Can you believe it’s December already? Where did the year go?

With less that 3 weeks until Christmas Emma and I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.

It’s been a huge year both on the football field and off.

The Geelong Cats and the Melbourne Storm again showed us just how dominant they have been over the last few years taking out their respective premierships.

Off the field our nephew Thomas has been undergoing treatment for cancer… and I’m pleased to share the good news he just received…

After comprehensive tests, Tom has just been told there is no evidence of the disease, which is the fantastic news that we had all been waiting for!

The Doctors will still monitor Tom every three months — but the chemo and radiation are now finished. It’s the perfect christmas gift for Tom and his family.

While we’re talking about Christmas gifts… we have just reduced the price of over 350 items in our store including Signature cards, Inserts, Team Sets and more.

Take a look here in the AFL section or here in the NRL section to see if there’s anything you need to complete your collection for Christmas.

We have the last remaining Case of 2009 AFL Pinnacle… which guarantees you a Captain Signature card. If you’re looking for the ultimate Christmas present (for yourself or someone else) you can find details right here:

http://www.footystars.com.au/store/2009-pinnacle-case-p-910128.html

And a personal request from me. We’re currently trying to locate an Unredeemed 2006 Cronulla Sharks Predictor from the NRL Invincible Series. If you have one, or know someone who does, could you please let me know? This is what it looks like:

We trust you enjoy reading this issue of the “Collector’s Edition” newsletter, and hope you have a safe holiday season.

Merry Christmas,

Ian

I love this time of year!

There’s excitement building as the release date for the Series 2 footy cards gets closer.

2009 AFL Pinnacle is due for release on Monday 13 July and the 2009 NRL Classic is due out at the end of the month.

This issue of the “Collector’s Edition” newsletter focuses on both these new releases.

In the next section we share more tips on the AFL Pinnacle Series and then after that we put the spotlight on the NRL Classic Series release.

There’ lots to get excited about and the format and structure of both releases is set to see them both sell out in record time. I hope you like what you see.

Last week I shared the story of my nephew Thomas who is currently battling cancer. Just days later Jim Stynes revealed he’s battling cancer. Then over the weekend we saw the Carlton Blues and the Brisbane Broncos compete in rare Yellow strips to raise money and awareness for the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LiveStrong program… Cancer awareness seemed to be everywhere.

Thank you to all the people who donated to the Cancer Council following our previous newsletter, and for those who sent messages of support to Thomas. We appreciate your support very much.

And thank you to those who wrote back to share their own experience with cancer — your courage is inspiring.

We trust you will gain some enjoyment in reading this issue of the “Collector’s Edition” newsletter.

Ian

It’s been a long time since we sent our last newsletter… sorry if you’ve been waiting patiently, we look forward to staying in touch with you more regularly from now on.

So much has happened in the world of footy cards since November last year. We’ve seen Select release the Series 1 Champions for both AFL and NRL, The Herald Sun again released an AFL set as did the Daily Telegraph with NRL. Even the AFL Umpires Association are getting involved by releasing another short run series for 2009.

The biggest release of 2009 is just around the corner… with details of Select’s Series 2 being officially released just yesterday.

We’ve got some info on the AFL Pinnacle Series (below), and as we get confirmed details of the NRL Classic release we will write to you again.

There are a couple of reasons why the newsletter stopped for a while, the biggest reason was because earlier this year we moved from Sydney to Brisbane to be closer to family.

We are really pleased with the move so far. Our two boys Robbie and Max are spending lots of time playing with their cousins and of course the weather is much nicer here in QLD (sorry Sydney).

But there is a sad side to our move as well.

One of the reasons we wanted to move closer to our family is because my 8 year old nephew; Thomas, was diagnosed in October with a Stage 4 Metastatic Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, an agressive form of cancer found mostly in children and adolescents.

Tom continues to undergo treatment as I write this and so far has responded really positively. His spirits remain high and he’s got loads of friends offering support to him and his family. We’re praying that he continues to improve and his cancer goes into remission so he can live the life every child should live.

Cancer seems to touch so many people’s lives. In the last two years three of my own family and friends have been diagnosed and undergone treatment. Chances are, you probably know someone with cancer too.

If you can afford a few spare dollars, please consider donating to the Cancer Council.

Your contribution, no matter how big or small helps improve the prevention, treatment and support for cancer patients.

Donate online to the Cancer Council of Australia by clicking here… or if you prefer to donate by mail download the postal donation form here…

Every little bit helps.

Please enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

Ian

Hi there,

This year is a typically quiet time of year for footy card collectors, but it will pick up again next week and again in late December with the release of the last footy cards of 2008… but more on that in a moment.

The Grand Finals have been played and won (Congratulations Hawthorn and Manly), the International Rules Series (AFL) has been and gone, and the Rugby League World Cup continues to underwhelm most fans but we’re still hoping for a Kangaroos victory next weekend.

To celebrate the end of the footy season, and to reward our loyal subscribers prior to Christmas, we have decided to offer you FREE POSTAGE on all orders over $10 before the end of November.

We’ve never done this before so we encourage you to take advantage of the offer before the end of the month.  You will need this coupon code, FreePostNov which you have to redeem during the checkout process.

The offer is available on every item on our site… so what are you waiting for… take a look now and get the cards you want.  www.FootyStars.com.au/store

At the beginning of this section I told you that things will pick up again next week.  That’s because Select are releasing the ever popular Premiership Boxed Sets for the 2008 Premiers in both the AFL and NRL.

Details of the Hawthorn Hawks Premiership Set are available by clicking here…

And details of the Manly Sea Eagles Premiership Set are available by clicking here…

You can pre-order yours now AND take advantage of the Free Postage offer.  The perfect Christmas present for any Hawks or Manly fan in your family.

And that’s not all… in late December we can expect to see the Premiership Redemption sets released by Select.  These are the sets that required you to collect either all 16 Premiership Predictors (AFL) or the 4 Foundation Club Prize Cards in the NRL.  If you still need any of these cards we have a limited supply of both redemption card types.

As the year draws to an end, we can look back at the season and reflect.

2008 witnessed the AFL celebrate its 150 year milestone and the NRL celebrate its Centenary year. In my opinion, Select did a fantastic job of commemorating both milestones. The two releases have been recognised by collectors around the Country as the best in many years.

If you want a sneak peak at what the 2009 AFL Series has in store for us be sure to keep an eye on the AFL National Draft which takes place on Saturday, 29 November at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne.  If you can’t get there in person, the AFL will be broadcasting live over the internet.  Click here for details.

Let’s hope we see continued improvement in the 2009 Series releases from Select, like a little more attention to detail (see more about this in the next article) so that we can be proud of the cards we collect again.

Enjoy the rest of this issue.  As always, let me know what you think.  Click on the comments section below and share your thoughts.

All the best,

Ian

Hi there,

The Series 2 footy cards were released a month ago and WOW what an impact they have had on collectors in both AFL and NRL codes.

The AFL Classic Series SOLD OUT of Sealed Cases in less than two weeks catching us by surprise!

It’s a very collectible series and has proven hugely popular already.  We will discuss some of the most popular cards from this series in just a moment.

The NRL Centenary Series has been just as popular with both new and old collectors.  The mix of historical cards and the modern day cards has added a whole new element to our hobby… there’s something for everyone.

With Father’s Day just around the corner it’s not too late to get Dad some footy cards… take a look around our store by clicking here:  https://www.FootyStars.com.au/store

Okay, lets take a closer look at some of the most popular AFL cards in the Classic Series so far:

2007 Draft Pick Signature Platinum

The second of the Draft Pick Signature sub-set is known as Draft Pick Signature Platinum and is the more scarce of the two DPS sets.

Limited to just 100 individually numbered cards for each of the 17 players from the 2007 Draft, these are inserted into packets at the ratio of one card per 144 packs (one per four boxes).

Rather than gold foiling (as depicted on the Draft Pick Signature Gold sub-set), these cards are highlighted in Platinum coloured foil and have a slightly different graphical design than the Draft Pick Signature Gold sub-set.

They are as scarce as the Major Signature Redemption Cards with only 100 of each card released justifying their prices of between $100 and $300 per card.

They have proved popular because many different types of collectors are keen to add them to their collection.

Whether you’re a “Team” collector, a “Signature” collector, or a “Complete Set” collector, you will want these cards in YOUR collection!

Take a look at the few remaining Draft Pick Platinum cards that we have left.  Click here…

In the NRL Centenary Series Footy Cards some of the most popular cards have been the Past Heroes cards.

This sub-set features 32 players from the past 30 years with two players appearing for each of the current clubs.

Some of the biggest names of the modern era are featured in this set and it’s a nice throw back to the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

The sub-set features club greats who were not lucky enough to make the 100 Greatest of all time.  They’ve represented their country, or won premiership and many have represented their State… they have all made an impact over the past 3 decades.

At less than $9 a card — these represent great value for all collectors, especially if you just collect your team!

Check them out.  Click here…

The other insert set that is popular in the NRL Centenary Series is the Team of the Century sub-set.

This 18 card sub-set is made up of the 17 players and Coach of the “Team of the Century.”

The cards are a beautiful design that celebrates the history of the game.  The card is designed to look like it’s an aged card itself — adding that extra piece of nostalgia.

These are another affordable insert at less than $10 per card.  See them for yourself by clicking here…

Another of the most popular items in the NRL Centenary Series is the magnificent official folder… but more on that shortly.

What do you think of the Classic and Centenary Series?

Add you thoughts in the comment section by clicking here…

Since I’ve been talking about some of the more popular insert sets… it’s probably worthwhile that I describe what I mean in more detail.  Take a look in the next article for more.

Enjoy the rest of this issue.

Ian

Fantastic news… Select have released the first details about their Series 2 premium card release and we’ve got all the details for you here!

On Monday, 21 July the new 2008 AFL Classic series will be released, and just 7 days later on Monday, 28 July the new 2008 NRL Centenary series will be available.

Our long wait is almost over.

There is some really good news for collectors in both releases… with Select trying new things and including new sub sets, particularly in the NRL Centenary release.

Here are the highlights before we discuss the detail of each release.

AFL Classic will see 6000 boxes produced with 36 packets per box. Each packet will include 9 premium quality cards and sell for $4.99 per pack. Last year Select released 7000 boxes in the Supreme Series.

NRL Centenary will see 10,000 boxes produced (it was only 5000 last year for Invincible) with 36 packets per box. Each packet will include 9 premium quality cards and sell for $4.99 per pack.

Now… let’s get into the detail

AFL Classic 2008

The base set consists of 185 common cards, there are 10 players from each of the 16 AFL teams, however it seems there are no team logo cards (see below for a sneak peak). This year the 2007 All Australian Team (22 cards) are included in the base set and there are 3 checklist cards.

There is a 185 card Holofoil Parallel Set.

The Holofoil set runs parallel to the base common set including the All Australian Team. They include the holofoil finish along with a different card design that can be seen below.

You will find one Holofoil Card per packet.

Hall of Fame Tribute Match

Celebrating the 150 Year Hall of Fame Tribute Match at the MCG on May 10, 2008 this 50 card sub set features the 50 players who competed on the night. See the card design below.

You will find one HOF Tribute card in every six packets.

2007 Medal Winners

This year the Medal Winners sub set again features the five Medal Winners from the 2007 premiership season. The players highlighted are:

• Jimmy Bartel - Brownlow Medallist
• Gary Ablett Jnr - Leigh Matthews MVP
• Jonathan Brown - Coleman Medal
• Steve Johnson - Norm Smith Medallist
• Joel Selwood - NAB Rising Star

Geelong fans will be rushing this sub set that honours their stars from 2007.

These are inserted one card in 36 packets (one per box).

AFL/VFL Premiership Commemorative Cards

There are 12 cards in this latest sub set which is a continuation of the long running insert series last seen in the 2006 Supreme release. With each card limited in number to 550 cards these are sure to be popular once again.

Inserted at a ratio of one card in every 36 packets (one per box).

2008 Premiership Predictors

The old favourites are back. Each team is represented in the Premiership Predictor Redemption sub set with only 400 cards for each team produced. We’ve not been told what these cards redeem yet but we will let you know as soon as we learn what the offer is. Regardless of the offer, the 3 teams shown below are sure to be the most sought after of all Predictors.

Inserted one card per 36 packets (one per box).

2007 Draft Pick Signature Gold

In the 2008 Classic Series we see two sets of Draft Pick Signatures each featuring 17 players from the 2007 Draft.

The first sub set is the DPS Gold and is found one card in every 36 packets (one per box) which means we can expect them to be limited to 400 cards each. It appears that these “Gold” cards will be printed with Gold foiling to distinguish it from the other DPS sub set.

2007 Draft Pick Signature Platinum

The second DPS sub set is known as DPS Platinum and is the more scarce of the two sets. Limited to just 100 individually numbered cards for each of the 17 players, these are inserted into packets at the ratio of one card per 144 packs (one per four boxes). Rather than gold foiling, expect these cards to be highlighted in platinum coloured foil.

Signature Redemption

The 2008 Classic Series includes six Signature Redemption cards each limited to 100 individually numbered cards. Based on these numbers, I suggest they will be inserted one card every 360 packets (one per 10 boxes) which means some lucky collectors could find two in a case but they may be one per 12 boxes (one per case).

The Signature Redemption cards feature:

• Jimmy Bartel - Brownlow Medallist
• Gary Ablett Jnr - Leigh Matthews MVP
• James Hird - Tribute Signature
• Glenn Archer - Tribute Signature
• Jonathan Brown - HOF Tribute Match Captain
• Andrew McLeod - HOF Tribute Match Captain

Case Cards

Inside each Case (12 boxes) of AFL Classic you will find one randomly inserted Case Card. This year three players are highlighted… all of whom have played 300+ games in their career.

• Brad Johnson - Western Bulldogs
• Wayne Schimmelbusch - North Melbourne
• Don Scott - Hawthorn

AFL Classic Official Folder

Like the last few years Select will also be releasing an official folder for the AFL Classic series. Here is a sneak peak at the cover design.

---

NRL Centenary of Rugby League

The base set is made up of 199 common cards featuring the 100 Greatest Players of the Century, 16 Club History Cards and 80 modern day players (5 per team) and 3 checklist cards. Specially designed to commemorate the Centenary Year these cards are sure to be highly desirable for years to come.

Holofoil Club Logos

This 16 card sub set features holofoil finishing. The logos pictured are the Centenary of Rugby League logos for each of the currently competing teams. Sure to be a collectible sub set for every rugby league fan looking to commemorate the Centenary year.

Inserted one card in every eight packets.

Past Heroes

This sub set features 32 players from the past 30 years with two players appearing for each of the current clubs. This is an excellent sub set that features players who were not lucky enough to make the 100 Greatest of all time, but who have certainly made an impact in the hearts and minds of fans over the past 3 decades. While the kids might not know who all these players are… Dads (and a few Mums) are sure to know them all.

These cards are inserted into packs at the ratio of one card per eight packets.

Team of the Century

Announced on 17 April 2008, the 17 players plus the Coach of the Team of the Century are highlighted in this historical sub set. A beautiful design that celebrates the history of the game.

Inserted one card in every 12 packets (three per box).

Team of the Century Gold Foil Signatures

This sub set again includes the 17 players and the coach of the Team of the Century, but this time with Gold Foil Printed Signatures for each person. Regular readers will know that I’m not a big fan of printed signatures (see this article) however given a number of these players have passed on, it makes sense to celebrate their achievements in this way. The additional benefit for these cards are that you know they are truly limited edition as each card is individually numbered to 600 cards.

Inserted one card in every 36 packets (one per box).

Immortals

There are seven men officially recognised as immortals… the highest honour bestowed upon any rugby league player. This sub set presents each immortal and is inserted one card in every 36 packets (one per box). Another historical design highlights these remarkable players.

Immortals Sketch Cards

Each Immortal is presented again, this time as a Sketch Card. Individually numbered to 750 cards per player, these will be highly collectible.

Inserted to the ratio of one card in every 72 packets (one every two boxes).

Prize Card Logos

Replacing the Premiership Redemption cards in 2008 is a four card sub set known as the Prize Card Logos.These cards display the logo of four foundation clubs (Western Suburbs, Balmain, Newtown and North Sydney) and it’s fantastic to see Select include them in this Centenary Series.

Collect all four Prize Cards to redeem them for a limited edition prize set which includes the 2008 Premiership Captain Signature Card.I estimate that this is limited to a maximum of 420 sets and will be extremely sought after.

Inserted one card every 216 packets (one every 6 boxes)

Immortal Signature Redemption Cards

The seven immortals are again featured in the 2008 Centenary Series, this time in Signature Redemption cards. The six living immortals have hand signed 125 individually numbered cards each while Clive Churchill’s signature has been a printed signature. These cards replace the usual Dally M, and Provan Summons People Choice Award Signatures that have appeared over the last few years.

Inserted at the rate of one card per 12 boxes (one per case)

Case Cards
Inside each Case (12 boxes) of NRL Centenary you will find one of three different case cards from the 2008 Centenary Test Match between Australia and New Zealand on May 9, 2008 at the SCG. The card captures one of these three images:

• Australian Team Photo
• New Zealand Team Photo
• Winners Card

Centenary of Rugby League Card Album

A specially designed, high quality album is emblazoned with the Centenary of Rugby League logo and comes with a bonus album card. The bonus album card depicts the Gladiators; Norm Provan and Arthur Summons.

This album is strictly limited to only 5000.

The BIGGEST and BEST surprise of the NRL Centenary Series release is this next item…

The Centenary of Rugby League Master Collection and Album!

Limited to only 250 individually numbered sets, this Master set will be highly prized by any high end collector. Available to dealers at the rate of one Master Collection for every four cases of NRL Centenary purchased. The specially designed, high quality album is emblazoned with the Centenary of Rugby League logo and includes the following sets and sub sets:

• 199 Base Set with a Platinum style finish (to distinguish it from the common base set)
• Team of the Century over size photo card (numbered to 250)
• 18 x Team of the Century over size cards (8.5cm x 12.5cm)
• 18 x Team of the Century Platinum Foil Signature over size cards (8.5cm x 12.5cm)
• Seven x Immortals Platinum over size cards (8.5cm x 12.5cm)
• Seven x Immortals Sketch over size cards (8.5cm x 12.5cm)
• Mal Meninga Authentic Signature extra oversized card (12.5cm x 17.5cm)
• Norm Provan and Arthur Summons Duo Signature Card extra oversized card (12.5cm x 17.5cm)

We will have a very limited number of these Master Collections available… they won’t be cheap (around $1500 each) but given what’s included they will be worth it.

If you’re interested please let me know immediately so we can get one secured for you. Email me now at ian[at]footystars.com.au to secure your Master Collection because it won’t be sold through our site.

I reckon that Select have done an outstanding job of creating something new and something unique in the NRL Centenary Series. The AFL Classic is also an improvement on the previous few years but isn’t as wildly new as the NRL cards.

What do you think? Add you thoughts in the comment section below.

Enjoy the rest of this issue… I’ll be writing to you again soon with more information about the pre-sale for Series 2 and when they are finally released by Select.

Ian

At the end of the “Special Release Bulletin” we sent out in February I asked this question.

What would YOU like to see in Series 2 released by Select later in the year?

We had a bunch of people reply with suggestions, however I selected the three that I thought offered the best alternatives for improvement.

So here goes…

Darren G - a Carlton supporter suggests they include a few Game Day Jersey Cards or Guernesy Cards in the Series 2 release.

Game Used cards are HUGE in the American market across Baseball, the NBA and the NFL. It would be great to have them in the AFL and NRL again.

Not since 2003 have these been in a release - they were included in the NRL XL and the AFL XL Ultra series.

Each of these releases featured three players and the card included a small swatch of the players game worn jersey or guernsey.

These cards were limited to just 300 cards each and remain VERY popular. They are extremely hard to find, let alone buy.

The NRL XL series also included 100 Game Day Jersey Signature cards. Similar to the above card, they also included the players signature making them EVEN more collectable.

It would be fantastic to see Select include something as highly prized as this in the Series 2 release.

The next suggestion was from Mal S - a West Coast Eagles fan. While many people suggested Select should include more signature cards, Mal’s suggestion had a slight twist.

Mal said he would like to see a Signature Redemption Card featuring a “great” past player from EACH club, preferably from the last 20 years.

Although this would be a difficult task for Select, I would love to see something like this in both the AFL and NRL sets this year.

Both codes are celebrating major milestones (AFL 150 years and NRL 100 years) so there is no better time than now to honour our past.

Imagine how good it would be to have one player from each club AND only a short run of say 50 cards per person! That would be one signature in every six boxes in a release of 5000 boxes.

Super rare… very scarce and people who collect only “their team” would still have something to collect other than a Draft Pick Signature or a Top Prospect.

Daniel H - a long suffering collector and New Zealand Warriors fan wrote to us with what I think was the best suggestion of them all.

Daniel’s first love of card collecting is Rugby League, but he recently also got hooked on the Grand Slam Tennis cards produced by Ace Authentic.

Daniel got hooked on these cards because in his words:

“When you buy tennis boxes, you are guarranteed to find something exciting.”

He finds them that “little bit more interesting”, and ultimately more collectable than the NRL cards that he’s been collecting for over 20 years.

Here are some of the key things that Daniel likes most about the Tennis Grand Slam series that he would like to see Select incorporate into their release.

Daniel suggests they include more parallel sub sets. In fact he suggests they include three parallel sub sets for each of the 195 common cards.

Think of it like a Gold, Silver and Bronze Parallel Sub Set for each card.

• The Gold Sub Set sequentially numbered to just 24 cards
  The Silver Sub Set sequentially numbered to just 48 cards
  The Bronze Sub Set sequentially numbered to just 100 cards
  

Essentially these are the same card, however each sub set has a different coloured foil highlight!

He believes serious collectors could try and build full 195 card sets at each of the different print runs.

This would add many different levels of inserts in EACH box and more importantly for EVERY box you buy, you will own something of value to someone else (encouraging trades).

For instance you might “bust out” a /#48 card of Joe Average, but for the collector trying to collect the /#48 parallel sub set this will have high DEMAND and is already very SCARCE.

I like this option because it’s simple and economically affordable for Select to produce - which in turn keeps it affordable for collectors to buy. The cards would feature the same design so there is no additional cost to design the card (no extra photos or new presentation styles).

Interestingly Select had dabbled in the area of parallel sub sets. In the last few years we’ve seen Jersey and Guernsey Die Cut Cards, Holiofoil cards (in the Champions releases), and the Footy Face Die Cuts.

All that needs to change is the addition of the sequential numbering on the back of the cards.

I’d love to see it happen in real life because it introduces a greater level of scarcity to the collection, and with scarcity comes high demand.

If you are interested in learning more about the Tennis Grand Slam Series, click here to visit the Ace Authentic website.

And before we finish up with Daniel’s suggestions, he also felt it was important for Select to go back to cards with a 1:72 insert ratio, suggesting there is nothing more disappointing than getting a box with NOTHING rare in it. And I agree wholeheartedly!

Some fantastic suggestions from Darren, Mal and Daniel. Thanks guys for sharing your thoughts with us and our other subscribers. Thanks to the other readers who submitted suggestions also… we appreciate it.

We wait in hope to see what Select have in store for us in the 2008 Series 2 release… and there’s not long to wait now.

I reckon about four to six weeks before they are available to us all.

Add you thoughts in the comment section below. What would you like to see in Series 2?

Enjoy the rest of this issue… I’ll catch you again next month.

Ian

Welcome back… is it just me or did that off season seem to go on forever???

I’m excited once again because the season proper starts in only a matter of weeks… and right now we’re getting a taste of things to come with the NAB Cup and NRL trial matches taking place.

Last time I wrote to you the hottest cards around were the Premiership Predictors, and right now it’s all about the cards the Predictors redeemed.

There are also the Limited Edition Premiership Box Sets for the Geelong Cats and the Melbourne Storm which were released mid November. We will talk about these in the “Card Spotlight” section below.

As the Footy season gets closer, so too does the release of the Series 1 cards from Select Australia (Select).

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. Last year the Premium Sets were called Supreme (AFL) and Invincible (NRL).

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 foil card), whereas the Premium Hobby set retails for approximately $4.95 per packet and include at least 10 cards (9 Premium cards + an insert card (a die cut card for NRL last year, and a Hall of Fame for AFL).

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.

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 will not be stocking the Champions Series (if that’s what they are called again) for either the AFL or NRL in 2008.

We have never stocked the Series 1 releases preferring instead to concentrate on the Premium Hobby Series.

I personally don’t think Series 1 is worth the trouble of collecting, and with that in mind I don’t feel comfortable selling them to you.

Of course this won’t stop me from telling you all about them when the information is released.  That I promise I will do.

So far… all we know about the Series 1 release, are approximate release dates.

NRL is due for release Mid March.

AFL is due for release Late March.

In the mean time though, I’ve got my “crystal ball ” out to do a little future gazing… a little speculation on what I think will be offered as part of the Series 1 release in both the AFL and NRL.

So here goes…

Firstly, I predict that Select are predictable!

After going two years in a row with the same name for both the AFL and NRL… my first prediction is that they will continue to call Series 1 “Champions” for a third year running (must be harder than you think to come up with a new name each year?).

So, for the AFL, that means I think they will call it:

2008 AFL Select Champions

Keeping on the same track I predict the price will remain the same at $2.95 per packet, which will get you 7 common cards plus 1 holographic foil card.

That means it’s likely to be a base set of 195 cards, featuring 12 cards for each of the 16 teams and 3 checklist cards.

They are likely to run with the holographic foiled cards again, which will run in parallel to the common set (same images but with a holographic effect again).

I predict they will stick to the Foil PRINTED Signatures (not real signatures) as they did in 2007, which would include 6 players per team inserted 1 card in every 4 packs on average. This would make a 96 card subset.

The AFL Stars Sketch Cards were popular in 2007, so I reckon these will appear again. Still 2 players per team inserted 1 card in every 9 packs which would be a 32 card subset.

Basic Draft Rookie Cards featuring players from the 2007 National Draft will probably be inserted 1 card per Box again — but they won’t be signed … just a photo.

And finally, I reckon the Acetate Gem Cards will return again in 2008. Last year these featured one player from each club, inserted 1 card per Box which will probably happen again. Expect different players to be featured of course though.

I really hope Select have a surprise up their sleeve with Series 1 AFL — something new, something exciting, even something novel to keep collectors on the edge of our seats! I’ve got my fingers crossed anyway.

Now, we move on to the NRL… which is likely to be named:

2008 NRL Select Champions

Again, I predict the price will remain the same at $2.95 per packtet, which will get you 7 common cards plus 1 holographic foiled card.

That’s a base set of 195 cards, featuring 12 cards for each of the 16 teams and 3 checklist cards.

Holographic foil cards will again run in parallel to the common set, but it might not include all the checklists.

I am really hopeful the NRL is spared the PRINTED signatures again this year, but there is every possibility they COULD be included.

I’m expecting to see more NRL Stars Sketch Cards, probably 2 players per team, inserted 1 card in every 9 packs again.

The Award Winner Cards will make another appearance, featuring winners from the 2007 Dally M Awards inserted 1 card in every 18 packets. Select will probably include somewhere between 5 and 8 Award Winner cards this year.

The Acetate Gem Cards will make another return. These were popular in 2007, and will likely feature one player from each club again — inserted 1 card per Box.

I’ve again got my fingers crossed for a surprise from Select… hoping for the best.

So there you have it. My fearless predictions for Series 1 in 2008.

Next month we can take a look and see just how close my predictions were to reality. Anyone care to have a little wager?

As soon as we get full confirmation of what IS included in the complete release I will let you know and share it here.

And as always… we will post a copy of the Promotional Flyer on our site for you to see… even though we won’t be stocking the product… just in case you’re curious.

Enjoy this month’s newsletter. I’ll catch you again next month.

Ian

The season’s over… and in both the AFL and the NRL the best sides in the competition won. Congratulations to the Geelong Cats and the Melbourne Storm.

But just because the footy season is over doesn’t mean that card collecting screams to a halt… no way… things are just starting to get interesting!

It’s redemption time for all those Premiership Predictors so this month’s “Card Spotlight” section focuses on these cards and what to do with them.

But before we get to that let’s do a little house keeping…

In the last issue we discussed Error Cards and I challenged you to tell us about some of the error cards you have discovered in the 2005, 2006 or 2007 Series releases.

It seems not many of you have an eye for detail judging by the small number of responses… but that’s ok, because one person who wrote in made us aware of probably the biggest error of them all!

Quality, not quantity!

Michael wrote to us after discovering an error in the recently released Scanlens 2003 (released in August 2007 by Select who own the Scanlens license). See here for more information about the set.

This release is EXTREMELY LIMITED with just 60 sets being produced in total. Because demand was SO HIGH, Select sold each complete set of 30 cards for $2750 by random ballot… no small price by anyone’s means!

The error that Michael spotted relates to Card Number 27 in the NRL set. The card features Brad Fittler; Captain of the Sydney Roosters, NSW Blues and Australian teams. A real legend of the game.

To say Fittler is a well known player is an under-statement, but… just because you are well known, doesn’t mean people will know how to spell your name.

Unfortunately the card was printed with a spelling error. Fittler’s surname was spelt with just one “T”.

A simple error but one that Select have worked quickly to correct.

We have learned that Select have contacted each of the buyers and offered to swap the error with a corrected card.

This puts each owner in a delicate situation… keep the error card?  Or swap it for the corrected card? Which is the better option for them?

Either way, both versions of the card are likely to be more valuable because LESS than 60 of each will be in existence, which means they are even more scarce than originally planned.

Thank you Michael for letting us know about this error. We can all sit back now and watch what happens to the value of this card!

On a totally different and personal note (certainly not an error ), on August 25th, Emma and I welcomed a new Footy Card collector into the world.

Max Thatcher; little brother to Robbie, was born weighing in at a healthy 3.4kg (7lb 9oz). He’s happy, healthy, and sleeping pretty well… but best of all he puts a smile on our face EVERY day.

As his proud father I couldn’t help but announce him to the world and tell you about him.

Enjoy this month’s newsletter. We will catch you again next month.

Ian

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I feel it’s appropriate to begin this month’s newsletter with the following message to Select Australia…

“Thank you! You’ve created two great releases that have brought smiles to the faces of many collectors and footy fans. Well done.”

Credit where credit is due.

The response from collectors of every kind, from all around Australia has been enormously positive.

We have received so many positive comments from people like you who purchased the latest sets on our site. The set really hit a chord with collectors.

We must have received over 20 emails just from parents who wrote to us and told us just how happy their son or daughter was when their footy cards arrived in the mail.

It’s really nice to hear that we help put a smile on a child’s face and helped make their day a little brighter. We hope it gets children into the hobby of card collecting because it will bring excitement to their lives for many years to come.

I get great enjoyment when I see the reaction on the face of my own son Robbie when we give him a few cards for being “a good boy”.

Even though Robbie’s only 2 and a half (and doesn’t really understand card collecting) we still love seeing his reaction.

He is so proud to have his own footy cards… he takes them to pre-school, talks about them with his Nana and Poppy and shows them to anyone who visits our home.

We appreciate the short stories from other parents who are introducing their kids to footy card collecting. It’s really rewarding for us. If you’ve got a great story about children in your life collecting cards please use the comment link at the bottom of this article and share it with other readers.

Older collectors have also been keen to share their praise for the AFL and NRL Series 2 releases. Most are keen on the Insert Cards from each set and we thought we should give you a list of the top 3 inserts from both the AFL and NRL so far.

The 3 most popular cards from the NRL invincible Series so far are (links below each type):

1. Club Player of the Year 2006
2. NRL Team of the Year 2006
3. NRL 2007 Premiership Predictors

And the 3 most popular cards for AFL footy card collectors include:

1. All Australian Team
2. Medal Winners 2006
3. AFL 2007 Premiership Predictors

The only thing that some collectors have expressed disappointment about is the lack of the 1:72 cards… that is the cards that are found one in every 72 packets of cards.

These scarce cards make it even more exciting and challenging for collectors to compile a complete set of ALL cards in the release.

However, most comments we received have been overwhelmingly positive.

If you want to see the Promotional Flyers for the 2007 Series II releases they are available here(1 meg in size):

AFL Supreme 2007
http://FootyStars.com.au/Free_Stuff/AFL07SupremeFlyer.pdf

NRL Invincible 2007
http://FootyStars.com.au/Free_Stuff/NRL07InvincibleFlyer.pdf

Of course… if you want more than just the flyer you can get the cards in your hands by visiting the Footy Stars store at http://www.FootyStars.com.au/store and placing your order today.

Enjoy this month’s newsletter. We will catch you again soon.

Ian

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Help a Friend Subscribe

If you know another Footy Card collector who would enjoy reading this newsletter please forward a link to them.

Alternatively you can invite them to subscribe by sending them this link:
http://www.footystars.com.au/Free_Stuff/Newsletter_Sign_Up.php

They can sign up in less than 60 seconds, it’s FREE and they are guaranteed to receive this newsletter every single month.