I know I complain about parallels sometimes…

[stoopid]

I agree with the sentiments here. It's too much. What UD has done with the flagship set even, it's too much IMO. YGs used to have Exclusives, and High Gloss for parallels (plus the plates). Canvas has always been a weird one, and while I would consider it part of a YG "rainbow" - it's not a true parallel, as the set doesn't mirror the base set.

ePack got us two more foil variants (started out with just 1), but that's the kind of thing that ePack was meant for. Clear Cuts got added along the way too, don't recall exactly when.

Now they've added Deluxe /250, Outburst Silver, Red /25, and Gold 1/1.

Very quickly - we've gone from three versions of a card (plus plates) to 10.

I'll admit the Gold 1/1 is kind of cool - but were the other three new versions this year really needed? Was there a whole bunch of of people telling UD "You know, the four hobby versions + two ePack exclusives really isn't enough, we need more YG variants". I doubt it very much. They added more versions, because they need more "hits" to distribute across a product that they're producing WAY more of than they have in years.

Manufacturers backed themselves into a corner with numbered cards and trying to keep pack pull consistency between years/releases. They can't increase print runs without more parallels, or they dilute the experience for each pack. Either way is bad for most collectors, that's why IMO the underlying issue is print runs and, in this case, UD's greed. On top of the increased print runs the prices have gone up (each year for a while now). So, again, greed. Can it be framed another way? NOPE!

[discomike]

Manufacturers backed themselves into a corner with numbered cards and trying to keep pack pull consistency between years/releases. They can't increase print runs without more parallels, or they dilute the experience for each pack. Either way is bad for most collectors, that's why IMO the underlying issue is print runs and, in this case, UD's greed. On top of the increased print runs the prices have gone up (each year for a while now). So, again, greed. Can it be framed another way? NOPE!

As long as collectors are willing to pay the increased prices, prices will continue to go up though. Collectors do have the power to simply say to Upper Deck, No, I'm not paying these outrageously inflated prices for your product, Problem is, card collecting isn't so much a hobby as it is an addiction for far too many collectors. Sometimes, I almost feel like there needs to be an AA for card collectors.

[stoopid]

As long as collectors are willing to pay the increased prices, prices will continue to go up though. Collectors do have the power to simply say to Upper Deck, No, I'm not paying these outrageously inflated prices for your product, Problem is, card collecting isn't so much a hobby as it is an addiction for far too many collectors. Sometimes, I almost feel like there needs to be an AA for card collectors.

There's 12 Step programs for gambling, but I don't suspect most card collectors ripping product think of themselves as gamblers.

[discomike]

There's 12 Step programs for gambling, but I don't suspect most card collectors ripping product think of themselves as gamblers.

Most gamblers don't think of themselves as 'problem' gamblers either.

[stoopid]

Most gamblers don't think of themselves as 'problem' gamblers either.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but until someone identifies there's an issue there's no self help program on the planet that can help them. So it's important to note that help exists for those who want it. Also, most who need it don't know they need it and/or don't want it.

[discomike]

I'm not disagreeing with you, but until someone identifies there's an issue there's no self help program on the planet that can help them. So it's important to note that help exists for those who want it. Also, most who need it don't know they need it and/or don't want it.

That is true as well.