We all know why Topps and their digital brands have had so much success. Not only do they have top licenses and top leagues supporting their apps, but they have built a community in all four games that is literally unrivaled.

In my opinion, one of the things that drives the community to continue improving is competition, user vs app and user vs user. This exists not only in the gameplay elements of the apps themselves, but among each other’s collections. Much like cars or homes, there are certain status symbols within each universe, all of which are different app to app. These cards on your sheet can give instant credibility and instant admiration, and that can be a driving factor in one’s reputation.

Bunt – Signature Series Variants

Unlike Huddle or Kick, Bunt is as much about the collection as it is about the game. This shifted even further in 2015, mainly due to gameplay issues that were evident in the scoring mechanism.

Because collecting premium inserts is such a big deal, Bunt can literally push out cards on a regular basis with 1:200+ pack odds, and people will stop at nothing to get them. No card embodies this more than the Sigature Series, and of course the ultra rare variants that are almost impossible to get.

Looking back on the different cards, sig variants like Trout can sell for hundreds of dollars, if not only because there is a ton of demand and not much supply. Many of the sig variants are under 50 count, and that means that they are some of the most sought after cards by hundreds of people.

Owning multiple signature series variants is something that many users would trade their entire collections for, and many have done so just to get them. Its the best indication of a seasoned Bunt veteran.

Star Wars Card Trader – The Hoard

Oddly enough, Star Wars has become less about Vintage Han and Widevision Obi Wan in recent months. If you remember back to May and June, around the time the Android version of SWCT launched, Han and Obi were the best cards around. Technically, they still are, and many would still like to own a copy of each. They just have an aura around them.

That being said, with the first marathons completed, the REASON to own the cards has gone away, replaced by something that no one really expected. If you can believe it, white base cards might be the best way to build a rep in Star Wars, and Im not kidding.

Your hoard is as much a representation of your stature in the app than your collection of marathons or anything of the sort. Sure, a big collection low numbered inserts and variants can show you have a lot of money to throw around, but nothing speaks volumes like a multi thousand count hoard of a white base card. You can even buy a hoard 9 cards at a time if you so desire.

Systemically, the app has only recognized these hoards in a few specific ways, but they would be smart to engage the community more to showcase the one thing that makes users the happiest. Monument cards are a final representation of the hoard, and the pink variants are similar, as both required massive collections to acquire. In the end, seeing that giant number next to a single white base is more important than anything these days.

Huddle – 1/1 Cards in General

An arguement can be made that Gold Legends or the other cards from the legends box carry more of a stature, but nothing speaks volumes like a 1/1 in your collection. So much so that people have started going back through previous years of huddle to acquire cheaper ones when they dont have the firepower to get a new one.

Because of the extreme limited nature of the cards themselves, its almost moot explaining why they look like a Ferrari in your driveway. Although collecting isnt as big of a deal in Huddle, the 1/1 is something that drives people to do some crazy, crazy things.

The worst part about the 1/1 being the currency in which Huddle clout is traded, most of the cards are practically impossible to get. Not only are they usually offered one at a time, but the odds are in the tens of thousands to one. If someone pulls a 1/1 and you want to trade for it? Good luck. You will INSTANTLY be competing with 10-15 people all offering cash, arms, legs and first born children.

Additionally, many of the 1/1s are on lockdown, so in some cases, you cant even see who owns them to even start the framework of a deal. I take it back, these arent Ferraris, they are unicorns. I say that, because for 99% of the Huddle user base, they exist only in fantasy collections.

Importance

Regardless of how attainable some of these cards are, you dont NEED to own them to have fun. I want to stress that here, because of how many people seem to lose sight of the true object of these apps. Its not your collection score, trader rating or even your finish in the final standings. Those are all ends. The means is entertainment. You can have a blast and not own a single one of the cards mentioned above.

If you have the time to dedicate, and you have the potential to chase down a dragon, more power to you. I know its a rush, personally, when I can snag a white whale.

In the end, its finding what you like and what you enjoy. Hopefully you have the means to make that happen.