Optimum 2022

[BLOWN8]

Remember the 1996 HOF release was the 4th release for the year. Back then it didn’t sell well initially. Pre internet kids didn’t know the majority of the players in the release either. I did also hear the story about the product being thrown out for these reasons, can’t confirm though. If shops couldn’t sell the stock they had could it be returned for a credit???

 

[cotchin#9]

It's the bin/thrown out aspect I can't wrap my head around.
Let's say there was remaining product, select seriously could not find any room to store it away? it had to be sent to the trash??
Not feeling it....
this subject did bring back memories of
'topps dumping 52' mickey mantle left over stock in the ocean' story.

 

[absti3]

Yeah it’s a creative story , hoping there is no truth to it

 

[Freo1995]

ok, I can feel what your saying.
It's just I find it extremely unlikely ( yet I have no proof at all to back up my thoughts)
Maybe your correct, but until further evidence is presented... I just can't take your 'source' word for it..

Yeh I don’t take it as gospel either, but where there is smoke there is fire. How or why it came about may never be confirmed, but there is no doubt in my mind that there are no longer 110 copies of each card as stated. Nobody will know how exactly many are out there, but I’m guessing it’s a hell of a lot less than the original print run.

 

[absti3]

Just imagine if it had been released in the current climate, the prices would be astronomical

 

[cotchin#9]

Just imagine if it had been released in the current climate, the prices would be astronomical

the amount of sealed stock people would hoard would be astronomical.

 

[cotchin#9]

Really like Futures and Footy’s Finest, don’t like 3 levels of DPS but do think they look good. I only bother with the copper sigs for my collection. Black Footy’s Finest looks great, haven’t seen one in hand yet though. Matrix are very average, not interested in Optimum+ or the parallels. I like that the mirrors are all sigs now, but there’s something about the design I’m not a huge fan of, could be better. Bring back the match worn or game used patches in series 2 I reckon. About time we start seeing some ball patch cards.

your on to something with the "time for some ball patch cards" ....
i picked up a Washington redskins ball patch recently, and they look very cool on card
One could think a ball would be cheaper to acquire for select, then a player worn guernsey?

 

[BJD]

your on to something with the "time for some ball patch cards" ....
i picked up a Washington redskins ball patch recently, and they look very cool on card
One could think a ball would be cheaper to acquire for select, then a player worn guernsey?

My opinion is and has been for a while that Select are not going to branch out and do new things when they know the community just buys what they put out regardless. I mean, we see them blatantly copying designs by other companies, so for me, I don't see them being original and trying something new.

 

[BLOWN8]

My opinion is and has been for a while that Select are not going to branch out and do new things when they know the community just buys what they put out regardless. I mean, we see them blatantly copying designs by other companies, so for me, I don't see them being original and trying something new.

I totally get what you're saying mate, but it isn't something new. We've seen it in the NRL cards for years, and Select know how to do patch cards so would be extremely easy for them. How many balls do they use in one match, 6, 8, more??? Wouldn't be hard to get one or two like cotchin#9 said. And also, they have done a ball patch card before, back in 2011 I think the Hawks Heritage set had ball patch card from the 2008 grand final. So really, would be quite easy for them, while still being something new for AFL collectors.

 

[DARREN]

I think nothing is changing next year if you a member 2 boxes them 2 in general sales thats a joke to be drip feed only that many too will sellout in 2 minures because it’s easy to flip and select are doing nothing about it say whatever you like just check eBay and 17 cases sunshine as well they are just flippers too select can do there find shit before you go to buy justs slows down normal people trying to buy I think I would do 200 dollar membership to buy say 6 boxes flippers would not pay that I think

 

[BJD]

I totally get what you're saying mate, but it isn't something new. We've seen it in the NRL cards for years, and Select know how to do patch cards so would be extremely easy for them. How many balls do they use in one match, 6, 8, more??? Wouldn't be hard to get one or two like cotchin#9 said. And also, they have done a ball patch card before, back in 2011 I think the Hawks Heritage set had ball patch card from the 2008 grand final. So really, would be quite easy for them, while still being something new for AFL collectors.

I never questioned whether it would be easy or not, of course it would be easy. Even if they have done ball patch cards before, the point I was trying to make that they are not going to do something out of the norm and "unique" (so to speak) when their product sells regardless. In my opinion, their lack of effort shows with every release. On that note though, I Googled the ball patch cards and can't find them. You got any photos? Keen to see how they looked.

 

[absti3]

I never questioned whether it would be easy or not, of course it would be easy. Even if they have done ball patch cards before, the point I was trying to make that they are not going to do something out of the norm and "unique" (so to speak) when their product sells regardless. In my opinion, their lack of effort shows with every release. On that note though, I Googled the ball patch cards and can't find them. You got any photos? Keen to see how they looked.

I actually have that set forgot about that it’s pretty thick . Think they had some issues just purely because of the thickness of the card. It’s in the Hawthorn Heritage set from memory

 

[CardHawk]

I'm banking on patch sigs returning next year as hall of fame sigs, captain sigs and dual player sigs have come since 2016/17 Certified. Select need to implement/revisit a new set.

Considering Finest and Influentials have made an appearance in the last few years, patch sigs seem to be next in line.

 

[absti3]

I think the limited unsigned cards is what Select and pretty much all card companies would prefer as it is much easier. Getting players to sign isn’t required which is time consuming for the company. Not saying it is preferred as a collector but limited edition cards say like the Black Finest ,for example ,could become very collectable in time one because players are usually the better players, 2 they are vey limited and 3 they are just aesthetically a fantastic looking card.

 

[BLOWN8]

I never questioned whether it would be easy or not, of course it would be easy. Even if they have done ball patch cards before, the point I was trying to make that they are not going to do something out of the norm and "unique" (so to speak) when their product sells regardless. In my opinion, their lack of effort shows with every release. On that note though, I Googled the ball patch cards and can't find them. You got any photos? Keen to see how they looked.

Here’s mine.

 

[absti3]

I remember they had issues with the edges as it was so thick . Is it similar to the latest higher end cards Blown or thicker ?

 

[BJD]

Here’s mine.

Looks great to me! I am not against the idea by the way, I am merely commenting on how I see their releases and the effort that goes into giving the AFL card community something to say WOW about. I haven't seen that in a very long time to be honest.

 

[BLOWN8]

I remember they had issues with the edges as it was so thick . Is it similar to the latest higher end cards Blown or thicker ?

I just compared it to a Supremacy card and I’d say it’s the same. This was 8 years before Supremacy so you’d have to say printing and manufacturing of such thick cards has improved in that time.

 

[absti3]

I do think they have bought out some nice cards the last few years like those Gold Brilliance, Black Finest , Footys Finals Folklore . Some of the patch , Brownlow booklets I think they have bought out quite a number of nice new cards . They haven’t had patches in the middle tier sets since 2016 and 2017 . Not sure that is a bad thing as we don’t want the market to be saturated with these , but they are probably due. One set they did bring out in series one were the Bangs , love that set, along with the Prestige greens.

 

[BJD]

I do think they have bought out some nice cards the last few years like those Gold Brilliance, Black Finest , Footys Finals Folklore . Some of the patch , Brownlow booklets I think they have bought out quite a number of nice new cards . They haven’t had patches in the middle tier sets since 2016 and 2017 . Not sure that is a bad thing as we don’t want the market to be saturated with these , but they are probably due. One set they did bring out in series one were the Bangs , love that set, along with the Prestige greens.

Not saying the cards don't look good, but the minute a company starts copying another company's cards, that's an L for me. They have an entire team of creatives there, why not just come up with something original! Bang, Futures, Matrix, the list goes on for how many they have copied and just altered a little (some of those VERY little). It's not on in my opinion. I still stand by the fact that there hasn't been a Select card in a long time that has wowed me.