Too many autos?

[Craig2]

I collect autographs of my PC guys, but I'm just wondering if anyone else feels like the market is more than a little flooded with too many autographs.

I spent a few minutes looking at Beckett today, using Sidney Crosby as my test case. By my count there are about 900 numbered Crosby autos in 2009 products, and that obviously doesn't include unnumbered ones like Autofacts, BAP autos, Gemography, SOTT, Ultimate Signatures, Ice Scripts or a few others.

I'm not sure what it means - will we see a devaluation because there are so many out there? It just seems like overkill to me, but I guess that autos and patches are what everyone is chasing. Am I the only one who feels this way?

[PsychoPig]

I think there are definitely too many now but it's the consumers that are pushing the demand for them.

It's the reason that I only collect a single auto of each Detroit player. That way I can grab the 1 that I like the best and just upgrade it if some newer one comes out that I like better.

[30ranfordfan]

Of course it's going to devalue them. Using Crosby as the example..... if you think you'd like to own a Crosby auto at some point, but don't particularly care what the card is..... wait a few years. The values will just keep dropping.

I remember pulling a Sergie Samsonov Auto from a pack of 96-97 BAP (Maybe it was 97-98?). That was probably the biggest 'hit' I'd ever pulled, at the time. I think BV was around $60. It's not worth a fraction of that today. Yes, a large part of that has to do with the fact that Samsonov never really turned into the player that everyone thought it he would be.... but how easy his auto is to get also has a lot to do with it.

15 years ago, there wasn't such a thing as a pack certified autograph of a "semi-star" level player that sold for a couple of bucks. Now it's common place.

[mugmasher]

i feel the same way..there is just way to many auto's of a player now..like the good old days when you pulled an auto or even a jersey card it was huge...sometimes even if it were an ordinary player..i miss those days sometimes..the values were so much higher and it was big news..now it just seems so common..

[gregmal05]

Totally agree. Autos used to be valuable. They still are to an extent, but only if they are of a certain few players. Even those guys, for instance Brodeur, whom I collect, are down to record lows ($30) in some cases. I think the companies are relying to heavily on their money guys to keep products going, but in the long run it will make them all less valuable. Where exactly will the hobby go when the top autos from non rookies doesnt even justify the cost of a pack?

[MatsSundin13Rocks]

Totally agree. Autos used to be valuable. They still are to an extent, but only if they are of a certain few players. Even those guys, for instance Brodeur, whom I collect, are down to record lows ($30) in some cases. I think the companies are relying to heavily on their money guys to keep products going, but in the long run it will make them all less valuable. Where exactly will the hobby go when the top autos from non rookies doesnt even justify the cost of a pack?

Hey I couldn't sell a Iginla UD Black Pride Of The Nation auto /35 which I had up for auction at $29.99 starting price. The previous one sold for $45. I'm glad mine didn't sell at $29.99 because I was able to trade it for 2 cards I wanted. My Zetterberg UD Black Autographed Jersey card /25 only sold for $38 shipped. My SPGU Eric Staal/Jordan Staal Dual Auto #12/25 sold for only $20 plus $5 shipping to Europe. All autos are getting devalued as they keep making more. A rookie auto of Tavares from Ultimate Collection /99 probably sells for $300ish or more while I had trouble get that for a 7 Selke trophy winning players auto SPA SOTT /6. I pulled an Ovechkin signature patch (3clr) /75 from 07/08 The Cup that I sold for $160 US. I paid $450 CDN tax included for the pack. The other 4 cards weren't worth $290.

I wonder how succesful Panini is going to be without autos from Orr, Grezkty, Howe, etc who have exclusive deals with Upper Deck. What about Crosby's exclusive deal with Upper Deck? Is that now void because of the deal Panini got with the NHL/NHLPA in that current players can't sign exclusive deals?

Anyway that is the end of my little speech/rant/post.

[RGM81]

Correct, current players cannot have exclusives with only one company.

[hossa18sens]

And yet there are a tonne of player's with no auto's. Jesse Winchester has a grand total of 0 lol

I wonder what makes the companies decide we will put in 5000 of this nobody but this one we will just ignore lol

[RGM81]

And yet there are a tonne of player's with no auto's. Jesse Winchester has a grand total of 0 lol

I wonder what makes the companies decide we will put in 5000 of this nobody but this one we will just ignore lol

I hear that. Josh has had one autograph as a Canadiens player (two if the count the will-not-be-produced 07-08 SIGnificance) and zero memorabilia since 06-07.

Yet somehow they're still churning out stuff of Kyle Chipchura and Justin Pogge.

Where's the justice?

[MatsSundin13Rocks]

I hear that. Josh has had one autograph as a Canadiens player (two if the count the will-not-be-produced 07-08 SIGnificance) and zero memorabilia since 06-07.

Yet somehow they're still churning out stuff of Kyle Chipchura and Justin Pogge.

Where's the justice?

I'm hoping Upper Deck or Panini get Nikolai Kulemin on more cards this year and get some memorabilia of his. Would like a nice Kessel/Bozak/Kulemin triple jersey/patch card along with a Kessel/Kulemin dual auto/dual auto jersey/patch.