I really like the design of Flawless. I have already bought a number of singles, because the cards look as good as they do. As I have said previously, design is not why I want to bang my head against a wall with each passing day. The price of the boxes is really what gets me
. But none of that prepared me for what I was seeing in one specific part of the product. The base diamond cards are outperforming many of the autographs. Ba-wha?
Check these rookies out:
2014 Flawless Teddy Bridgewater Diamond RC /20
2014 Flawless Sammy Watkins Diamond RC /20
2014 Flawless Blake Bortles Diamond RC /20
2014 Flawless Derek Carr Diamond RC /20
Fuck, even the vets are going huge:
2014 Flawless Aaron Rodgers Emerald /5
2014 Flawless Tom Brady Diamond /20
2014 Flawless Joe Flacco Diamond /20
Here is why this is a good thing. These cards may actually mean that a box that has dud content may be saved by a diamond card. Similarly, it also showcases that there are a lot of collectors out there who will pay for non-autographed content in this manner. That is a very good thing
.
Its also quite representative of the hobby as well. First off, for a product costs 1350 a box, some card with a 5 dollar chip of diamond should not be one of the chases. Im sorry, but that is just beyond bonkers to me. If people are buying these cards because they represent the “true RC” of the set, that is even more unusual of a situation
. I fail to identify with an outdated definition from an outdated magazine of what represents a player’s rookie card. It pains me to think that cool cards are devalued because we are so anal about defining the card's place
.
The chase of products like this should be logos and rare autographs from high end players that have never been featured in this manner. It should not be gimmick cards with diamonds and emeralds in them. I feel like I am losing my mind here, I feel like everything I have come to identify with is not holding true, and yet, here we are. I dont understand how hard signed autographs do not hold more value, its a completely foreign concept to my perspective.
I also realize how maniacal it is for me to say that the way people are functioning is wrong, but my perspective continues to be warped by the fact that cards without autographs are not on my “must have” list. People can and should be able to spend as they please, but I feel like we are migrating away from the way things should be by a card that offers nothing out of the ordinary. I mean, do people know these chips of diamond arent worth anything? Its the equivalent of scrap metal in the gem world.
Something is off when these cards are selling for what they are, in my opinion. Its like we have lowered our standards so much, that we can be swayed by gimmicks of this sort. This article is going to get me some heat, but I just cant hold this in. As a whole we need to demand better.
Knowing Panini these are probably “blood diamonds” or cultured diamonds in these cards.
Gimmick cards are the way of the future for this industry. People are bored with memorabilia cards now so coming up with crap like this will he the new norm in a few years.
I’m really scared to see what this industry looks like in 10 years. If it still exists.
They’re cultured gems at best. I wouldn’t be surprised if the diamonds are cubic zirconia.
I think you are missing the scarcity aspect of these cards. There are only 20 base sets available which I think is driving the prices up. I’m sure there are people looking to put together this set. Once someone puts a set together, those cards are off the market for a long time. So, player & team collectors are jumping in now to get these cards in fear that they won’t be available later. The base set is much, much more rare than any of the autos in the set when you think about it.
Even Peyton & Brady have more than 20 autos IN THIS SET, not to mention all the other autos out there of them. The base set in Flawless is truly /20 while all the autos are stacked in a parallel structure and much more common than the base.
According to a gemologist on blowoutcards these diamonds are actually of reasonable quality – just very small, obviously. This does feel gimmicky to me though. Diamonds are also completely and utterly unrelated to the sport. I’d always wondered if the ‘next thing’ after relics/autos would be something like turf, ticket stubs, or even something outrageous like cards that the players have had in their pocket during a game. Diamonds though? It’s too much of a reach.
I guess I am for anything that makes base cards relevant, so in this case I’m happy for the people opening the boxes.
I think the ‘next thing’ is difficult, because the companies generally avoid anything that can’t be scaled easily. With Panini ruling the NFL licensing in years to come they are under pressure to spit out a lot of products. I think this will stifle creativity and most ‘next things’. Sourcing turf and ticket stubs is too much work. They’ve demonstrated that they rely on stickers and event materials to carry most of their products.
Diamonds what a waste, I do like how some jersey cards are coming “dirty” like from an actual game. That is also gimmicky but it brings you closer to the action. as for the diamonds though seriously a waste the price is meant more for the small percentage of really high collectors anyway.
i would rather have a Auto than a diamond card any day.