't sell better.

That card of Steven Seagal looks like him in the 1990s.

He certainly hasn't looked like that since the mid 2000s, at least.

I did see one of the Seagal's from last year authenticated by Beckett. I see similar signature behavior in both versions.

So now that some time has passed, I'm checking out eBay listings for Pop Century Metal and notice two things.

First, many of the autograph cards from some decent names are BINNED at fairly affordable prices. That's good for buyers, but I don't know how well sellers think they did with this product. Finally, I even picked up a Cusack autograph card at a price that was acceptable for his absolutely atrocious signature.

Second, and not so good, is the number of listings for some kind of pre-production proof autograph cards that come in both signed and unsigned versions. I get that a proof card is another way to manufacture scarcity, but I don't understand why a card maker would release unsigned incomplete cards, be they proofs or not. No good can come of a card that looks like it has an authenticity guarantee, when there is no signature to guarantee. I wonder what else is floating around and how much is there of it whenever I see damaged and/or unfinished cards released on purpose.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
I don't understand why a card maker would release unsigned incomplete cards, be they proofs or not.

Easy to understand, it is sold as its own separate product. All of them are slabbed and labeled by Leaf so for the sake of authenticity they are pretty much locked in.

If you make a card set and can sell all of the excess that goes with the process why wouldn't you? Oh look we have some extra stickers...slap em on.

Like printing plates I am personally not a fan but anything that sends the 1/1 junkies into a tizzy is always fun to watch.