In 2012 and 2013 Topps
create special sets that were sold as pack/boxes in conjunction with the UFC’s Las
Vegas Expo which were called “Independence Edition”. The sets used a release
from the previous year but included a special foil stamp listing it as the Independence
Edition. The 2012 set was limited to 250 packs, which means there are less than
50 of each base card even though the cards are unnumbered. I am not certain of
the 2013 set but I am willing to bet they too were limited to 250 packs.
I have the 2011 Moment
of Truth Bader card that I picked up years ago, but I do not have the 2012
Bloodlines Bader but it is on my want list so when one shows up I know about it
and one showed up late last year and it has been sitting in my Watch List
since.
The problem is that the
idiot selling the card had Bader sign the card and is charging $35 for it.
First, never get a limited-edition card signed. Second, don’t get a card with a
silver background signed with silver ink. Third the card, without the autograph,
is worth about $10-15 in Mint condition and fourth, NEVER GET A LIMITED-EDITION CARD SIGNED!
In my eyes, the card is damaged
with the autograph (in addition to all of the back damage and corner and edge chipping). I have plenty of Ryan Bader’s autographs, including the fighting
gloves that my son had Ryan Bader sign for me while my son was training at
Bader’s Power MMA Gym in Gilbert, and because Ryan Bader is always happy to
sign for fans I don’t need to add an IP autograph to my collection that someone
else had signed.
If I were able to purchase
this card I would not consider paying anything more than $10 and if possible I
would look for a safe way to remove the autograph. I really am bummed about
this, the guy has 30+ Bader IP autographs and 3 official autographs (which are
seriously overpriced) and this card would have been better unsigned.
Considering that the card has been available since October it seems pretty
obvious other Bader collectors feel the same way.
I'm not really a fan of IP autographs on limited cards, either. I guess it's okay if it's something that you're going to keep in your collection, but I couldn't see myself purchasing something like this Bader card. If they really wanted to take this to the next level, though, they would cut the signature out of this card and slap it in a frame, like they do with those Leaf Prime Cuts products.
ReplyDeleteWait. So if I have a super limited edition card, should I get it signed? ;) Hope you finally add 2012 Bloodlines Bader one day. And if you're really lucky it won't be signed in silver Sharpie.
ReplyDelete