All I can say with select and AFL “if” they do NRL or you want TLA to go the same way is last 3 years they have smashed out same retired legends autos. Yes it opens up to everyone to get one, but second hand card values have tanked!
Eg Nathen Buckley Collingwood.
He originally had
- 1994 Gold Series
- 2001 Captains
- 2001 ESP Signature
- 2003 Brownlow Medal
- 2003 Triple Brownlow
- 2003 Norm Smith
Now
2019 Supremacy
2022 Optimum Dual
2022 Optimum Single
2024 Brownlow Booklet
2024 Supremacy Franchise Greats
2024 Supremacy Franchise Duel
2024 Supremacy Evolution
2024 Hall Of Fame
Same has happened with Lockett, Voss, Dunstal, Hird, Riewoldt ect
Yes it’s great but hurts previous cards “scarcity” values.
I remember this point being echoed on 2018 Glory with Buderus, Ryan, Locky and Hindmarsh. Cards being to high print run for signature of highend players hurting previous select values and legends signature.
Form businesses point, fair play to them I would do the exact same and they are giving everyone a crack at the cards they want. Extremely hard to fine balance. End of the day we will always find a way to have a whinge
I can't speak for the AFL market as I have never collected or follow that market. The bloke who owns my LCS is a mad AFL fan, and he indicated that the Brownlow release tanked price wise, despite how good those cards looked.
Back when Select first held the NRL license, I always felt they were quite conservative with how many higher end cards produced. However, the hobby has changed so much in the past 12 years, being conservative with the volume of releases and signature cards might not be an option. I often wondered if it was the AFL who were pushing for higher volumes or Select were trying to keep up with ESP / TLA / TGI.
I recall the 2018 Glory comments and it was so far off the mark, it was hilarious. The values for Future Famers Signatures (FFS) have remained very consistent between $40-$70 each and I am yet to sell a Lockyer for under $150. On a personal level, a higher print run with bigger names isn't a terrible idea as I wouldn't really chase a Lockyer, Smith, JT at the high-end prices. Being able to own one, such as an FFS of Locky or even the un-numbered 2012 LE rep signatures is a great option for myself (and dozens of other collectors shared this sentiment). If it hurt the values of previous high end Select signatures, I didn't see it, Lockyer aside, the other three named only had one high end Select signature each (05 Power - Buderus, 07 Invincible Hindmarsh, 09 Classic Ryan).
I think the biggest point is that you can't please everybody. For me, the biggest detriment on the market is the high volume of numbered cards and an in particular, numbered parallel inserts. White Authentic / LS, Black Authentic / LS, Team Authentic / LS, just constant repetition.
For whoever attains the license, this is the basic structure I would like to see.
S1 - Released 1-2 weeks before the season starts. 18 cards per team which includes a logo (not a checklist) with last season's record, a Coach card, a Captain card, a Rising Star / Hot Prospect card. I would also add in WNRL but until each NRL team has one, it would make it tough. I don't mind a parallel or 1:1 insert but themes could be mixed up each year with jersey cards etc. Have no more than 3 non-numbered insert sets. 1:9, 1:18 and 1:36. I would also have Premiership Predictors 1:36, not numbered and redeemable as a full set / premiers for ALL cards produced. From 1:72 is where I would look to bring in numbered cards and then a rising star / rookie signature per club.
S2 - Released just prior to Magic Round with 9 cards per team including any players not captured in S1. This series could bring in the Dally M predictor and CCM predictors and maybe start a HOF release that carries across several releases and eventually covers all members of the HOF. This release could also have a SOO themed subset.
S3 - Would be the Elite style release with only one variant per signature type and include LS style as well as different themes each year for retired players. For example, the high end could be the Magnificent Seven promo MIL ran years back. The best 7 HBs numbered.
S4 - This would be the ultimate high end and should be produced in line with the finals. Limited print signatures and themed subset cards (loved the AFL Finals Folklore and retired legend / HOF signatures.
