One month on...Certified review

Now that the dust has settled from the mayhem caused by what is widely considered to be one of Select's best ever releases, I thought it would be a good time to do a proper review of the series. Here we go:

Commons: Fairly simple design, classy but not over the top. Puts the focus on the player. 7.5/10

Certified 460s: Really really impressed with this set. Numbering the parallel set was a master stroke; gives them some extra value and makes busting packs so much more fun. 9/10

All Australians: This set has stood the test of time. Actually quite like the designs this year. Happy for this to keep being a regular insert series. 7.5/10

Team Leaders: A large numbered set that fills the 1:12 gap. Lots of star players and solid design. 8/10

Rookie Cards: These have proven to be a big hit with all collectors, with it being the first card for a lot of young guns. I think this is another set Select should retain for future series. Big tick from me. 9/10

Certified Signatures: Some great player choices, I personally think some of these should be selling for more than they are. I like the design although after two series it could be freshened up next year. 8/10

Medal Winners: Good move making them 1:2 boxes. Makes them a bit more collectable and attractive for collectors. Would still like more medallists/award winners included. 7.5/10

Match Worn Guernsey Cards & Match Worn Guernsey Signature Cards: The cards we have been waiting over a decade for. Select executed them almost perfectly. Really sought-after and look great. Can't wait for the WCE ones next year. 9.5/10

Footy's Finests: Stunning design and very scarce, great option for the teams that didn't get guernsey cards. Everything about them scream "high-end card". 9/10

Premiership Redemption: Hard to judge before they can be redeemed. While I don't mind the concept, I'd be happy to go back to premiership predictors. 7/10

Overall: 9/10

Things I'd like to see next year:

- Another set at the 1 per box odds. Just about the only thing missing.
- More room on the guernsey signatures for the players to sign.
- As mentioned freshening up of Certified signatures.
- Medal signatures at one per case (could be a good year for it. e.g. there could be JK's first Eagles sig, Danger's first Geelong sig, Mills/Daniel Rising Star sig). Could move back to premiership predictors at 1 per box and these become replace it as a case hit.

Final comment: Best series of the last ten years. Great work Select and keep it up

So fire away. What would you rate the series out of ten? Where does it rank in your list of best series? What changes would you like to see for next year?

agree with everything except:

Guernsey redemptions seem to be dropping in value very quickly and mundy/ bruce probably a miss.
Medals a bit ugly imo and probably worst card of the set

but rest is spot on. 460 best idea ever, team leaders great aswell. Footy Finest are going to hold value and are excellent cards.

Certifieds definitely undervalued imo. especially numbered to only 240

drama5 said:

agree with everything except:

Guernsey redemptions seem to be dropping in value very quickly and mundy/ bruce probably a miss.
Medals a bit ugly imo and probably worst card of the set

but rest is spot on. 460 best idea ever, team leaders great aswell. Footy Finest are going to hold value and are excellent cards.

Certifieds definitely undervalued imo. especially numbered to only 240

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The guernsey sigs seem to be holding their value OK, the normal guernsey cards less so. Mundy is Freo's captain so think that choice was good. Could've been other choices for Saints but Bruce isn't too bad in my opinion.

Happy with Certified card design and numbering etc this year but disappointed in getting more damaged cards from packs (especially rookies) and also card values already falling to levels where there's no value in buying a case. I'd have hoped for a quality improvement given the price hike. No sign of any flyers or promo cards this series either when collecting cases from the local card shop unless I missed them.

Commons: Good design, not much can be said. 7/10

Certified 460s: Great idea numbering these, at a guess id say the numbering doubled their value. They look good too, nice design. 8/10

All Australians: One of the insert sets i always try and complete. I like the look again. 7.5/10

Team Leaders: A great looking insert set, and as already said, fills the 1:12 insert that was needed. Numbering again a bonus with these. 8.5/10

Rookie Cards: I really like these. Nice design and colouring. I think having these now the draft pick signatures are not being done is great as we can all still collect a numbered insert of our teams drafted players. 8/10

Certified Signatures: Same design as last year but i don't mind that when its a nice clean looking card. But will need to be changed next year as you cant run the same design too many times in a row. Never going to please everyone with player selection, but a pretty good job. As a Hawks collector I'm happy with Burgoyne and Gibson. 8.5/10

Medal Winners: As mentioned, I'd love to see a few more medal cards in this set, maybe around 8 would be good. I like the idea behind the design but the blur of the players is too heavy handed. They probably would have been better off leaving the players image nice and clean on this one. 6/10

Match Worn Guernsey Cards & Match Worn Guernsey Signature Cards: Finally, the return of the game used cards. Very happy Select finally listened to the collectors. Design looks good. I have only pulled a Mundy non sig redemption so haven't seen a patch card in person yet. I like the idea of 2 GU and 1 sig GU per case, that's about right i think. And doing half the teams this year and half next year keeps everyone happy as last time round in 2003 and 2004 a lot of teams missed out. More room needed for the signature by the look of it. But so glad we have these in the set. Player selection pretty good. 9/10

Footy's Finests: Love these. Select really have catered for every team collector this year which is probably the second best aspect of the release second only to the game used return. A very classy looking card which matches the /80 low numbering. Should hold good value. A case hit for every team collector, what more could we ask for. 9.5/10

Premiership Redemption: Can only comment on the design of the redemption card at this stage as we haven't seen what it will redeem yet. Design looks a little messy, but that's being picky really. But i too would like to see the premiership predictors return, a one per box would be good. 7/10

Overall i think most will agree this is the best release in 10 years, maybe 20. The return of the game used, a big hit for each team, lots of numbered inserts, a few new ideas that seem to work well, a big win for the hobby, the collectors and Select.

Medal cards I would have liked to see them numbered aswell, for a 1:2 box card still lucky to get $10 for them, maybe they could do medal cards 1:2 boxes but have them numbered, and also do a 1:box best and fairest card that would also be numbered, can't wait for next years release to see what else they add

The numbering on cards has been good. i think the sigs are hugely undervalued at the mo.
Medal cards i find really ugly!

Good report @Scotty_WCE
Apart from the Medal Cards & All Australian sets (which I don't like), this was a half decent set.

I also disagree with who Scotty says should have the Rising Star sig...
#Rioli4RisingStar

Certified 460s: Putting a number on it doesn't mean it ain't rubbish. Just makes it numbered rubbish. The 001 that snuck into circulation finally put an actual dollar value on a Melbourne card so that was at least novel.

All Australians: Select's most enduring fail. Think about it: the most outstanding 22 players in the competition and these are the cards that are never rare, never numbered and never signed.

Team Leaders: Meh

Rookie Cards: Great idea. Put a few signatures on the first few of each and it would have been a super-awesome idea.

Medal Winners: Hasn't worked since the oversized variety of 1996

Match Worn Guernsey Cards & Match Worn Guernsey Signature Cards: Personally not a fan but nonetheless cheerfully accept this might be a minority view.

Footy's Finests: I like 'em. A lot.

Premiership Redemption: Agreed, predictors would have been better at similar odds.

Alex D said:

Certified 460s: Putting a number on it doesn't mean it ain't rubbish. Just makes it numbered rubbish. The 001 that snuck into circulation finally put an actual dollar value on a Melbourne card so that was at least novel.

All Australians: Select's most enduring fail. Think about it: the most outstanding 22 players in the competition and these are the cards that are never rare, never numbered and never signed.

Team Leaders: Meh

Rookie Cards: Great idea. Put a few signatures on the first few of each and it would have been a super-awesome idea.

Medal Winners: Hasn't worked since the oversized variety of 1996

Match Worn Guernsey Cards & Match Worn Guernsey Signature Cards: Personally not a fan but nonetheless cheerfully accept this might be a minority view.

Footy's Finests: I like 'em. A lot.

Premiership Redemption: Agreed, predictors would have been better at similar odds.

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Interesting opinion mate, your a harsh critic. First person I've heard not actually rate this as one of their best. Just out of interest, what's been a better Select release in your opinion?

Alex D said:

Certified 460s: Putting a number on it doesn't mean it ain't rubbish. Just makes it numbered rubbish. The 001 that snuck into circulation finally put an actual dollar value on a Melbourne card so that was at least novel.

All Australians: Select's most enduring fail. Think about it: the most outstanding 22 players in the competition and these are the cards that are never rare, never numbered and never signed.

Team Leaders: Meh

Rookie Cards: Great idea. Put a few signatures on the first few of each and it would have been a super-awesome idea.

Medal Winners: Hasn't worked since the oversized variety of 1996

Match Worn Guernsey Cards & Match Worn Guernsey Signature Cards: Personally not a fan but nonetheless cheerfully accept this might be a minority view.

Footy's Finests: I like 'em. A lot.

Premiership Redemption: Agreed, predictors would have been better at similar odds.

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Please do me a favour and replace Sam Newman on the Footy Show haha