Trilogy Autograph Quality Issues

[RGM81]

I love a lot of aspects about the product - designs look really nice, cool subset concepts, etc. - but some of the execution has really left something to be desired. The biggest problem I've noticed is that throughout the product, both the on-card and sticker autograph quality is very poor.

Ice Scripts example (this is an in-hand card):


You can see that there's little "ridges" in the signature that degrade the quality of the signature. I've looked at the autos for quite a few players and this seems to be a pretty common occurrence.

Here's another hard-signed card, the Puck Signatures, a set that I really wanted to put together for the Habs players involved, but will now be an extra challenge. Not only are half the Habs involved in the set SP's or even SSP's, I think I know why. If this is an example of what Upper Deck let out the door, I can only imagine some of the others. This is an eBay photo:


It's worth mentioning that Gorges does not have one of the /3 Shield Parallel versions of the card. If the cards got pulled because the auto quality is somehow WORSE than what's above, that's a real shame.

So that's the hard-signed stuff. Let's look at some of the sticker autos, those of one of the best rookies in the set, Brendan Gallagher. Here's a good one:


Here's one missing the bottom part of the swoop:


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There's a couple key points that I need to make here - I've said it before: UD has to go with what the player gives them. They can't simply say, "Do these over again," if there's some that are poor quality because they will likely have to pay the player again, and there's the risk of alienating them. Not good when it's a major RC that they will want to have signing on every product throughout the year, and years to come. The other point is that maybe the players didn't use the right type of pen--doubtful, since UD sends the pens to use, right? I don't know, it's just frustrating that so many of the top Habs cards in Trilogy are SP'd and even the ones that are out there you have to be careful that you're buying a good copy.

[theboxbreaker96]

The Sticker Autos are not UDs fault in any way. They paid for those autos they have to use them and they cant get them redone for obvious reasons. Some of the autos can be pitched but most cant.

The Ice Scripts on the other hand is terrible and is 100% UDs fault. They should know what pens work on what surface and what surfaces just cant be signed on. They have done Ice Scripts years before and there is no excuse for this years mess. I love those Ice Scripts they look amazing when the Auto is good. The card looks terrible when the auto is bad like that Price above. The same goes for the Pucks Autos.

IMO I think the pens were messed up. If that's the case UD is to blame. I like UD don't get me wrong but I will criticize when need be just like I will to every other company and my loved Pens and Pirates!

[mooneyes]

The Sig Pucks card have a great design, sadly looks like they gave the players a gold crayon to sign with. Someone needs to introduce Gel pens to UD, the come in any color and would make for silky smooth, legible auto's.

[RGM81]

The Sig Pucks card have a great design, sadly looks like they gave the players a gold crayon to sign with. Someone needs to introduce Gel pens to UD, the come in any color and would make for silky smooth, legible auto's.

As a guy that has exclusively used Pilot G2 gel pens since his undergrad days in university, I concur.

There are some players who signed in silver ink and those ones turned out just fine (see Guy Lafleur's cards) but the gold ones seem to be the source of the trouble, for sure.

[Inferno]

If you can keep the auto intact on an Ice Scripts card you are a miracle worker. They are a lost cause and will inevitably fade and scratch over time. I've got an older Gaborik one from back in 2006 or so that was kept sleeved/bindered since I got it and the auto is a disaster. I don't bother with them anymore.

The puck autos are messy too, classic case of the wrong pen for the surface.

Autos going off the sides of the sticker are the players fault but at the same time I can't blame them after signing thousands of the little things.

[Hobbybox604]

I 100% agree with u guys.

The ice scripts have issues,a lot of them do! I passed on a few Keslers cuz of that. They looked like they already fading!! i have a Naslund Ice Script from 06/07 that looks like the reg glass cards,clear!! sad to say the auto is completely GONE :( *can show if needed*

As for pucks,those are horrible! I mean,doesnt upperdeck care how these players sign? First they give em a $ store permanent marker,doubt its even a sharpie! Then they let em sign anywhere they want! Specially the newer players,like look at Grigorenko's or Galchenyuk's!!! they sign like how they sign a normal puck (im a sucker 4 signed pucks!)
As u said,Just look at how some of the older guys signed, Guy Lafleur,Bobby Hull,Bobby Clarke,...they signed around the logo and it looks amazing!

and for the ultimate Habs collector,how about Leblanc's?!? OMG Upside down!!

And the stickers are bad too,im looking for Schroders,cant find a decent one,one that has all the loops and curves,lol

thanks for sharing,,,,

[Hobbybox604]

Someone needs to introduce Gel pens to UD, the come in any color and would make for silky smooth, legible auto's.

As well as Panini ;)
they had the Same issue with Panini Prime Signatures,for gods sake cant they invest in a rubber (eraser) lol!!

[mortuus]

Yeah they use really crappy marker pens or how u call them? Ever since the first year triliogy ice scripts its more or less same problem, this is not the players fault this is totally UD if blaim.. its shame cause overtime if that bad now thoose imagine in a couple of years.. i bet almost gone.

[keithman07]

This further shows UD's quality issues:

From http://www.ebay.ca/itm/161068794779?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p398 4.m1438.l2649 :



The puck and auto are upside down.

[RGM81]

Oh yeah I forgot about that one.