And thought hmm, that can't be right, the Scanlens sets were all sold in 2007 when the original ballot took place ... there were more applications than sets in 2007 and they were all sold out, they haven't been available on the Select website since.
2003 NRL & AFL Select Scanlens Series Update
7 August, 2007
Thanks to everyone who entered the ballot for the AFL and NRL 2003 Select Scanlens Series.
Both series were well oversubscribed. Over 400 collectors in total applied for the AFL and the NRL series. As a result, unfortunately not all collectors will be lucky enough to secure a set through the ballot.
All successful collectors will be notified via email by Friday 10 August 2007.
Payment details will be provided in the confirming email to the successful collectors. Unsuccessful collectors will also be advised by email.
Please note payment from successful applicants will be required by Friday 17 August 2007. In the event payment is not received then any sets not paid for will be offered to the next collectors drawn from the ballot.
Once again thanks again for your support and interest.
And I remember them being marked as sold out for a lot longer than this, but the webarchive doesn't have any more recent pages. I'm certain they were still "sold out" when the 2009 Scanlens set went on sale in July 2010.
Where do unsold cards suddenly appear from, out of a print run of 60, over three years after they are supposedly all sold out?
Dodgy company... But as OONEIL picked up number 18 i will assume that maybe the first 20 or so sets were put aside for dealers, maybe they were never sold or returned....
Wow - thats real interesting James. I also had thought they were sold out in the ballot and got the surprise of my life when i found them for sale on the website. Im no dealer - just an average punter.
Im wondering what happened. I have just sent this through to Select via the contact area of their website - will post a response if i get one.
"Hi,
I have found you have 2003 NRL Scanlens sets still for sale. A news article from 2007 says they were all sold out.
Are you able to clarify how you still have sets available. Have you printed more?
Thanks, Owen O'Neil"
obviously they tried the old lets hold back on 10 sets and call an early sell out.
with the hope that the market lifts the prices sky high and trickle them out the back door.
but little piggies don't have the market, so the big bad wolf said farket, retail em out of here!
I have been told that even with the ballot indicating the sets had been sold out a lot of the people who put their hand up in that ballot decided at the last minute not to take them. A friend of mine was chosen and didn't take them.
Dodgy company... But as OONEIL picked up number 18 i will assume that maybe the first 20 or so sets were put aside for dealers, maybe they were never sold or returned....
So I guess if this is the case, or if people pulled out of buying them, why weren't they issued in order of payment? Note that I went through their old website and it doesn't specify that they would be, but I bought my Andrew Johns and Ben Kennecy from this set back in 2007, and they are both numbered 41. I really don't see how 18 stays there.
I also don't see how when a redemption card says that the cards will be issued strictly in order of receipt, that you can ask for a particular number and get it. Or eBay sellers like edge-whatever can get a master set of all cards, including non-redemption numbered cards, with the same number.
Is anyone else bothered by all that? These things, plus the fact that Select apparently keeps all number ones, so there is not even the stated number of cards on the market (as stated on checklists, flyers, promotional items), really bother me, and call Select's integrity into question. And call the value of my collection into question.
Yeah agree with you there James. People don't want to hear this sort of stuff when they are shelling out big money. I double checked my records - paid $2,500 on 27/7/2010
Also here are my 2005 Tigers premiers set. It is marked 1 of 2000. I bought it from Select maybe 2-3 years ago. Had always thought the 1/2000 must just be a typo. Maybe not....
Also razor77 just busted a new box and the Benji Marshall Future Force has no number stamped on it. Crazy
Personally, I reckon you'd almost break even at $125 a card. They don't seem to go for too much on ebay, unless they've gone up recently and I haven't noticed.