Sticker Autos - Bad or Don't Care?

[30ranfordfan]

Yeah, I know there are some inserts out there that are worth a fair price (go for the Mirror Platinums from 97-98 Totally Certified..... I'll pay $75 paypal right now, to someone that can deliver me a 98-99 MVP SuperScript /25 of Ranford). I have serious doubts that many of the high prices for limited print run 90s inserts are coming from people who have taken up this hobby in the last 5 to 10 years though.

Anyway, let me re-phrase:

Let's say Upper Deck's products did this:
- Only the top 50 stars in the NHL signed cards for them. These were limited to use in The Cup and SPA only
- Additionally, 25 of the top rookies signed (for the same sets)
- 25 retired stars also signed

Various quanitities. Gretzky signs less than Crosby, who signs less than Jonathan Towes. Doesn't matter.

That's it.

Panini limited their auto totals to something similar. Maybe not the exact same players..... but a similar group of 100.


Do you think that a gold foil Insert out of Black Diamond, limited to 100 copies, of Sidney Crosby will sell for very much?

I'd be all for dropping sticker autos completely. I just don't think it's feasable with the number of players who sign, and the amount they sign, in the number of sets that they include them. Game Used has the same problem: Over saturation of the market, and quality of the pieces has suffered big time.

But if Upper Deck or Panini tried to go back to releasing sets that contined no game used, and no autographs - I don't think many people would buy them.

But if they didn't make autographs of 'every bum' in the NHL - they wouldn't be able to make as many autographed cards overall.... so unless you think collectors are going to accept Inserts as 'hits' then what are the manufacturers supposed to do?

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Yes, when the product is affordable. You don't see anybody complaining that has a 97-98 Wayne Gretzky Donruss Gold Stamp, or a 95-96 Select Certified Mirror Gold now do you?

[pharmd30usp]

Can't stand 'em. Stopped my auto set collecting in its tracks.

[Laffifan]

I hate them, but still get them for my PC Players. It's a good feeling when you get that hard signed auto that the player actually touched that card.

[Inferno]

Absolutely horrible, and a cheap way out for card manufacturers that are lazy and not caring about value.

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As I've said on countless other threads. It's Paramount for the card companies to be pro-active. Get some soldiers out during the off-season, or when teams are on road-trips in the early part of the season and get these signed.

Players are obligated through the NHLPA to get this done. It's supposed to be in a timely manner, but the NHLPA obviously does not enforce this.

If you are a card company, you answer to the consumer, not at the beck and call of players that cannot be bothered.

I used to think sticker autos were inexcusable too but whether we like it or not they are necessary in today's demanding hobby.

Expecting card companies to design, print, and distribute an entire season's worth of autograph cards to players during the off-season is just not feasible. Companies need the season to tweak designs, develop new concepts, adjust to changing rosters, and acquire memorabilia to keep up with expectations put on them by consumers. Besides, they seem to have enough trouble getting batches of autographs signed and returned on time as it is, just imagine trying to get a player to sign a whole season worth of cards in a few months (in between their own off-season training and other commitments).

Think of a set like The Cup that comes out around summer time, you're basically asking for cards to be made and signed a year in advance. A lot can change in that time, from players changing teams to new stars emerging. Collectors will complain that the new hot rookie isn't in more sets or that their favorite player changed teams long before the product came out, all because everything was done blindly the year before.

EDIT: Going to add another point here, using Marian Gaborik as an example because I collect him. The 2009-10 season was Gaborik's first with the Rangers. Upper Deck managed to get their hands on one of the first game-used Rangers jerseys probably around November-December. They had time to incorporate both Rangers photography and memorabilia into 2009-10 The Cup even though the cards were probably printed and sent out around the same time they were able to get the jersey. If I was to guess I would say it was in the nick of time. If The Cup had been printed and sent out any earlier that Rangers jersey might not have been included and I would have had to settle for an outdated card and possibly a mismatched photo/patch. The result was fresh up-to-date cards that I was happy to be able to chase, and also helped improve my opinion of Upper Deck's memorabilia process.

Sticker autos allow companies to build up an inventory of autographs that can be used for multiple products as well as provide options for last-minute additions to sets. They also help ensure that collectors have autograph content in early sets while the company works to secure hard-signed content for later releases. Either we accept sticker autos or we settle for nothing until later in the season when hard-signed can be pulled off in quantity.

I don't care much for stickers or redemptions either but I am not going to condemn them without first considering the logic behind it.

[lumm0x]

I love a good hard signed auto much more than a sticker. I totally understand the need to use them though and appreciate they try to limit the use to lower end sets. I don't mind sticker autos, I just don't want to see them in the expensive products. Top dollar products need top dollar commitments by the card companies.

[shlhockeyfan]

Hi,

I also prefer on card autos however my collection has only sticker autos so what can you do besides choosing another collection.

Diana

[Wickabee]

I suppose with a gun to my head I would say I prefer on-card, but in reality I couldn't care less. An auto is an auto and I'm not so picky in my collecting to think otherwise

[qwas]

Sticker auto's do have some advantages, for example, You can remove them and add them to your custom cards there by making a unique card for yourself. I wouldn't recommend this from a 400.00 Crosby or Orr sticker card but for those of us that have a favorite low-end player it is quite neat.