How do you player collectors view Signature Archives?

[gitarst182]

I know a lot of us out there are player specific collectors, but I don't know what to make of this set, and I never have. I have a few players that I mainly collect, especially autos of those players, but I can't stand this set. There's too many low numbered cards, too many 1/1s, too many random cards that they decided "What if we bought back 30 of these $0.50 cards and put autos on them?"

I have never busted this product nor have I ever purchased singles. Just curious what other player collectors think about Archives.

 

[jmc855]

When it came out in 2015 or 16 or whenever, I liked it because I didn't understand what was to come. Then by 2017 it became apparent that they would repeat common cards and stamp them 1/1 with simply a different year. Clemens signs a TON in them, so they aren't rare for me and I have a lot of his autos already. I don't rip, just buy singles so I will buy one for 50 bucks max price. I haven't bought one since a 2018 because they are all priced way higher than that. Just another saturated product diminishing the rarity and coolness of "1/1". Not even as cool as printing plates now.

When Phil Highes showed a few years ago that he signed 800 cards for Topps and 75 were "1/1s", that was kinda the exclamation point on the statement.

My two cents.

 

[WizardofOz1982]

I've not had the issue yet because Jeff Frye hasn't signed for them but if he did I'd probably chase them a bit just because I've got nothing else but ghosts to add for him at this point.

 

[OakAth]

I was chasing Matt Olson for a minute with these cards and then I noticed they used the exact same card (2018 Topps Opening Day) for the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Archives Signatures and just numbered them differently....to /21, /41, and 75. I lost interest after that and of course the A's trading him to Atlanta factored in.

 

[1manvs1world]

I quit collecting with conviction because of the overproduction of limited production cards. More isn’t less no matter how you look at it

 

[mrmopar]

I love the concept for 1 reason, certified autographs of more obscure players on teams you might otherwise never see. Rolen and Vizquel on the Blue Jays, Thome on the Dodgers, etc.

I agree with you on the low numbers and complete randomness of it all. If you can pick and choose a few here and there, you are better off. I tried keeping up with Garvey cards, but he has been featured 4 or 5 years and many cards are duplicated year after year. LOTS of 1/1s over the years. I can't bring myself anymore to spend $100+ on something like a 1982 KMart MVP card because Topps stamped it 1/1. Don't forget, no established checklists that I have found either, other than who may be signing. Topps should have recorded the specific cards and numbers of each signed for record purposes and what to look for. Collectors like checklists!

Have probably bought 100 or more singles though and especially love the 61 Topps Heritage design and of course, Dodgers that you can't find elsewhere.

It seems like this year, the cards are selling stronger or people are asking too much for those that aren't selling though. I used to be able to grab some randoms that caught my eye, but hardly any this year. I am talking cards like a 1981 Topps Fred Lynn or a 1991 Topps Cecil fielder, not Trouts and Aarons.

 

[smapdi]

As a Frank Thomas collector, I decided long ago to focus only on his in-career cards, 1990-2008. As a big name in the sport and the hobby, I'm sure he'll be included in sets basically forever, and it's not like there is a shortage of stuff from his playing days. I have a few post-career cards, but only ones that I really like aesthetically or as part of a set or something.

As a Grady Sizemore collector, I still am pretty much a completist. Since he never became Hall-worthy and his career crashed and burned pretty hard, but he was a popular All-Star level guy, I figured product like Archives are where he would pop up once in a while. However, there were no new Sizemore cards after 2016 until this year when 2022 Panini Flawless came out and he was featured in a patch-auto subset. I figure he'll be included in Topps stuff eventually and I'll be there chasing it all. Archives, Fan Favorites, whatever they call it, 2053 Topps Heritage when they get around to it, etc.

It's odd, though. I don't like sets like this because they can extend a collector's targets infinitely for one guy, but I do like them because they do the same for another guy.

 

[mrmopar]

As a Frank Thomas collector, I decided long ago to focus only on his in-career cards, 1990-2008. As a big name in the sport and the hobby, I'm sure he'll be included in sets basically forever, and it's not like there is a shortage of stuff from his playing days. I have a few post-career cards, but only ones that I really like aesthetically or as part of a set or something.

As a Grady Sizemore collector, I still am pretty much a completist. Since he never became Hall-worthy and his career crashed and burned pretty hard, but he was a popular All-Star level guy, I figured product like Archives are where he would pop up once in a while. However, there were no new Sizemore cards after 2016 until this year when 2022 Panini Flawless came out and he was featured in a patch-auto subset. I figure he'll be included in Topps stuff eventually and I'll be there chasing it all. Archives, Fan Favorites, whatever they call it, 2053 Topps Heritage when they get around to it, etc.

It's odd, though. I don't like sets like this because they can extend a collector's targets infinitely for one guy, but I do like them because they do the same for another guy.

When I came back into cards after a short break, it was right as the industry was changing significantly (early 90s). I fell hard for inserts and oddballs and made Thomas my primary player collection focus, since the world had not yet exploded for the Garvey post career flood. After 1999-2000, My wax buying died off and so did my interest in Thomas. He was heading into his declining period and started bouncing from team to team. I still love the core of my Big Hurt collection and sometimes wish I had kept it up longer, but I would have a hard time scooping up everything now. It was hard enough for a less popular, non-HOF like Garvey and I finally gave that chase up to be a completist.

 

[WizardofOz1982]

When I came back into cards after a short break, it was right as the industry was changing significantly (early 90s). I fell hard for inserts and oddballs and made Thomas my primary player collection focus, since the world had not yet exploded for the Garvey post career flood. After 1999-2000, My wax buying died off and so did my interest in Thomas. He was heading into his declining period and started bouncing from team to team. I still love the core of my Big Hurt collection and sometimes wish I had kept it up longer, but I would have a hard time scooping up everything now. It was hard enough for a less popular, non-HOF like Garvey and I finally gave that chase up to be a completist.

I've reached that point with my Ozzie Smith collection. I'll try to complete everything that was issued during his career but anything post career I just pick up the ones that catch my eye.

 

[nevermore]

O'Neill has a ton spanning all years, don't chase these. May pick up lesser guys with Yankees uniform autograph or on-card rookie auto if it catches my eye. Someone like Cecil Fielder who doesn't have a ton of Yankee signed stuff.

The haphazard stamping really bothers me. The 2001-2005 Donruss Recollection Collection sets are still my favorites.

 

[mouschi]

Back in 2015, I remember when the first Canseco hit: 1988 Topps buyback. I couldn't hit the buy it now button fast enough iirc! Then another popped. Then another ... then another. I ended up amassing an unreal amount of 1/1s and other low numbered cards. Then 2016 hit ... then ... year after year. It was frustrating because you could get a low #, say 87 Topps card, only for it to be released the next year with a higher number, or vice versa, or multiple years of same cards being 1/1s. Eventually I moved most everything, and have maybe 5 left.

 

[nkdbacks]

My general rule is no to Signature Archives, with the exception for me being, as others have mentioned, more obscure players in D-backs uniforms who have no other certified autographs. Have picked up Orlando/Livan Hernandez cards this way.

Otherwise, not even interested in the glut of Brandon Webb ones out there, too much else to focus on.

 

[Hawk8]

Being an Andre Dawson collector, I love them, that being said, for some reason these usually command a higher price than say a regular pack pulled auto of the same or similar serial number which I totally do not understand as it should be a less desirable card, the price tag should be less, but it doesn't happen that way. I do pay up for some of the rarer ones but try to wait for better deal on the plentiful ones.