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.

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