quote:

Originally posted by hammer:
It's almost as if Rittenhouse are making it so hard that they DON'T want you to buy it. WHY would you have a 50 card chase set at 1 or 2 a box and 56 Relics - Real turn-off in my opinion. even the "minor" chase cards are 1 in 4 boxes.

To compare value, the complete UK blu-ray box sets of TOS/TNG/ENT are now half the price of what a single US box of these trading cards cards cost. I know what will keep me entertained for longer.

quote:

Originally posted by hammer:
It's almost as if Rittenhouse are making it so hard that they DON'T want you to buy it. WHY would you have a 50 card chase set at 1 or 2 a box and 56 Relics - Real turn-off in my opinion. even the "minor" chase cards are 1 in 4 boxes.

Many years ago I was reading the RA website and someone had a question about why a recent product didn't have something in a box. The response direct from Steve was that RA was not constructing product for box buyers and hadn't been doing it for quite some time.

I remember getting fairly annoyed by that comment because I was buying at least 1 - 3 boxes in just about every RA release at the time, which totals up to a pretty good amount of money per year. Yet apparently as a box buyer, I was now no better than a bottom feeder.

So then it might be assumed that the case buyer would be the desired customer, which was true until it became the multi-case buyer who was the desired customer. Now even the archive box buyer is not good enough to get it all. So it's been a natural progression to the extreme end of everything. I don't know what mega collector or large dealer is expected to put this set together for anybody. I don't know who the desired customer is here.

I'm still a bottom feeder, so others will have to get upset about this one.

I understand a lot of these complaints.

whn I was growing up...you'd get a few packs a week & it would be a good Month or more before completing a base set.

There are Collectors still working on Trek'76 by Topps & the Early Planet of the Apes sets.

The Incentive program is a Good way to sell an Entire Print run & Be much more Cost effective to the Collectors....

Compare the Price of ANY Non RA new Release Vs. RA. U##er D#ck goes above $110 per Box with every release & some of those have 10 packs or Less....

T##ps is Fairly High & you are going to get a Sticker Autograph for your trouble. a few weeks after a set comes out most cards from almost any set is Half Price just to pay off an invoice.

I'd love to Buy a case & get Every card.... but that doesn't happen with any Release....

The latest Doctor Who set has over 80 single Autographs...not counting the doubles , Triples, Quad or Booklets...

if you want everything, that's cool.... it may take time..... or you can just get the parts of the Set that you want.....

Yes, I buy a lot of these cases.... It's a Gamble, but I love it. I am Very Choosy about what I order.... I am more excited about 5 Captain cards than just about any other part of this set. I will be keeping One set of those for myself.

quote:

Originally posted by Kryten67:
I understand a lot of these complaints.

There are Collectors still working on Trek'76 by Topps & the Early Planet of the Apes sets.

T##ps is Fairly High & you are going to get a Sticker Autograph for your trouble. a few weeks after a set comes out most cards from almost any set is Half Price just to pay off an invoice.

I'd love to Buy a case & get Every card.... but that doesn't happen with any Release....

if you want everything, that's cool.... it may take time..... or you can just get the parts of the Set that you want.....

Not disagreeing with anything you said at all, not complaining or even going negative, because it is what is anyway.

Just pointing out that the end result of what is being described is that only large dealers will be breaking product because collectors will not be buying unopened boxes/cases themselves. Collectors will have to buy in lots, mini sets and individual cards because it is totally not cost effective to buy anything blind and wind up with such a small portion of everything.

There are also too many autographs and relics to believe you have a good shot at just hitting a good one, so the lottery mentality is also being discouraged by the reality of having too many common hits.

Dealers are going to have to take on all the risk of breaking enormous sets like this and hope that they can make a profit from the pieces. Collectors who don't have deep pockets can make their life's work of trying to complete it. And that will last as long as dealers make money.

What happens when they don't? Who takes the risk of opening sealed product? Who feeds the secondary market? Just looking ahead to what happens when the common collector, who is actually buying a heck of lot, decides not to buy sealed boxes anymore because it doesn't pay.

I can't speak for the Big Guys, Just Me....

When I buy.... I have to Bust. I can't compete with the Big Dealers who sell at My Cost for cases.

as for Collectors, 1 in 12 chance for a Captains Auto or a Sketch.... the Rest of the Chase cards REALLY depend on your Favorite Series or Character....... A lot of these will be Reasonably Priced....especially a week before Christmas & 2 weeks before the end of the year... I have people that Collect Only One Series out of the 5 in this set... I have General Collectors & I have had a Good run of Luck with Trek.... you're Right Dealers take the Risk.

LLAP

quote:

Originally posted by WOMBLE:

quote:

Originally posted by hammer:
It's almost as if Rittenhouse are making it so hard that they DON'T want you to buy it. WHY would you have a 50 card chase set at 1 or 2 a box and 56 Relics - Real turn-off in my opinion. even the "minor" chase cards are 1 in 4 boxes.

To compare value, the complete UK blu-ray box sets of TOS/TNG/ENT are now half the price of what a single US box of these trading cards cards cost. I know what will keep me entertained for longer.

Not to take us further off topic but a very good point. TNG is my favourite and at £43 for 178 episodes on blu-ray from Amazon is real value for the hours of viewing pleasure (and is on my Xmas list!)

I'm not a completest and pick up very few random Trek cards but I'd be weeping trying to get full sets of cards for this franchise these days. The cards are so good but just too hard to get now.

I was looking forward to maybe getting a couple of the costume/relic cards (like the Borg Queen), but not sure about the decision to make them foldover cards. How do you even store them? Odd design choice IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

Just looking ahead to what happens when the common collector, who is actually buying a heck of lot, decides not to buy sealed boxes anymore because it doesn't pay.

I thought this had already happened, i can't understand anyone buying a box of anything, they are almost doomed before they start. Topps UK still do boxes of product where you will pull close to a full set of everything from one box so these are still worth opening.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

Just looking ahead to what happens when the common collector, who is actually buying a heck of lot, decides not to buy sealed boxes anymore because it doesn't pay.

I thought this had already happened, i can't understand anyone buying a box of anything, they are almost doomed before they start. Topps UK still do boxes of product where you will pull close to a full set of everything from one box so these are still worth opening.

You're right, it has happened with experienced card collectors, they have cut way back on secondary interests/titles. However most do have a favorite title that they focus on and there is still the siren's call of that sealed box. This hobby was never about logic, just enjoyment, but no one is a fool here.

quote:

Originally posted by X:
I was looking forward to maybe getting a couple of the costume/relic cards (like the Borg Queen), but not sure about the decision to make them foldover cards. How do you even store them? Odd design choice IMO.

It depends on the thickness when it is folded and I honestly can't tell from those photos. I suspect that the folded cards might be like the Star Trek insignia cards. The only thing you can do with those is keep them in the hard plastic single card clasp box or pile them up in 100 count plastic boxes. I guess you could try to display them open, but that's a little much.

To me, before I worry about storage, I think of the packing. How are you not going to tell that a pack contains a folded card just by the feel, unless it is not as thick as might be assumed. I know for a fact that those insignias could not be missed because I pulled a couple and they took up the entire pack.

New Release Date: January 18th,2016

Good News/Bad News

good news : more time to get more
bad news : delays always leave me empty.....

Card sets are always delayed. Never believe shipping dates until the product is actually in transit.

Not surprised, they have yet to give any indication who is on the autograph list as "Aliens".

quote:

To me, before I worry about storage, I think of the packing. How are you not going to tell that a pack contains a folded card just by the feel, unless it is not as thick as might be assumed. I know for a fact that those insignias could not be missed because I pulled a couple and they took up the entire pack.

Honestly (and as pointed out earlier) things are not made with a pack buyer in mind any longer, so it does not matter if a pack is obvious.

Things are barely made with a box buyer in mind any more.

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:

quote:

To me, before I worry about storage, I think of the packing. How are you not going to tell that a pack contains a folded card just by the feel, unless it is not as thick as might be assumed. I know for a fact that those insignias could not be missed because I pulled a couple and they took up the entire pack.

Honestly (and as pointed out earlier) things are not made with a pack buyer in mind any longer, so it does not matter if a pack is obvious.

Things are barely made with a box buyer in mind any more.

Ed

Absolutely right on the last part, but I have to respectfully disagree with you on the first part. A pack that stands out means that whoever opens the box knows that a thicker card is in it and its probably a hit. You know people are going to find a way to abuse that, even when they are the box owner.

I don't know if these folding relics will stand out or not, but if they do and the box gets opened, I guarantee it will be the first pack taken.

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quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by Scifi Cards:

quote:

To me, before I worry about storage, I think of the packing. How are you not going to tell that a pack contains a folded card just by the feel, unless it is not as thick as might be assumed. I know for a fact that those insignias could not be missed because I pulled a couple and they took up the entire pack.

Honestly (and as pointed out earlier) things are not made with a pack buyer in mind any longer, so it does not matter if a pack is obvious.

Things are barely made with a box buyer in mind any more.

Ed

Absolutely right on the last part, but I have to respectfully disagree with you on the first part. A pack that stands out means that whoever opens the box knows that a thicker card is in it and its probably a hit. You know people are going to find a way to abuse that, even when they are the box owner.

I don't know if these folding relics will stand out or not, but if they do and the box gets opened, I guarantee it will be the first pack taken.

But that takes into account the box being opened. I think Ed's point was that pack sales are almost non-existent any more outside of a retail store. Most sales within the hobby are by the box, which will be sealed.

quote:

Originally posted by Ted Dastick Jr.:
But that takes into account the box being opened. I think Ed's point was that pack sales are almost non-existent any more outside of a retail store. Most sales within the hobby are by the box, which will be sealed.

Yes and you don't see many RA boxes in retail stores (in USA). I suppose somebody COULD open a box take the noticable hit out and reseal, but they wouldn't be able to put the shrink wrap back on again (or could they LOL!)

There are still open boxes in hobby stores, the problem is to find an open hobby store.

I still have a good one by me and while they don't carry a lot of non-sport, they do bring in some boxes for every Star Trek and Star Wars. Unless the boxes sell right out, they open one for the front display and pack sales. They also have opened Gotham and Arrow boxes, so it might not be done in your area, but its not over all over.

Now now, let's not overlook the fact that folding cards are a ridiculous idea in the first place

Anyway, the autograph list is finally up.

Well that's a wrap for me. There are 60 Alien autographs, most signers I don't know and the dozen or so repeats I already have. Maybe I am missing someone significant because I'm not a devoted Trekkie, but I don't see any signer here worth pulling except if it's one of the Captains.

I did a lot of the Set I autographs, very disappointed with this checklist.