Digital Card Central

We knew that Topps’ digital brands were making enough progress in the hobby market to start to merit some extreme attention, sometimes on a national newsworthy scale. As a result of that influence, for the first time, there will be physical card product composed ENTIRELY of designs from the app. This new product, due in August, will be the first example of Topps physical and digital working together to release content that appeals to both forms of the hobby. I am so excited I cant put it into words.

Its clear that physical benefits from this much more than digital, as it will have a huge user base of Bunt users who are going to make the jump just to rip packs of this stuff. Being that the cards have app redemption implications, this is going to be quite the process to implement on the digital side. If Bunt can pull it off, and I have no reason to believe they wont knock this out of the park, I could see a huge amount of digital users finally making a jump over to the physical side on a more in depth basis.

As for the designs, we are getting a preview of some of the ones that are likely going to be in the app coming up in weeks to come, including some awesome insert sets that look quite impressive. The dynasties set that commemorates the world series winners? Man that is going to be insane.

Another great part of this is the cost of the boxes, which look to be relatively inexpensive for a physical product. I could see this retailing at around 25-30 bucks a box, for 36 packs and 7 cards per. With redemption codes and autographs in play, that is about as big a bargain as I have ever known.

This might end up being the product that everyone is eager to see, and everyone wants to get in on. I love the idea and I absolutely love the different examples we have seen included as previews.

Get ready for August everyone! This is going to be quite the fun experience!

As expected, Huddle had a lot going on for the NFL draft, and I was glued to the app as I was watching all night long. The things they did ranged from a bit off the wall and fun to expected and awesome, leading to an all around great night. We arent done yet, and as they continue to get images from the draft, im sure more content will be released. So far, this has been a memorable event.

Draft Day Contest

This one was something I was NOT expecting and seemed a bit odd at first. It turned into one of the most fun parts of the night, basically giving users a chance to do their own mock draft with cards pulled from special variant packs.

Not only did this create a feeding frenzy around the variant draft cards, but people were in the app talking about their starting 11 picks and who they were looking to capitalize on. One of the reasons I love the draft so much is all the prognostication, and this was a quirky and awesome way to bring it to Huddle.

Live Draft Day Cards 

Huddle had a similar program last year that I absolutely went nuts for. This year, they took it to the next level, using placeholder cards to get things into packs in live order of the announced draft picks. At 1:100 odds to pull ANY of the cards, these proved to be difficult pulls that had people clamoring to pick them up. After buying the 1.25 million bundle for cards like this, I ended up with 5, including Elliott, Doctson, Buckner, and Stanley. Easily my favorite type of card to chase.

I would guess these are going to be some of the better cards of the offseason to chase outside of the marathons and with a 1 day timer, should end pretty low. If you are lucky enough to pull one, its going to be worth while.

The cards are not only going to be rare, but they are also not completed as of yet. They will feature photos taken on stage and elsewhere from the draft, and that is what will make them more special than what we have seen even last year. I love the look and I will definitely be in the market to pick up more, as it looks like they may do this for the second round too.

UPDATE: Players at the draft now have updated cards!

Road to the Draft Variants

To play in the contest, Huddle had special variants of the 20 card set that was in packs through this past week. The cards ranged from a white card in a cheap pack at 1x points per slotted pick, to purple cards that were in a 7k pack at higher odds. Almost all of the rarer cards finished super low, and I know people ended up happy if they were able to get some of the top pick’s cards in a variant that ended below 10.

Value on these types of cards can be tough to determine, but with scoring manually assigned today, I would NOT trade any of the cards you used in your lineup until the entire thing is sorted out. Im sure this type of caution isnt necessary, but Im not risking it.

This was a fun chase to say the least, and its clear that many people wanted to stick with the cheaper packs to get more cards to play, instead of buying the bundle that included one of each color. I spent A LOT on this, and hit the jackpot on playing my Purple Heargraves at the 11 slot, getting me an absolute BOATLOAD of points.

Cant wait to see the prizes, hopefully sigs are involved.

On the Stage Set

I would be lying if I said that I didnt expect this set. We have gone from the combine to the road to the draft, and now the stage. I really like the progression in the set themes, all of which have been widely collected. As for the stage set, they released 30 cards with a Cam Newton sig as the award, making it a must to complete the set.

The individual pieces themselves are cheap, but because of the size of the set, hopefully the award isnt too high in count. We saw the Jared Goff sig from the 20 card draft set finish at just over 50, so I would guess this should be about the same.

In reviewing the set, I really like looking at all the photos, and how much things have changed since 2007 even. The cards bring a certain nostalgia for me, especially with my title as a connoisseur of fine NFL drafts.

What to Expect for the Weekend and Beyond

I would expect a few things, considering what was done in previous years and speculating on further progression of the “Draft Path” theme.

First, it looks like we might get a new batch of draft day cards today, with live cards delivered for round two as a possiblility, maybe closed to the players still at the draft in the green room. We could see other photos used if they are not in attendance, but they might not get cards if they arent there.

Second, I would guess that as team press conferences start, we could get cards of the events – especially if the picks themselves are high profile. We already know that the top guys should be introduced to the press today or tomorrow, so its possible to see that as a continuation of the Path.

Last year, Huddle released dual and triple variants, as well as gold cards of the draftees, which means that there may be additional cards that are released on the live draft card theme as the weeks progress. Obviously, these will be incrementally tougher as they become more valuable, so keep an eye out.

As the photos are processed and the rookies get more stuff for Huddle to use, there will definitely be more cards using their likenesses. Mini camps will be starting soon, and leading up to the Rookie Premiere in May, we could get a number of different sets.

Overall, this has been a great way for Huddle to continue their incredible offseason, and I cannot wait to see what is in store as we get deeper into the bigger parts of the pre-season process.

If you werent around last year for the draft, you missed out. Huddle literally went nuts with amazing content, including releasing cards live as the picks were announced. The content continued through the offseason, delivering cards that are still valuable today. As big as that was in 2015, I expect 2016 to be bigger. Not only is this the first draft with Huddle as an NFL licensed app, but it comes just days after a huge deal was announced regarding the long term partnership.

With Huddle now owning the last bastion of Topps Football, a scenario like this is what digital was made for. Not having to print and process the cards means the potential for a very quick turnaround, and its clear that creating the first cards of players with their new teams could mean a lot of buzz around the releases.

Being that I am a person who spends every waking moment reading mock drafts and studying potential outcomes, it shouldnt be hard to imagine how much I have been waiting for this day to come. Huddle has already released some pretty incredible stuff in their “Road to the Draft” program, including 13 1/1s of top picks, and I dont expect it to stop today. I would make sure to be near your device tonight, as this is shaping up to be the biggest event of the offseason, period.

In the announcement made this past week, we actually got a clue of what might be coming during the next few days. We can expect new cards of the draft picks in the app within a day of the draft, which they used in the text of the article. Being that this was done last year too, on a different level, it should be easy to figure out how they are going to be used. The question is whether or not they will use photos from the combine and pro days, or live pictures from the draft. Hopefully we get a good mix of both.

I would also guess we are going to see some major retrospective sets as well, chronicling some of the major moments from drafts of years passed. Being that Huddle now has free reign to go even crazier than they did last year, this should be an exercise in a way that we have only seen for other events like Super Bowl 50.

With my love for the draft itself taking center stage, I could not be more excited. This really signals the beginning of the new year, and a fresh start for every team. It also unlocks a bunch of new subjects for Huddle to use in upcoming sets, which will be fun to collect as we progress towards camp and the beginning of the season.

Get ready folks, this is going to be a fun ride.

Its been a rough week all around for all the Bunters out there, with two major programming issues impacting the game’s economy and spending. Starting with the release of Gypsy Queen last Friday, and a bad situation with Purple Boost cards yesterday, the app has been left in the fetal position. A make good yesterday on the Gypsy Queen situation has calmed the masses some on the collecting side, but as for the purples, that’s a whole different story all together.

The question now becomes not how the team fixes the issues, but what it means when the ripples from the situation start becoming tidal waves on the economy. For those that are unfamiliar, yesterday afternoon, free purple packs were accidentally made available, where users could open 10 at a time for free. With some users having hundreds of powerful cards in their collections, obtained at no cost, the contest system is compromised for all users who didnt get in on the action. Similarly, as more people start to upgrade their plundered treasure, the impact of the glitch becomes more and more diversified and widespread.

With Gypsy Queen, a fix is much more easy to execute, as the impact of one set isnt as huge. VIPs were given a make good on free boxes they were supposed to receive, and most seemed happy with what they got. More boxloaders were added to the pool, including some great names, and that helped to give new life to the program and people diving in again.

Value on the individual GQ base cards is severely impacted, however, although not entirely worthless. With set rewards still theoretically in place, the cards still have need for the people that didnt have access to the programming error spoils.

The new boxloaders are as good, if not better than the originals, as the checklist has some very big names on it. The issue is that there arent as many people willing to buy a box if they already have all the base. Its the equivalent of paying $74.99 for one card, knowing that it could be a relic with very little value.

In terms of what comes next, that isnt as clear. We could see the return of boost limits in contest decks, or even the exclusion of purple cards all together. I could also see them trying to lower boost levels on the purple cards, knowing that it might equalize the playing field a bit more. Even doing something like increasing the cost of black equipment or increasing odds on those packs could be another situation. VIP rewards will also have to change, as purples are no longer a perk worth giving out.

As for GQ, I dont see another fix in the works, and that is fine. They offered an apology and took care of the more important people of the app. Although its not a party for all those that got in on the fun, they did enough for people to calm down a bit. Some of the individual VIPs likely didnt get everything they deserved, but I know time was of the essence.

Its also worth discussing the impact to contest prizes now that Purples are so common. Competing in contests where they purples are prizes no longer is worth the effort. There needs to be an all around adjustment in that respect, at least to give a bit more incentive to people who want to compete.

There will be good things to come of this, trust me. Because most of these issues seem to be rooted in the programming behind the packs themselves, I can see a much greater attention being paid to the complex structures. Not that it shouldnt have been that way since the beginning, but now it is absolutely essential and required. Because they cant afford another issue, hopefully this will be it. That is a very good thing, albeit one that should have been a given.

Additionally, if you are a team collector or a player collector, and want to get your cards upgraded to the higher levels, it just got a whole lot cheaper to do it. Purples are much more easy to get in trade, and that means your collection can get better with decreased cost. Not everyone plays for points, and I am definitely enjoying getting purples of my collecting targets for upgrade purposes. Same thing goes for your team’s or player’s cards from the box, which normally would have been much tougher to get.

More information is likely on the way as the team sorts out the different issues and how to continue forward from this point. I hope that they have a way to make this right, especially when you consider how much impact there is on the points side of this. I understand that this was not done intentionally, but its something that needs a response as quickly as possible.

All in all, my best advice is to wait to see what happens. See if there is something in the works before trying to offload or load up. If some sort of fix is on the way, you do not want to be someone that loses out because you acted without patience.

These times will pass, and I hope its quickly rather than not. Either way, its going to be an interesting couple of days leading up to Sunday’s First Class Challenge. Stay tuned for further updates.

UPDATE 1: All purples are untradeable and unusuable for the contests, refunds will be provided for those that participated yesterday.

Today, we got some great news for all the Huddle fans out there. As of 3/31, Topps physical is no longer going to be producing trading cards, however Topps Digital will be in the NFL game for years to come. Announced today, Topps has signed a long term deal with both the NFL and NFLPA to remain a part of the licensed game, and I could not be more happy to report this news.

We knew that there was a deal in place, as the previous deal’s expiration would have prevented new cards from being released over the last month. What we didnt know was the length of the deal, which from the report, looks to have secured rights for the foreseeable future. I cant even say how big of a deal this is, because it is probably the biggest news for Topps Digital in a very long time. Not only does it keep them in the game, but it is a large gesture in Panini’s face considering their recent acquisition of the exclusive license in physical.

Bottom line, Topps has been in football for 60 years, and Huddle is a new extension of a way to continue that tradition. Although it is far from where Topps likely wants to be in the overall scope of trading cards, I can assure you this deal gives new life to the brand in a sport where they needed fresh air.

With the draft coming this week, Huddle is on its way to a very big month, already shaping up to be the best offseason ever. Not only have they found new inspiration in designing compelling content through the down time, but they have now secured a future that will allow more investment in the app than shorter deals would allow.

This is also the first all digital license for any trading card brand, which should give an added incentive for the digital team to perform. Not only that, but we will see how designs and other digital friendly resources are used without a physical counterpart to hold it back. Going to be very interesting indeed.

There have been many questions on this subject in the app articles and on twitter, and with the formalized statement, we can all now breathe a bit easier. More to come as information is released!

Here is the full statement:

Topps Continues Rich Football Tradition with NFL and NFLPA licensed Digital Cards

There are a lot of reasons why people love digital cards, and even more reasons why they spend more time on the app than any other app on their phone. Some of it has to do with the content, but that isnt the ONLY reason. I feel like an oft overlooked element of the apps is user vs user competition, and I am not just referring to the gameplay elements involved. The Topps users live to compete, and it benefits both the business and the users to have outlets for that desire. I feel we arent getting enough.

Before I get killed here, I know that the contest setup on the apps is designed to provide a competitive gameplay system that allows users to employ strategy to win. This content is fun, no doubt about it, but I think a lot of people would like to see a lot more focus on delivering some amazing ways to play along, above and beyond what is currently available. We want to battle in every element of the game, including the status of our collections.

I think that because the contest system isnt monetized in a way that generates a lot of revenue, its a secondary focus for apps like Bunt and Huddle. The main focus is still delivering compelling content in a way that tickles that part of our brain controlling our spending habits. Im not saying that is necessarily the wrong approach for Topps, but it leaves a lot to be desired in a big part of the reason why we play. We want to be the best at whatever it is we do in each of the games.

This is my plea. I want more ways to be recognized as the best. The best at collecting who I collect, the best at playing along with live games, and the best at any and every last part of the app. We need more ways for users to be recognized and done so in a way that promotes that competitive approach. Its a driver like nothing else.

In Star Wars specifically, there is no gameplay outlet for users to feel like they can have a public win. Considering how much could be built and incentivized within the app to highlight top collectors, Im not sure why that hasnt been a huge focus. Encouraging competition among users should have a lasting effect in spending, which is further showcased when you see releases centered around “the person who can get the most XXXXX will get a special award…”

For a long time, hoarding has been a huge focus in SWCT, as a crowd-sourced gameplay scenario that still hasnt really been systemically supported in a way I find all that appealing. Things like hoarding leaderboards, and collection showcases still havent made their way to the app, and users who dedicate the time to amass huge collections rarely get recognized for their dedication. If no one can really “win” in this sense, it should come as no surprise when people start to drop off over time.

Bunt is the exception to the rule in terms of a formalized user recognition program, as the fan of the week continues to have a big focus each time the article is published. Im not sure Im ready to call it the answer to the problem, but its a start to building a better program for giving the community a place to be featured within the official ranks within the app.

Considering that all four of the Topps apps have a collection score indicator, im not sure what purpose it serves if the top users dont have a place where their status can be recognized. Levels in Bunt are an interesting concept in itself, but with the collection score apparatus still in place, users continue to recognize that above the level.

Bottom line, I am asking for more opportunity to showcase the best of the best, and continue to give us a reason to be passionate above and beyond a casual user. Content is still number 1 with a bullet, dont get me wrong, but this other element needs to be a much closer number 2. Every business book in existence talks about how recognition can drive behaviors that would not normally be exhibited, and I think we have gone too long without extra focus on recognizing the contributions of individuals in the community in the four apps.

Let me ask a question to give you perspective. In SWCT, they release base variant after base variant, expecting individuals to spend. What purpose does owning those cards serve if your character collection is never public unless someone seeks you out?

Additionally, as mentioned prior, contests similarly need a major attentive eye on a daily basis in season, offering great prizes and highlighting users for their performances. Bunt has many winners each day, but we never actually see who really knocked the cover off the ball.

As a long term strategy, Topps’ focus on user vs user competition will breed a better and stronger community, a more intense drive to achieve top status, and more spending to get there. Everyone wins. Users can finally feel like their massive investment of time and money will be seen by others, and those on the cusp can see just how close (or far) they truly are. Give us a measuring stick, and I can guarantee we will use it.

With the offseason upon us in Huddle, we are starting to see bolder patterns of releasing cards, especially lower count inserts and marathons that look to have EXTREME value overall. I have been curious to see how they perform, and so far, they are working out very well on the secondary market trade economy.

With low count Marathons like Limited or Signature Series, things tend to be high profile and visible for a long period of time. For a chase set, im not sure that is the case. SWCT has had some very low variants released in certain sets, and only a small portion of them remain insanely valuable after the fact. Im not going to say they are worthless by any means, as low count cards are always valuable. Im saying they arent AS valuable as they were.

I categorize chase sets as releases that are only available for a shorter period of time, like a week or a few weeks. In some cases, the value of the crazy rare inserts remains high, as its clear that the popularity of the set will remain in the trade consciousness of the community. Sets like Nightbrothers come to mind.

Other sets dont have the longevity to maintain a huge value, and low parallels might drop off quickly after the set is complete. Huddle’s High Tek is a great example of this, despite how much I love that set. People seem to be uninterested in the 10 and 25 count versions of the top guys at the value a card of that count should be worth, and im not entirely sure why?

The release of Topps Mood lately is an interesting case, because it has 1/1 parallels along side the rare variants. Huddle did 1/1 gold legend signatures earlier in the offseason, and those really havent held up as much as I expected they would. Im intrigued to see the long term value of the set piece cards, knowing that the super rare Cam Newton signatures are selling for over 100 bucks a pop (a rarity in Huddle).

As a whole, I like when Variants are used to offer something added to the chase, and in a super premium set scenario, it can make buying packs and bundles more profitable in the long run. At the same time, I dont like when variants are used to extend out a program without consideration for added content, especially if little to nothing is changed in the card’s design. This could also be a reason why some low count chase set parallels dont hold well, especially if users dont see the reason to acquire the card in addition to others they also have.

When you think about the reason for participation that most users have, there are always very interesting ways that people consider value. If you can pick out the sets that people are clamoring for and will continue to clamor for, it becomes a chase to stock your collection with cards you know will hold value for a long period of time.

After a 3 week wait, Bunt finally pulled the trigger on releasing the signature series card of Carlos Correa, the 2016 cover athlete for the app. At 225 count, it was the lowest so far by about 75 copies, and sold out within minutes. Users were scrambling to get their hands on one, and it got me thinking about how important the cover athlete is to the value of a card.

History Adds to the Allure

Since 2014, Trout has really been the favorite athlete of the Bunt team. He has close ties to Topps on the physical side as an exclusive spokesperson for the trading card brand, and Bunt made him an official cover athlete in 2015. For the first two years of “modern” Bunt, Trout was the first sig, and one of the most important of the chase. His 2014 card is still one of the most valuable in the game, despite being ‘retired’ for 2 years.

Over that same timeframe, Trout’s sig was also the lowest count of both runs. 2014 had a MINUSCULE run of 100 cards, and 2015 had a small run of just 150. The 2015 Variant was the card everyone wanted to have at just 25 copies, and it helped that Trout had another great season in MVP contention.

Visibility = Value?

Correa is not the super star that Trout is – YET. He is a great young player who definitely fits a lot of the same characteristics that Trout does. Great relationship with Topps, exclusive athlete for the brand, and a personality that screams he might be one of the best potential ambassadors for the game on both a national and international scale.

All those things really dont enter the minds of many Bunt users, so it becomes a question of whether or not value is derived from his visibility as the cover athlete, ABOVE where his popularity and card count would normally put him.

Right now, Im skeptical. The reason is that if Kris Bryant was released with the same count, would everyone have gone as nuts as they did for Correa? I have to say it would be likely. Although Bryant isnt the cover athlete, his popularity is undeniable. He also plays for a team that I would argue more people collect. Both have the same type of potential in the league, but its not really about future potential. This is truly a popularity contest.

At the same time, everyone has the expectation that the cover athlete IS going to be the rarest and most valuable sig in the run. I would highly caution against this, as this statement has not been confirmed by the team. They could EASILY release a 200 count sig or below, much like they did at the end of last year a few times with Ichiro and Correa’s 2015 version.

Is the Cover Athlete’s Status Still Important?

I think that this is  where things get even more muddy. Being the cover athlete has meant that all the big sets should have a version of his card. All those sets that people love to chase – the cover athlete has usually gotten prime consideration.

The reason I say this is muddy is because Trout was both the most popular player in MLB, and the cover athlete, so it might just be coincidence that his presence was not a result of his status.

Correa is easily among the top 5 players in popularity right now, behind Trout, Harper, and likely tied with Bryant, so it might be just as murky of a theory to prove.

If anything, it just goes to show that Bunt has gotten the choice pretty spot on for a few years now, and its yet to be seen if the Mike Trout Memorial Spokesperson Torch has been passed both in the actual sense and the community sense. Im very interested to find out.

Its unfortunate that we have gotten to this point, and I am not happy that sets continue to be made untradeable in SWCT. Its a terrible precident to set and undermines the app’s reason for existence. Additionally, its an unpopular band aid to an issue that needs intense scrutiny, and needs to be fixed in another more palatable fashion.

That being said, we have to play along or not play at all. As upset as this makes people, here are some thoughts on continuing to survive, even though you cant trade for the sets. It might even be a good idea to employ more than one of the following suggestions.

Better Determine What Sets Are Worth It To You

For the majority of users, building all the weekly chase sets is pretty problematic when you cant trade for them. If sets are going to continue to be untradeable, being more selective with your coins and real dollars is going to be necessary. Take a look at the prospects of the set before diving in, and dont just spend coins to spend coins.

Being more conscious of your spending and coin usage will allow you to save and be prepared when something big hits. It will also give you more ability to streamline your collection and focus on what matters to you.

For me, I will only collect sets that:

• Have cool artwork
• Have cool pictures
• Have a cool theme
• Focus on the main players in the film franchise, and not background people
• Have an easy to follow structure
• Wont bankrupt me to chase

If a set meets your personal standards, decide what parallel you would like to chase. With untradeable sets, its going to be exponentially more difficult to chase down a set of tough parallels, so that could mean lots of extra spending if you find that the rare variants are what you want. Just be prepared.

As a whole, this type of strategy almost needs to be employed for all sets, really coming to terms with what cards you want versus what cards would just be “nice to have.”

Buy The Set on Ebay After the Fact

As far as I can tell so far, the sets are untradeable only until the award is given out. With most of the programs we have seen, buying the whole run after its all done is significantly cheaper than trying to get it during the actual release.

No one said that the cards are any less cool if you get them when the set is done, and most of the time you will save a lot of money in the process. It might take away the fun of ripping packs, but you will still have the cards when all is said and done.

Trade for the Cards After the Fact

Like with the ebay situation, it becomes infinitely easier to trade for cards after the awards are given out. As someone who loves getting things first and fast, this is going to be pretty difficult to avoid, but you can still get the whole set after the program is over if you really want to.

The trade value of new cards can be high, and the allure of collecting a set is diminished if you cant use it as leverage in future deals during the program’s run. These types of “after the fact” type of acquisitions really only apply if you want the cards as part of your collection.

Similarly, if the set is tough to acquire as a whole, the award might be too low in count to make work in this type of fashion – especially as a free player. Of course, free players are not usually considered in any type of program setup, but here they are eliminated from set trading consideration in low count and rare results.

Dont Collect the Set As A Whole

The best part of collecting is a complete set, and its clear that not getting the whole thing is against the compulsive tendencies of my habits. That being said, I have long come to terms with SWCT not being the perfect puzzle piece for the hole in the picture, and that some of those jagged edges might not fit.

Going into a set knowing that you ONLY want certain pieces can be liberating, and it can also make it less of a focus to spend above your limit to get the rest of the cards you miss. The game will produce situations that will be outside your zone. Untradeable sets might be the way that goes down for many of us.

Some day in the future, I hope the team decides to fix the problem in a way that doesnt hurt the customer experience the way this does. I want to go back to the days when sets were released and the economy sorted everything out on the back end. At the same time, if this is the new norm, and I hope it isnt, maybe its time to change our perspective and start figuring out how to live with the changes instead of agonize over the misery they illicit from us.

I have written about this subject many times over the last few years, and it continues to be one of the things that most users continue to struggle with. As a value indicator, card count can be a simple way to judge what a card will mean to the trade economy, and in other cases it only creates confusion. I want to take some time to walk through why card count is so important to people, and what the future might look like.

Im not actually sure where to start here, because this is such an involved topic. I will say that there are only a few things that can REALLY impact a card’s value on the open market, and I can count them on one hand. Card count is definitely number one, because it creates the most volatile reactions when it fluctuates. Unlike player/character popularity and card type, super low count cards are rarely worthless, and super high count cards are rarely valuable. I see the availability of a card as a factor that can act like a multiplier, a triple word score tile in scrabble if you will.

The rules of supply and demand are always at play, and a low count card exemplifies a famine type approach that can drive a community nuts. Funny enough, the concept of creating these types of cards isnt that old, especially when you consider that the first sigs all had unlimited counts in the game. The ones that maintain the most value in Bunt are low not because of contrived scarcity, but instead because they were impossible to pull.

In 2014, there were cards that were built with ultra limited counts for the first time, a newer type of concept that mirrors a similar shift on the physical side of things. Back in 2000, serially numbered inserts became more and more widespread. So much so that in today’s physical card sets, numbered cards can come in every single pack you open. Many cards, even as low as 1/1 can be pretty easy to obtain, even though there are still others that will cost you the price of a small car.

If you are worried that the saturation of low count cards will create a vacuum of value in the trade market, in some ways that has already started. When you think back to the beginning of 2014, the Trout and Jeter sigs were both at 100 count and were going for no less than entire collections if anyone ever offered them up for trade. Today, a card with a count of 100 is released almost daily across one of the four apps, and they rarely have that kind of value. Just this week, Bunt released a variant sig of Francisco Lindor with a card count of 100, and it is the 3rd most available signature card this year, let alone all year.

This doesnt mean its all doom and gloom, but with so much of the Topps collectible card apps dependent on trade value to remain high, its kind of odd that it has taken just 3 years for value to be impacted as much as it has. It took close to 10 on the physical side. Im not arguing that cards with 10 copies will eventually be without value, but it might take a little more than scarcity to really drive up value on the secondary market in the future. Things like design and other factors will be much more important than just setting the limit below 50, I would guess.

I think there is a reason behind WHY count is such an important factor in value, and its more than just the basic economics of the app. Competition and vanity are big drivers in the apps, mainly that users want to have the best and look the best. Part of that is having a crazy collection, and high end, low count cards look really good on the sheet. I think that this aspect of giving people a way to show off their goods is something that Topps has poorly managed over the last few years, and I think the longevity of value could be impacted if more showcase was available for the users.

I think this is starting to become a larger consideration as more and more cards are released. With daily content across 4 apps stretches the full checklist into the tens of thousands, there are a lot of cards in circulation. With counts down to 1/1, there are already users who feel like anything with a higher count really isnt worth their time. I think from what we have seen this year in Bunt and Huddle’s offseason, the look of the inserts has already started to evolve past the fundamental changes the apps have already gone through since 2013.

The designers are starting to take more risks with the look of each set they build and with new technology coming soon to the Apple and Android phone market, the sky is really the limit. Its refreshing when the sets take a leap that wasnt expected, and in some cases, that can spark a feeding frenzy that goes beyond count. As the app population grows among the four brands, so do the people who want to improve their collections. There is a reason why a low count Star Wars card still has extreme value above and beyond anything else. There are so many people out there who populate the app, that demand increases exponentially faster. That is the real key, and its stupid to think that card count should continue to go down instead of up.

App population growth is the key to increasing value across the board, and from Topps’ perspective, the short term revenue goals of low count cards should be balanced with the plans of more “community wins” to ensure more and more people join the fray. Adding guaranteed insert bundles in the store hurts considerably to this factor, especially if EVERYTHING has a price to get what you want. Part of the appeal of any card is the rush you get when pulled from a pack, and bundles take that away in many instances.

It also forces the user to assign a specific value to a card that immediately places pricing into a spectrum of already released cards. The element of chance and the ability to trade the cards is the soul of the Topps apps, and some of the pieces of that notion have been almost entirely.

As a whole, things look different today than they ever have and that isnt necessarily a bad thing all around. I very much like many choices that the producers have made in creating compelling content across the scope of what is possible right now. Huddle especially has seen a complete change in the way a set is built, and so far it has been quite entertaining. Design plays such a huge part in that, and its clear that ToppsCorey’s influence is palpable in that respect.

When we eventually look back a few years from now, on where we are now, I guarantee we will laugh the same way we do now about 2013. The Bunt Revisited program showed how far we have come and I am sure ToppsDan loved seeing the way his designs have a completely different approach than anything from 4 years ago.

Considering that card count is a number and can never truly evolve past its place in our economy, the other factors are what we look to for inspiration in where things are going. It becomes about shifting perspectives and focus, and I hope we continue to see that drift away from the traditional community viewpoints. That drift still hasnt happened on the physical side, and we can all see the trouble on the horizon for that space in the hobby. I sincerely hope digital finds a way.