The articles that make up Issue #006 of the FootyStars “Collectors Edition” newsletter can be found in this newsletter archive by following these links.

Editorial
http://newsletter.footystars.com.au/2007/04/new-season-new-cards-bring-it-on/

Footy Card Spotlight
http://newsletter.footystars.com.au/2007/04/printed-signatures-real-or-rip-off/

Footy Card Collectors Tips
http://newsletter.footystars.com.au/2007/04/the-difference-between-series-1-and-series-2-footy-cards/

Protecting Your Investment
http://newsletter.footystars.com.au/2007/04/four-screw-screwdowns/

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How good is it?

The Footy is BACK!

NRL fans have been enjoying the footy for 3 weeks, and the AFL got under way this weekend.  FINALLY our LONG off season is over

Of course with the new season comes new footy cards!

Normally this would excite me as much as the start of the footy season… but unfortunately not this year.

Last month I wrote about my disappointment with the advance detail of the Series 1 release for both the AFL and NRL Champions Series footy cards.

As we received more information, and a bunch of promotional cards and flyers — my disappointment GREW.

You see, last month when I wrote to you, I was upset that the NRL had no signature cards in the series while the AFL did. I didn’t think it was fair to collectors when one code got a “better” set of cards than the other.

However… the tables turned when the promo cards and flyers arrived. I’ll tell you what I mean in the “Card Spotlight” section below.

I also received a few emails from our subscribers who thought I was “a bit harsh” in my assessment of the new series.

You see, these subscribers wanted to remind me that not all collectors are in the hobby for the money, and that not everyone can afford the premium series released later in the year.

I’m the first person to welcome feedback from our readers and in this case I think the feedback was spot on — even if I disagreed with SOME of it.

I’m a believer that we should be encouraging new card collectors at EVERY opportunity.

I believe that this first series, which is typically a more affordable series ($2.95 per packet RRP) is the perfect opportunity to introduce young collectors to the hobby.

I believe that we should be showing these new collectors just how good the hobby is, by showing them, and giving them the full experience INCLUDING signature cards.

When this opportunity is removed I think we all miss out. Old collectors and new collectors alike, we ALL miss out.

I agree with the comments I received.  It’s not about the money. It’s about the experience, which should be a fun one. How else can we encourage more people to take up this great hobby?

Once you’ve read the next section you may agree with me — or you may not — but I think the actual product that Select released is even WORSE than what would have happened had they not included signature cards. But more on that shortly. 

Let me know what you think once you’ve read the next section.  Leave a comment in the comment section that follows the article.

On a positive note… With the start of the footy season upon us we have been overwhelmed with new subscribers to this newsletter which is fantastic to see. If you are reading this newsletter for the first time, I would like to extend my personal welcome to you.

We trust you will enjoy the monthly issues of the Footy Stars newsletter as we try to keep you up to date and give you our honest opinions on the card collecting hobby.

I would also like to encourage our longer term readers to forward a copy of this newsletter to any of your friends who are football card collectors.

They might enjoy reading it as much as you do! (of course the may just hate it but that’s up to them).

Your friends can subscribe the same way you did, by completing the sign up form on the left hand side of our web site at: http://www.FootyStars.com.au

Ok, if you’re still reading this you are probably dying to find out what I’ve been referring to in relation to the Champions Series… It’s in the next section.

Until next month. Enjoy the footy and enjoy your hobby.

Regards,

Ian

——-

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Right… it is now time to share with you, my reasons for being so disappointed with the new NRL and AFL Champions Series cards…

As I mentioned before, when I wrote to you last I was upset that the NRL had no signature cards in the series while the AFL did. I didn’t think it was fair to collectors when one code got a “better” set of cards than the other.

Unfortunately for AFL fans the tables turned…

The “signature” cards are NOT real signatures!

They are PRINTED REPRODUCTIONS of the player’s signature.

Can you believe it???

Printed copies of the player’s signature!

In fairness to Select Australia (the manufacturers of the footy cards)… they have called them “Gold Foil Printed Signatures” — so they are NOT deliberately trying to mislead anyone.

The name is telling you that the player’s signature is printed in a gold coloured foil print.

But I ask you this…

Is a gold foil printed signature, still a signature?

And if it is…

Is it worth as much as a personally signed player signature?

IF you answered YES to BOTH these questions I have a few more questions for you…

If I made a photocopy of a $50 note, is it still a $50 note?

And if it is…

I’d like to buy your house from you! I’ll be paying cash… as many $50 notes as you want!

I think you get my point.

It’s a shame that Select chose to go down this route. In my opinion, it does nothing positive for the card collecting hobby at all.

In my view, the printed signatures are going to de-value Select’s other perfectly legitimate limited edition signature cards — the ones that the players hand sign themselves — because every collector who buys something sight unseen will now be wondering… Is it a real signature or a printed signature?

Even the new collectors (most likely kids) that are just starting out with this series are being misled into thinking that printed signatures are cards worth collecting.

These same kids are having their expectations set so that when the next series of cards come out they expect to find one signature in every four packets (the same ratio as this Champions Series). That’s not realistic… it would be too many signature cards!

The Promotional Flyer from Select tells us that there are six gold foil signatures per team… 96 cards in the sub set. There is one card in every four packets (on average).

That means there are approximately 97,200 printed signature cards in the entire series. (900 cases x 12 boxes per case x 36 packets per box divided by four).

That’s over 1000 printed signatures per player!

That is FAR TOO MANY when you consider the two biggest factors that determine value in the card collecting hobby are scarcity and demand. With this many printed signatures available it is hardly a scarce set.

Having learnt all of this you may still want to buy the set. That’s your call.

We won’t be stocking the Champions Series for either the AFL or NRL. I don’t think they are worth the trouble of collecting and as such I don’t feel comfortable selling them to you.

Whichever way you collect cards, we encourage you to keep in mind our first rule of collecting:

“Have fun. Collect for fun, not for profit.”

If you want to see the Promotional Flyer for the Champions Series I’ve included them here (1 meg each in size):

AFL Champions 2007

NRL Champions 2007

What do you think? Have your say and leave a comment below.

This month I will continue my theme of the Champions Series cards for NRL and AFL and at the same time explain the differences between the first and second series release of each year.

Select Australia (Select) print and produce a number of different series each year. Most often, they produce a “value” set (Champions Series) which is available through Newsagents, and a “premium” series (released around the middle of the year) which is available only through Hobby stores (Supreme and Invincible in 2006).

The differences between the two sets are many, but the most noticeable are the price of the packs, the number of cards in each pack, and the thickness of the card stock (cardboard) on which they are printed.

The value packs retail in Newsagencies for $2.95 per packet for 8 cards (7 cards + 1 holographic foiled card), whereas the premium hobby set retails for approximately $5.95 per packet ($4.99 for NRL last year) and include at least 10 cards (9 cards + a die cut card last year).

The thickness of the cardboard or card stock as it is known in the printing industry, demonstrates the cards durability. The thicker the card stock the more valuable the card and the less likely it is to get bent or creased.

When you hold the different versions of each set in your hands you can immediately tell the difference in card stock. Champions is on a thin stock, and the premium Supreme or Invincible cards are on a thicker stock.

Another major difference over the years has been the inclusion of signatures. Over recent years BOTH the value and the premium releases have had hand signed signature cards included in the release. In the value packs these have usually been redemption cards rather than the actual signature card itself but nonetheless you got a hand signed card.

Sure, the players featured on the value packs signature cards were more “up and coming players”, while the true legends and modern day stars of the game were featured in the premium hobby series… but that’s one of the reasons for the price difference.

I guess the bottom line here is this…

Know what you’re buying… know why you’re buying it, know why one series is priced lower than the other, and make an informed choice from there.

We write this newsletter for you each month to help you make this informed choice and we hope that we’ve helped you somewhat this month.

Please let us know what you think… you’ve heard my opinion and I would love to hear yours.

Share your opinion with all our subscribers by using the comment link below. You don’t necessarily need to agree with my views — just have your say.

This month we talk about the Four Screw Screwdown from Ultra Pro.

One of the simplest and easiest products to use, the Four Screw Screwdown is available for just $2.45 each (less than the price of a team set) and you can protect your favourite cards FOREVER!

They are made of a clear rigid-plastic and have four small screws holding the 2 pieces (front and back) together.

The Four Screw Screwdown has a recessed area to fit the card so that the card isn’t squashed between the two pieces of plastic — instead it merely sits between the two halves in the recessed area.

The Four Screw Screwdown makes it virtually impossible for your card to be creased or folded, and it protects the sides and corners from damage.

Being clear they still allow you to view both the front and back of your footy card so you retain maximum visibility — so you can show your friends.

The screwdown is acid free and contain absolutely no PVC, which is important for collectors because it means your cards will be protected for many many years to come.

Acid and PVC can leach into your cards, making them fade, stick to the plastic and be quickly destroyed.

Beware of cheap imitations, and trust in the Ultra Pro brand.

If you’re interested in protecting your cards with Ultra Pro, you can now find all the Ultra Pro Accessories mentioned in this newsletter at great prices on our website at:  http://www.footystars.com.au/store/ultrapro-c-25.html