I am still hunting the last Patty Earp WY autograph card. I can confirm that all 10 are out there.

In spite of the checklist I think that there are only two (Adam Brown) signed LA cards. Numbered to 30 and unnumbered, still not sure which one is more rare.

I did grab the Weaver so now I just need the Stanton and I will be happy.

I agree with the profile cards. They are close up of images from the set. Kind of ugly.

The silver W in the parallel set is set to give a 3D effect. It works better on some cards than others.

This is definitely a set for the alien fan to have.....no doubt.

quote:

Originally posted by X:
Gotta say, now I have some cards in hand, I'm really happy with this set. Sure, some missed opportunities in the autograph department and the dog tags which should have been easy to make but hey, the first new Alien set in 20 years. I'm lapping it up. I love this franchise.

The artwork base set is vivid and eye-catching, and fresher than more photos. I like the set a lot more than I thought I would.
The Profiles chase cards have some, erm, interesting likenesses, but the backgrounds are straight off the blu-ray menu (nice touch). I love the Weyland-Yutani propaganda cards because of their imagination and the Legendary Encounters cards have some very nice art. The dog tags have a nice quality feel to them, a really nice thick stock as well although they all seem to display corner/edge wear.
Speaking of which, all the autos aren't the mintest when it comes to corners... I thought stickers were meant to keep auto cards in good condition back at manufacturer HQ? Some base cards display some edge cutting defects as well but not enough to be noticeable. The sketches seem nice stock and I like the touches of silver foil.

I don't do master sets anymore but I'm going to try and go for:
- Base set
- Silver foil parallel set (piecing this one together in bits which should be fun a singles are not too rare)
- The Propaganda, Profiles and Weyland-Yutani chase sets
- x1 Patty "McPancakes" auto from the Propaganda set
- x4 printing plates (x1 for each of the 4 films, each one a different colour)
- x4 sketch cards (x1 for each film)
- the 4 dog-tags for the Marine characters
- doubles of the Hicks and Bishop tags to get signed at a convention
- the single autos set of 16 (I really do not like stickers but at least UD have incorporated them well into the card design)

I was worried I would not be able to get this card but fellow board member Goldfish, who I can't recommend highly enough, traded it me (I've not done a trade in YEARS!) and arrived yesterday...

@ X,

Nice pick up, and agreed this goldfish person sounds great.

ps: I think getting standard dog tags signed is a great idea by the way!

rich

That is a nice Weaver autograph card, congrats X.

Being me, and since you mentioned it, I have to ask what it was you traded for that beauty?

If it was a card, I can only think a Brosnan or Craig auto might be comparable. Or maybe a group of Bond cards?

I just noticed that the base set is numbered in sequence with the events of the films.

quote:

Originally posted by Goldfish:
@ X,

Nice pick up, and agreed this goldfish person sounds great.

ps: I think getting standard dog tags signed is a great idea by the way!

rich

Yeah he ain't so bad! Thank you again for the card Rich.

Biehn and Henriksen are regulars on the con circuit and two of my favourite characters from the series. Shouldn't be too tricky to get them to sign these cards. I think Beihn was a massive missed opportunity for this set, especially in ALIENS 30th Anniversary year.

Raven - thanks for the compliment. With the set being all stickers I'm not being my usual fussy self, so I AM picking up cards where the signature may deviate from the sticker a bit, whereas with on card autos I will rarely pick up cards were the auto runs off. I really lucked out on this example being all 'present'. Of all the examples I have seen the bottom of the 'g' or top of the 'W' run off which is not surprising given the tiny space.

I think it is for Rich to spill the beans on the other end of the trade if he so desires but it was a rare sketch from a top artist I bought 8 years ago and would never have let it go for anything but this.

mykdude - So have you managed the full auto set bar Stanton?
I only needed one Patty auto (not the best signature helped with that decision). Cool you are chasing them all down.
I like that each film has a decent amount of cards devoted to it as well but damn 100 cards is 1 card too bloody many for the ultra pro pages!!!

I have a feeling a lot of hardcore Alien fans will be holding onto a lot of these cards long-term. Will be interesting to see what is available in the future if the run is as small as people are saying.

quote:

Originally posted by X:

mykdude - So have you managed the full auto set bar Stanton?
I only needed one Patty auto (not the best signature helped with that decision). Cool you are chasing them all down.
I like that each film has a decent amount of cards devoted to it as well but damn 100 cards is 1 card too bloody many for the ultra pro pages!!!

I have a feeling a lot of hardcore Alien fans will be holding onto a lot of these cards long-term. Will be interesting to see what is available in the future if the run is as small as people are saying.

I am short three single autos (Stanton, Perlman and Rieser) Plus I have two dual autos. I figured with the prices for the artist cards still pretty low that I should attempt to grab them all. Also picked up the Adam Brown autos. When I realized how small the print run was, I felt like I should jump quick.

I did get one printing plate of Parker meeting the Alien. I would love to find 7 plates with the original crew but I'm not sure if I will be able to pull that one off.

The subsets are off numbered as well so I just ran the base and subsets together in my notebook. Put the parallel set in the back. I will keep the dog tag set and everything else in hard plastic sleeve protectors.

I have searched various places on the internet and talked to a friend of mine who owns a card store. Getting sealed product is already becoming very difficult.

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

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
That is a nice Weaver autograph card, congrats X.

Being me, and since you mentioned it, I have to ask what it was you traded for that beauty?

If it was a card, I can only think a Brosnan or Craig auto might be comparable. Or maybe a group of Bond cards?

It's probably not a great idea to publicly reveal every trade in detail. What I will say, is after getting the Weaver in another trade, I fully expected to keep it for a while, but by chance talking to X who had bought a few Alien bits I wasn't keeping, he revealed he had a sketch card not only from the main set I collect, but also from my favourite artist. The sort of card that doesn't come up much for me.

Therefore, it was simply a case of realising he had a card that could be a cornerstone of my collection, vs the Weaver being a card I liked, but would probably move on one day, so in that respect it was an easy trade. I think the same logic applied vice versa from Xs viewpoint too, which made it an ideal trade.

In summary, it wasn't particularly important to have an exact 'value' match for me, although the Weaver is looking very solid!

quote:

Originally posted by X:

Dunno on Alien '79 card #5 will have to have a look next time I get chance.

So, it looks like this set had some corrected errors with upside down backs. So far I have seen 5, 63 and 83. It's a little sad that after 37 years you can still get unopened boxes of this. Production numbers must have been insane.

I wouldn't have expected this to dry up immediately as most kids collecting cards back then were too young to see the film. One might have expected a rush on the set after ALIENs came out. Then again, seeing that ALIENs didn't have a release maybe shows the state of non-sports collecting at the time.

Goldfish - I was thinking in terms of trading autograph for autograph and comparable value for a like type of hit, sketch cards did not occur to me, but much, much harder to evaluate.

If you got a sketch you admired, of a subject you wanted, by a top tier artist than you did very well and it was a perfect trade for all parties. That is a true 1/1 item that will probably never be duplicated.

I collect autograph cards as my primary interest, but I am not under the illusion that any autograph of a living person is priceless because you know you will find one again. If you pass up a sketch it is gone, as the artist may never replicate it again. So congratulations on your good fortune in making a trade where everyone is happy.

Raven, funny thing is with the trade is that it was all by accident. As Rich said, I bought a couple of Alien cards from him he was shifting but said he would trade for them too. I said I had nothing to trade, because I didn't, and Weaver was not even a part of the conversation, I didn't even know he was getting one.

I'm sure Rich won't mind me saying, but we got chatting and he shared his primary collecting interests so I just showed him a scan of a couple of my sketches because I knew he would appreciate seeing them. They were cards from artists we both liked that disappeared into my collection at the time of release (nearly 10 years ago) and would never be for sale, or trade.

Rich said I had a card by his favourite artist and suggested swapping that for the Weaver he would soon be getting in a trade from another collector.
I was extremely reluctant to let this sketch go and I would have turned anyone down who attempted to buy it from me but he offered pretty much the only thing I would lose it for. It was an offer I couldn't refuse because it was Weaver, my favourite actress and in my favourite film series since I was a kid. Yes, MORE than Bond! A real 'Holy Grail' card for me.

I probably did come out ahead a tad in monetary terms, but the sketch is a true 1/1 that will never be repeated and from an artist of real pedigree. But the Weaver will not be sold, and I think I can safely say nor will Richard's sketch - so a difference of a few quid was not the deciding factor for either of us. My gf said I should keep the sketch because of the above, and because I have two trading cards with Weaver's signature on-card from when I was lucky enough to meet her. But an official card, it feels I have been waiting all my collecting life for, had a certain appeal. Ultimately I think both cards found their best homes.

Maybe no-one else cared for the details but ultimately the story is a testament to this great website, forum and its members. I have done loads of trades on here, but many years ago and for no more than about $30 but all great interactions. I have never traded cards at this value and never closely interacted with someone I only previously knew as 'Goldfish' but I think us both being members here was some reassurance on both sides.

quote:

Originally posted by mykdude:

quote:

Originally posted by X:

Dunno on Alien '79 card #5 will have to have a look next time I get chance.

So, it looks like this set had some corrected errors with upside down backs. So far I have seen 5, 63 and 83. It's a little sad that after 37 years you can still get unopened boxes of this. Production numbers must have been insane.

I wouldn't have expected this to dry up immediately as most kids collecting cards back then were too young to see the film. One might have expected a rush on the set after ALIENs came out. Then again, seeing that ALIENs didn't have a release maybe shows the state of non-sports collecting at the time.

Did it not sell well because it was a very adult movie? Because a film set called 'Alien' had barely any cards showing the actual Alien but rather all middle aged people in drab outfits? Or did it sell well but was overproduced? Maybe a combination of all 3?

I would have loved a vintage ALIENS card set.

quote:

Originally posted by mykdude:


So, it looks like this set had some corrected errors with upside down backs. So far I have seen 5, 63 and 83. It's a little sad that after 37 years you can still get unopened boxes of this. Production numbers must have been insane.

I wouldn't have expected this to dry up immediately as most kids collecting cards back then were too young to see the film. One might have expected a rush on the set after ALIENs came out. Then again, seeing that ALIENs didn't have a release maybe shows the state of non-sports collecting at the time.

Totally different market back then. Most non-sport stuff not named Star Wars from this era is relatively easy to find unopened boxes and packs. Cards were cheap to make and aimed at retail, which meant returns were possible.

quote:

Originally posted by X:
It was an offer I couldn't refuse because it was Weaver, my favourite actress and in my favourite film series since I was a kid. Yes, MORE than Bond! A real 'Holy Grail' card for me.

Maybe no-one else cared for the details but ultimately the story is a testament to this great website, forum and its members. I have done loads of trades on here, but many years ago and for no more than about $30 but all great interactions. I have never traded cards at this value and never closely interacted with someone I only previously knew as 'Goldfish' but I think us both being members here was some reassurance on both sides.

Yeah I get the significance of such a card to a life long fan. When you get the chance you should take it and this worked out for you both.

As for the details, I love details and where else better for people from different locations and even different countries to hook up and swap trading cards stories and maybe even make connections as you did with Goldfish.

It was good of you to acknowledge this forum. I hope all members and all lurkers realize how much of an asset it has been for product information and interaction with people of like interests who you will never meet.

quote:

Originally posted by Ryan Cracknell:

Totally different market back then. Most non-sport stuff not named Star Wars from this era is relatively easy to find unopened boxes and packs. Cards were cheap to make and aimed at retail, which meant returns were possible.

Oh yeah, I remember it well. Every corner store was a card distribution center. I remember collecting Happy Days cards of all things. Six Million Dollar Man stickers on everything.

I understand that the presses rolled back then but I still would have thought that as the franchise grew so would the demand for its rookie card release. I guess I cant complain as I picked up an unopened box a few years ago for $70 and was able to "refresh" my set from the 70s.

Sobering thoughts as I collect this set.

Harry Dean Stanton is almost 90.

Tom Skerritt is 82 and Ian Holm is 84.

Apparently Upper Deck is releasing an "e-Pack" set of Alien Anthology. I don't understand (or care to, frankly) anything about e-cards but apparently you can trade them in for physical cards? I really don't know what any of it means. But the link to the press release from Upper Deck is below for those who are interested.

http://www.upperdeck.com/Corpo...ents/2016-07-18.aspx

Thanks for the info Logan. I really don't understand the appeal of these types of products. The most interesting part for me was the following:

"Just like the physical release, the e-Pack product will include special insert cards, actor autograph cards, dog tag cards, foil cards and original artist sketch cards. In addition to collecting cards on e-Pack, users have the ability to get actual physical versions of their cards mailed directly to them, which is a first for digital trading card platforms."

I'm just reading this and thinking, NO! Nothing has been 'inserted', there is no 'foil', nothing has been 'autographed', there is no original art sketched onto cards. Not to mention, they're NOT cards! We're talking pixels. Digital DATA. What is the point?!? Who do these appeal to?

Oh maybe there is a point with this set unlike other digital sets... getting physical versions of the digital cards. But what are they? More of what was inserted into the physical set? Variants? Exclusives? Is there more of the original product than was first thought? Or have Upper Deck held back certain things, like an Ian Holm autograph card?
As if the actual cards weren't difficult enough to get, 3 months after release there is still next to nothing available of Alien Anthology. TBH it's enough to give you a headache.

Also, where are all the sketch cards from the looong list of featured artists?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by X:
"Just like the physical release, the e-Pack product will include special insert cards, actor autograph cards, dog tag cards, foil cards and original artist sketch cards. In addition to collecting cards on e-Pack, users have the ability to get actual physical versions of their cards mailed directly to them, which is a first for digital trading card platforms."

I'm just reading this and thinking, NO! Nothing has been 'inserted', there is no 'foil', nothing has been 'autographed', there is no original art sketched onto cards. Not to mention, they're NOT cards! We're talking pixels. Digital DATA. What is the point?!? Who do these appeal to?/QUOTE]

That is a pretty deceptive line from UD because the way you would normally interpret it is that you can somehow earn a physical card with a genuine autograph or a hand drawn sketch by fooling around with this e-Pack product. I think they are saying you can get a physical copy of a digital autograph card or hand drawn sketch, which of course is just a printed copy and is in no way a genuine original.

At least I think that's what it is. Now if you could earn original premium hits from Alien Anthology, that would be different and have a point to it. I don't know, maybe someone can nail it down because that release is vague.

As for the appeal, Pokémon Go just got released over here last week. It's a big success, company stock is rising. People are running around all over town with their Smart Phones looking to collect Pokémon monsters at designated locations. A couple of people got tricked into going to empty lots and got robbed. Somebody was looking at the screen and fell off of something and got hurt. These are not kids, these are adults.

Their Smart Phones are smarter than they are and you ask about public appeal!

Upper Deck ePacks do have a physical component. While I haven't sat down with this particular set, the hockey ones come with 1 insert that is intended to be a physical card. They teamed with COMC.com and those cards can be deposited in your account there for shipping or you can sell them again.

Also, the digital-only base cards for hockey could be hoarded and once you get a certain number of copies you can trade them within the platform for an exclusive parallel that is physical.

This is now live, packs are $5.99 each.