I like my cards and design simple. I want a big player photo, a simple, yet understated design and an on card auto. With the recent trends in the industry, we might be moving more in the complete opposite direction. No sir, I dont like it.
The biggest offender recently has been both Topps and Panini’s use of parallel patterns that seem to obscure the card surface in the presentation of the design. Its done in the name of parallels, but more often than not, the cards look about as terrible as they can be
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The scary thing is, both Panini and Topps are instituting NEW ones with each product release, to the point where its not just hideous looking rainbow foil board, its rainbow foil with a pattern overlaid on top! Here are the worst of the worst:
PANINI’S NEW LAVA FLOW PARALLEL
PANINI’S CRACKED ICE / TOPPS ATOMIC
PANINI FINITE – Whatever the hell that means?
Topps has at least taken it in a bit different and better direction. Every time they use a new pattern or an existing one, they cut the player picture and signature area out of the pattern. That way, there is no obscuring the main content on the card. Panini is mostly a complete train wreck, but I wouldnt expect anything different from them. For most of their stuff, they overlay the pattern on the WHOLE card, and it makes it much more difficult to actually see anything you are actually hoping to see
. Explain how that is a good idea, again?
Im not sure why collectors are enamored with gaudy patterns and ridiculously busy designs, but that is my normal reaction to these matters. I dont like the superfractor pattern that Topps uses ad nauseum because it is so hard on the eyes to me. Sure its shiny and gold, but its ugly.
I wonder if my eye is completely different than the rest of the population, or if people just dont care. Either way, Im not going to be saying any good stuff about this new trend.
but OMG wowwzers they are so shiny and sparkly and limited to 59…
these cards help water down the product and make it harder to make complete sets, promote the lottery aspect of the biz and support perceived value of boxes
G-Man:
I have, since2008, come here first to get the down low on each years new releases, specifically football. We have a lot of the same taste in both card design and the overall asthetic appeal that make the customer loyal to a company and it’s brand.
With that said, I have a question. Why are all authentic game-worn cards clean? On the backs of these cards, I will use Topps as an example, they state they want to bring us, the collector “Closer to the game”. If a card that is issued to be authentic and obtained by Topps, Upper Deck, Panini, etc etc to be officially worn in a game, I don’t understand why they don’t include a patch that might have some dirt, grass or sweat stain on it? Is it that these companies or the collectors feel that it would decrease the value of the Game-Worn patch contained within a players card? I can understand why the Rookie Event-Worn patches are clean because they aren’t worn for more than 3 seconds in most cases.
Back in 2010 I purchased a retail box of Press Pass SE, I obtained a gold parallel authentic Game-Worn Jersey Card of Mike Williams (TB Bucs). The authentic piece was from his Syracuse college jersey, the piece had a grass stain on it and serial numbered to /199. I thought that was pretty cool, I kept it for a while then auctioned it off. I can understand some buyers would think that I could have tampered with it by putting the grass stain on it myself, in reality it would not be that difficult. However, if more and more authenic Game-Worn patches had the afore mentioned stains, buyers might not be so hesitant to question the authenticity of the patch. What are your opinions on this? Do you think if card companies would insert patches that display some kind of element showing that a card with a patch containing a grass or dirt stain would be more desirible? Wouldn’t that really bring us “Closer to the Game” Stating something like “This Authentic Game-Worn Jersey of “Player X” was Obtained by Topps and Used in a Game on 11-18-2012″. These type of Game-Worn cards could even have a sub-set of its own, have a lower serial number, and could include an on-card autograph. I am thinkig that the companies with NFLPA Licenses could use Veteran Players. While Upper Deck could use both Rookies and Veteran’s in their college uniform. Anyway just wanted your thoughts on this, (I know blood stains would not be included). Have a Happy Fathers Day and thank you for all the information you have posted for us over the years.
Boltz