New collector - which brand?

[Claymaker]

Hey.
First of all apologies if I've started this thread in the wrong category!
Secondly I'm guessing my question won't have one answer and will probably be based on opinion.

I'm looking to start collecting Football cards but I'm unsure which brand. Any help on deciding on a brand to collect would be much appreciated. I'm based in the UK and I've found a few places online which sell most brand's, Topps, Panini, Bowman, Upper Deck etc so I just need to decide which one!

Thanks in advance.

[hayn]

Hey.
First of all apologies if I've started this thread in the wrong category!
Secondly I'm guessing my question won't have one answer and will probably be based on opinion.

I'm looking to start collecting Football cards but I'm unsure which brand. Any help on deciding on a brand to collect would be much appreciated. I'm based in the UK and I've found a few places online which sell most brand's, Topps, Panini, Bowman, Upper Deck etc so I just need to decide which one!

Thanks in advance.

To Claymaker,

I would recommend Topps, Panini, and Upper Deck, these are great starts! You can order these products from the many online stores in the US, although shipping will be an issue of cost. Some of the most frequented online stores are "Dave and Adams Card Store" (Dacardworld), Blowout Cards, and Steelcity Collectables. What part of the UK do you reside in? I lived on Piccadilly Square and Saint Andrews Scotland, some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. Good Luck.

Toshi

[superman24742]

Claymaker - Depends on what your purpose of collecting is. Variety of Players, will be base topps and score. Topps chrome is always very popular and has good value. If you want to set build I prefer most of topps stuff over panini and Topps tends to have base RC's where panini has RC autos instead of just base cards for most of their sets. Like I said it really depends, or you can order a variety and see what you have the most fun opening.

[omni d]

Ya depends on how much you wanna spend. I like simple Topps or Chrome!

What soccer team do you support? Do you collect Topps Premier League cards?

[87hokie]

there are a of things to keep in mind...Upper Deck brands now focus exclusively on players in their College uniforms...for the most part with this product you need to decide if you want to collect a player in their college uniform...
Other Draft prospect products are the Press Pass cards and those by SAGE. Again these sets feature prospective players and are usually on the market just PRIOR TO THE DRAFT. since these products are pre draft releases you won't know if the players in the set will even be drafted...or to which team they will go. A recent trend in these draft products is to feature veteran NFL players in photos from THEIR college days - kinda cool if you collect alumni from a particular university.

Most of the other products will be issued following the draft and will have the new rookie players in their pro team uniform. Veteran players will be in these sets and will be in their pro team uniforms.

Generally each company has products that have a specific feature that may appeal to different collectors...
Basic cards with foil highlights - as well as parallel issues (the same card with a different border (Topps does gold, camo, black and pink bordered parallels)
As mentioned above Topps Chrome is a widely collected mirror finish card.

Panini is another card company that has many different products.

Most of the card companies will issue cards with a swatch of game used/event worn uniform, autographs or other uniform or memorabilia pieces. These are usually a different set that the base set...

Most of the card companies have web sites that include photos of their cards listed by product so if you were to go to the Panini website or Topps, you could get a look at their cards of say Topps chrome from 2013 to get an idea of what 2014 will look like (if 2014 isn't posted yet)...this may also help you narrow down what brand you want to focus on...using that info to shop for pricing...

You can focus your collection in many different ways the big thing is to enjoy what your doing and collect what you like.

Le

[Claymaker]

Hey
Thank you all for the advice and quick replies!
Reason for collecting is just as a hobby to start with, build up some good collections over time which may be worth selling one day (if I could bring myself to sell after the time it takes to build it up).
I don't collect the soccer cards in the UK but was thinking of doing this also as they're easily available, Topps match attax seems like the most popular cards. I support my hometown club, Barnsley. Unlikely they'll be featured on any cards as they're lower league.
Based on the advice I think I may start with the Topps NFL cards, I found the following website which seems to have a variety to choose from
http://www.nflcardsuk.co.uk/nfl-foot...es--packs.html

[Claymaker]

To Claymaker,

I would recommend Topps, Panini, and Upper Deck, these are great starts! You can order these products from the many online stores in the US, although shipping will be an issue of cost. Some of the most frequented online stores are "Dave and Adams Card Store" (Dacardworld), Blowout Cards, and Steelcity Collectables. What part of the UK do you reside in? I lived on Piccadilly Square and Saint Andrews Scotland, some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. Good Luck.

Toshi

I live in Yorkshire. I used to live in London so I know Picadilly well and I have friends in Edinburgh so visit Scotland regularly. In fact the British Open golf is at St Andrews next year so I'll be planning a few days up there to see that. Where are you from?

[hayn]

I live in Yorkshire. I used to live in London so I know Picadilly well and I have friends in Edinburgh so visit Scotland regularly. In fact the British Open golf is at St Andrews next year so I'll be planning a few days up there to see that. Where are you from?

Honolulu, Hawaii. I now reside in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. I traveled as a jazz musician during the mid-80's up until 1990, my home base during the mid-80's was Amsterdam, Zurich, and Belgium. Saint Andrews was absolutely beautiful. My band opened up at the Live Aid concert at Saint Andrews, we got to stay at the golf resort. I'll never forget the kind hearted people and their friendly faces.

Going back to football cards, I just started collecting American Football cards in 2012. It's very therapeutic for me as I've been injured and now retired. The other members are correct in that Topps and or Topps Chrome is great way to start off, this is a very well placed direction to go to.

If you're reference to Football is Soccer "What we Yanks call it here", then Panini is the way to go, they are very big in Europe. They have products coming out on the continent (Europe) all the time. They're based in Italy. Start out with simple and inexpensive products, when you find a genre that appeals to you, you can then move forward and purchase the items that you like most. Always remember in collecting and acquiring sports cards; "There are no correct ways nor wrong ways in collecting sports cards". Ultimately, it's what you like best as well as what fits in your budget.

Toshi

[hayn]

I also read your statement in that you will be collecting both football and American Football. Match Attax is a fantastic way to start as my daughter plays in adult minor leagues here, she too has collected Match Attax. They are widely accessible and inexpensive. Your other comment is that you would like to sell your collection possibly in the future. I too considered that at one point, I've grown to love this hobby so much, everything I have is not for sell. I definitely have a hard time parting with my PC or Personal Collection.

Football:

Besides Match Attax, I mentioned Panini, I cannot comment on what Panini products you should focus on as advertisement namely product recognition has different titles in of brands compared to what we have here. Start small, think big. This is a safe direction to go into.

American Football:

This is an excerpt that I wrote for another member that has the same delima as yourself. It was written just a week ago.

I too am a novice collector as I've only started my collection in earnest since December of 2012. I have also become a fan of NFL games as recently as October of 2009. Being 48 years old, I am continuously trying my best to keep up with the very educated, long time experienced collecting members of Cardboard Connections (CBC) forum, Card Collectors World (CCW).

As you stated, not having NFL cards sold in your state nor country, may I be so bold to ask where you are domiciled? The reason I'm asking is that most of the 50th states will have a Walmart, Target, and or Kmart. These big ticket stores will have a sports and a non-sports card aisle. The sports are dedicated in general to baseball, football, hockey, Americana, basketball and golf. As for a non-sports examples these are related to but not excluding Pokemon, Ugio, movies, TV Series "The Walking Dead" and fantasy games etc.

Purchasing cards and or hobby boxes (A hobby box is a particular product that can only be obtained via online and in dedicated independent sports card stores may contain and consists of 1 to 5 cards and up to several hundred) online are the most inexpensive and cost productive method available. I will review this comment shortly. Single cards are usually 50% of the actuall book value. Book values can be obtained from a Beckett magazine as well as Beckett online price guide or OPG as it's known in the hobby acclimate. First and foremost, I highly recomend in obtaing a Beckett periodical as this gives you the best method in categorizing your collection, it's also an industry wide utilized standard guide for proffesionals and non-proffesionals as such.

Non-NFL licensed cards:

As a reference, at the start of the collecting year, (NFL cards during the beginning of the NFL season) produced are very inexpensive and yet educational in this regards. Products from Hit/SAGE, Press Pass, Upper Deck, and Leaf will have rookies whom will be drafted, composed in their appropriate represented college/University and these schools as such of uniforms. These are considered pre-NFL cards, please note that these products are not officially cards of rookies except that they are cards of potential NFL players. This is so in that the card companies are not licensed NFL entities, hence the NFL does not consider these cards as rookie cards.

Entry level cards/retail cards:

Once the NFL draft is completed, the official NFL card season begins, for myself and many others, I can't wait to bust a pack or blaster box. Here is where I will state the product and brand. At retail stores, only rack packs or hanger packs, (Which hang on so called skewers for visual advertisement) single retail packs, and blaster boxes are sold. These range in price from a couple of dollars (Single packs), $5.00 to $10.00(Hanger or rack packs), on to $19.99 for blaster boxes. Single packs will have the general base cards, the Hanger packs in general will have base cards and if you're lucky enough, inserts and parallels, finally moving up to a blaster box that can yield base, inserts, parallels, autos, and jersey cards. If you're really lucky, you'll find a hit which could be a rookie card with a auto and a patch or jersey also known in the industry as rookie/patch/auto or RPA. These terminologies can be found at CBC articles or you can just ask one of the many experienced collectors of CCW forum. Retail products are exceptional in that they are great for kids and the ever so novice and or a seasoned collector looking to see what a product looks like or compiles as, so to determine if a hobby box is justified. When I mean justified, I'm referring to the price package.

Retail or hobby boxes:

Hobby boxes will cost anywhere from $39.95 (2012 Panini Prime Signatures of which only has four cards. One auto, one insert, one parallel, and one base card all numbered) up to $1295.00. This would constitute 2014 Panini Flawless. A hobby box purchase is a must for collectors seeking hits. Normally hits are specified within a product detailing autos and or auto patch cards. Normally, a hobby box will guarantee one auto, at times a box top, and a RPA with several parallels and inserts. Only hobby boxes will feature a rare 1/1 collectible card, yes, you've read this correctly, a one of a kind in the whole wide world specialty card. Most notably a design or printing plate (White Whale) aspect. This should give you a base line onto which way your collecting needs lean to. I personally enjoy both retail and hobby products. Here is why, I enjoy retail products as I utilize blaster boxes as a visual aid in what products that will debut in that what I would purchase in as a hobby box. I can then make my decision. Please note that only a small percentage of cards are sold as a retail product, many other cards are dedicated and released as hobby ONLY.

Upper Deck (UD):

This company has been around for over 40 plus years. Although non-NFL licensed, one of my favorite UD products is the UD set and the SP Authentic set. Other sets are Exquisite, SPX, and Fleer. You can see a visual and get real time street price cost via eBay. eBay is a great way to find out what a potential card is valued at, as for what it's worth, remember when trading on CCW, most if not all members, myself included will trade at book value (BV) unless otherwise specified so.

Topps:

Topps is truly a old school product dating back to 1948 with their Bownan colored and black and white cards. Topps is the all to go item especially when Chrome debuts. I don't know a single sports card collector of which whom does not have a Topps Chrome card, this is how popular Chrome is to the collecting genre. Another popular Topps product is Platinum. These two products are mid-level items. Chrome and Platinum are usually in the $100.00 plus range and consists of a 100 cards are so. Mid to high end cards from Topps would be Magic, Finest, Supreme, Valor, and Inception. These cards are in the $130.00 price point and average 4 to 8 cards. Topps Triple Threads and Five Star reigns as elite items from Topps. TT and 5 Star are $250.00 and $450.00 respectively with no more than a dozen cards. Remember, the less cards, the more you pay. But understand the bigger your hits! Or as I put it; "The bigger your risk". My wife, Mrs. Toshi has the Midas touch, I never purchase a hobby box without her consent and choice. She tends to always hit big, as an example, I like Panini Black. I've pulled a inexpensive Michael Egnew $5.00 card from a $200.00 Panini Black hobby box, and in return, Mrs. Toshi pulled a Andrew Luck RPA with a BV of $350.00. Although rare in this case, the Andrew Luck card definitely paid in dividends. That's just one card out of twelve!

Panini:

Panini happens to be my all time go to card company, they produce Score, Prestige, Elite, Absolute, Crown Royale, Certified, Gridiron, Rookies and Stars, RS Longevity, Momentum, Black, Contenders, Playbook, National Treasures, Flawless, Prominence, Limited, and Totally Certified. As you can see, Panini has an abundant supply of products to meet any if not all demands of collectors need and wants. For a quick visual review, please go to "Football Showcase" click on the thread "Dacardworld", you will see my most recent hobby box break in that of 2014 Panini Certified. My very first hobby box was a Certified, hence I've purchased Certified every year since December of 2012. This I will always do as a nostalgic reference for my collecting choice.

In summation, there are way too many card products available yet, that's a great thing, you have that many choices and are free to try a little bit every so often. I recomend you start small and as always, work yourself up the chain of collecting products. That's how I started, Score, Topps Chrome, Platinum, Certified, and so on the price tier ladder. Ultimately, my mantra is; "There is no correct way nor incorrect way of collecting football cards". Please understand that one of the most overlooked aspect in football card collecting is supplies. Always, always, invest in collecting supplies to care for your collection. You can find the correct supplies for your collection via CBC under supplies. If you need any more information and or want to just generally chat about football cards, please feel free to PM me at anytime as I am retired. I hope this helps!

Your fellow forum member,

Toshi
__________________
I am easy, I collect any and all NFL cards. Individual players I really enjoy are Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, Andrew Luck, RGIII, and Russell Wilson. My passion is Favre rookie cards and vintage cards.

http://sportscardalbum.com/u/toshi

[hayn]

This forum member resides in Australia. Hence he has the same demographic issues as you do, maybe even more so being "Down Under". I told him that I miss the tely of shows like "Friends", "East Enders", "Black Adder", (My all time favorite) "AbFab", "Top of the Pop Charts", and "Wogan". Feel free to PM me anytime you have anymore concerns in regards to collecting and or just to chat.

Toshi

[Claymaker]

Wow thanks for the info! Very useful and much appreciated. Will re-read it a couple of time before i decide.

With regards "soccer" there doesn't seem to be many Panini cards around anymore, they mainly seem to sell stickers in the UK and i cant seem to find anywhere online to buy their cards from.

[hayn]

Wow thanks for the info! Very useful and much appreciated. Will re-read it a couple of time before i decide.

With regards "soccer" there doesn't seem to be many Panini cards around anymore, they mainly seem to sell stickers in the UK and i cant seem to find anywhere online to buy their cards from.

Try the online card shops I recommended, they have an extensive inventory to meet all collecting needs.

[Claymaker]

Thanks all for the input and help! Think I'm going to start off with some Topps Chrome and Bowman Sterling.
Looking to collect any Raiders cards and then the following players to begin with.
Troy Polamalu
Brandon Marshall
JJ Watt
Jadeveon Clowney
Sean Taylor

If you have any of those to sell or trade (once I get some cards to trade with) please let me know, I'm also based in the UK (thought it was worth mentioning for shipping reasons)