Sunday, August 9, 2009

The Trouble With Redemptions And Player Collecting

Over the last two years, Peterson has become a 100% redemption player due to his unwillingness to adhere to the normal signing schedule that card companies require. There will always be stickers that can be reused from as far back as the offseason from 2007, but, for the true on card sweetness, its a waiting game for the new shit. This leads to a problem when you see a card that you know is going to be ridiculously amazing, but you know that its going to be six months before the package shows up at your door.


Such is my dilemma, and I know a lot of you out there have similarly experienced the months that are necessary to get a card you have wanted. The question remains as to whether or not the wait is worth the end result. I say yes and no, but it also has a lot to do with your connection to the card and your connection to the player.

For a player collector, sometimes redemptions are a necessary evil, especially if you are waiting on some of the cards that will be the best of the year. Since my favorite products are always SPA and Exquisite, I have to come to terms with the fact that I will have to wait for Peterson to sign his stuff. Since UD cant produce these cards far enough ahead of time, the cards need to be redemptions - I get that. But do I risk my money under the auspices that at any time he can just decide not to sign any more?

I have risked it before, at least twice, once with great results, once with a replacement outcome. This time, I think I may risk it again and buy a card out of Philadelphia that should be one of the best auto cards until SPA in January. Thats the impatience in me, despite the fact that the card probably wont be signed until SPA actually hits shelves. Thats me, though, and I am positive that the card is something I need to buy. Yet, if I had pulled it out of a pack of a player I didnt collect, it would be on ebay faster than you could say boo.

The problem is, that redemptions are practically only there for the player collectors around to begin with. People who pull the redemptions rarely ever hold them if they dont collect the player in some way, and I believe that is why so many of them end up on eBay. Now that its also very easy to do it online instead of sending them in, its even easier to just throw it up there as an incentive for the people out there that like it. Hell, you dont even need to ship the card most of the time.

Call me a junkie for hard signed cards now that I am spoiled enough by UD's great commitment to those sets, but I wonder if others out there are willing to take the same chance on some of these as I am. I realize that most collectors blame UD and their replacements for the redemption dilemma, but there have to be other addicts out there like me looking for their next fix. Otherwise the market for these redemptions wouldnt be what it is.

14 comments:

  1. Brad, are you fucking kidding me? I know you hate that I might actually be right about something, but that comment is fucking idiotic. Lets run down the calendar so far.

    1. Draft = on card
    2. Heroes = on card
    3. Icons = stickers
    4. philadelphia = on card
    5. UD base = stickers (has on card elements)
    6. SPX = stickers
    7. SP threads = stickers (I think)
    8. SP signature edition = on card
    9. Black = on card
    10. SP Authentic = on card
    11. Ultimate Collection = on card
    12. Exquisite Collection = on card

    First, explain to me how that is not "a great committment"? Then explain to me how 90% are stickers. Even if there are three more sticker products, UD still has 1000% more products with on card autos than Donini, and many more than Topps. The whole second part of the calendar is on card. Seriously brad, what the fuck were you thinking?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Damn Brad jumped right into that one.... Gellman ? I pulled a Donruss redemtion for a leaf Rookies & stars SP kenny Phillips /99 RC after 8 months Panini decided just to send me a replacement which was a Playoffs NT Mike Jenkins Auto /99 Since I'm not all that familiar with either player and NT is way out of my price range. How do you think I ended up better or worse? I honestly don't know? neither appear to be worth much but I think it's crazy Panini donruss who the f ever just sends you a card when they can't fill a promised redemtion. Grant

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's been well established that Jellman is a UD humper. Thank god, UD will go under in the next 5 years. Here's to exclusivity!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gellman is right on here....upper deck is producing more products as of late that are more on card....meanwhile the other two brands...they are almost zero on-card autos...unless we count the manufactored patch auto as on card...

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just want to congratulate Ryan on being a record 0-20 on his comments. I mean, even the most idiotic of Joe Collectors get lucky once in a while. Keep on trying big guy, one day you can do it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Comments were a good read rofl. I can't remember the last Topps or Donruss/Panina product with on card autographs, if I had to guess the only product I can even name that they release as on card is bowman/bowman chrome baseball or Topps Chrome baseball (I've never bought the football versions so won't speak on those). And these are pretty much garbage low end products minus a refractor auto.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sorry, didn't mean to insult the hands that (sort of) feeds you. And thank you, by the way. It's about time you realized I was perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gellman, I do agree with you on the UD statement. There showing they listen to the customers.

    And how about 09 Topps Chrome baseball? On card but it seems it was a last minute thing. They left the window for where the box would be. UGLY

    I'll buy you a shrimp burger sometime

    ReplyDelete
  9. UD Goudey is "ON CARD". And by the way, any one got an 08 Goudey Graphs Jeter to trade?

    ReplyDelete
  10. sewing is abut as gay as jeter is

    ReplyDelete
  11. "who the f ever just sends you a card when they can't fill a promised redemtion[sic].[sic]"

    Actually, Upper Deck and Topps both do it as well.

    Shit happens, dude.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hey Gellman, I undertand you have to deal with guys like ( Brad ) above but honestlty when someone comes around like me who has an honest ? how is it you can't you don't have or take the time to respond? now I realize my ? may be stupid or un informed to your standards But a response would be nice. Instead of going back an forth with asshole* mentioned above or from previous post. Iv'e suppotted ur blog blog from day one whether I Agreed with you or not ! when I entered back into the hobby. Of course I don't expect a response now just a thought that maybe you do have loyal readers you may not know about wether you care or not. Grant "old school pack buster" of course after this post no one will ever go on my blog again? so maybe you will get the point! Still a loyal reader.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Grant, I must have missed the comment or question you had. Sorry if I did. I get so many emails and comments every day that I cant always keep track. That is my fault. My apologies again.

    ReplyDelete