So the next release of Leaf Pop Century Metal should appear at the end of this month. Box price without any discount looks to be $335. That's for 4 autograph cards and some 2 unsigned pre-production cards that are basically useless.

Now included for 2026 as the big new signers are Nic Cage, Johnny Depp, Ann-Margaret and Winona Ryder. Lots of other big names that have already appeared in 2025 and earlier product. The joys of banking sticker autographs is that they never appear to run out and the manufacturer can make 200 1/1s over time.

Pop Century had already gotten greedy under Brian Gray, but since his departure it actually got worse. There is also some other version of this called Code Red. Not sure when that comes out, but you get an additional autograph card for $220 more a box. Now we are talking $550 or $110 per signature to break even.

I happen to really like Pop Century products as a means to get autographs I could never find. I have even made my peace with stickers, if that is the only option. However only buyers who are really flippers can afford to break these boxes now, and even they are getting squeezed because the repeat signers increase the supply and decrease the demand. Every repeat signer potentially lowers the price of the last card. It's risky to pray for a new big signer at such limited numbers.

Nevertheless, for us autograph card collectors there will be more bargains and more signature holes filled. It may take a while for the dust to settle, but there will be more happy hunting, if you look before you leap. How's that for stringing old expressions?

I see Pop Century pre-production cards on Ebay and have wondered how you get those as I've never seen dealers give them out and have never heard of them being given out at shows (Philly, National). If they are in packs then they are more like chase cards but promo collectors aren't going to want them and most other collectors are not going to be excited to get them as they seem like a "lazy" level of chase card relative to the price of a box.

quote:

Originally posted by catskilleagle:
I see Pop Century pre-production cards on Ebay and have wondered how you get those as I've never seen dealers give them out and have never heard of them being given out at shows (Philly, National). If they are in packs then they are more like chase cards but promo collectors aren't going to want them and most other collectors are not going to be excited to get them as they seem like a "lazy" level of chase card relative to the price of a box.

They're a vehicle for Leaf to make more money off the Pop Century brand. Many times you'll see Leaf sell convention or holiday packs that include these, as well as autos, but most packs contain these proofs. They seem to have a neverending supply. At least they're typically only $10-$15, but as Raven mentioned, nobody collects them and they're pretty worthless, even though each is labeled 1/1.

quote:

Originally posted by Ted Dastick Jr.:
They're a vehicle for Leaf to make more money off the Pop Century brand. Many times you'll see Leaf sell convention or holiday packs that include these, as well as autos, but most packs contain these proofs. They seem to have a neverending supply. At least they're typically only $10-$15, but as Raven mentioned, nobody collects them and they're pretty worthless, even though each is labeled 1/1.

I don't really know where those Pop Century holiday autograph cards originate, I'm assuming maybe direct from the website as I don't look there. They get dropped on eBay as St. Patrick's Day, President's Day, Halloween, Christmas, etc. They are always short printed with many as 1/1s. Curiously enough, a lot of the rarest seem to be offered by the same small circle of sellers.

The thing about all these 1/1s is that the same card comes in about 7 colors, with maybe 6 background designs, then everyone of them has a Prismatic, and then that same signer has maybe 3 different cards. On top of that comes the holiday and SNL and whatever other insert version they can think of making. Certainly a few of the big names didn't do this many, but most of the signers do, although not necessarily released in the same product. And I also forgot the inscriptions and scripted versions as well.

Now, just try to add all that up as 1/1s only for the same autograph. I mean I'm not great at math, but I put it close to 200 signed 1/1s cards as a total before you even get into the higher card ranges. It's kind of staggering and you can see where prices are headed for a fall when collectors realize the size of this supply as sticker signatures.

Again, I'm all for it. They are on the market for fans. But I would caution anyone who thinks that these cards are going to appreciate in value that almost all are coming out at peak and there is nowhere else to go but down. Wait for your price.

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