Why are Crusades so hot?

[011873]

First off, please know I am NOT knocking these cards or anyones collection.

But WHY have these cards been so hot for so many years?

I mean, there are nicer insert cards from this time period with die cuts, etc. yet they dont draw much attention. In fact, no one buys 2002 Crusades.

Is it that a handful of collectors are driving the market or what?

 

[donrusscrusademan]

First off, please know I am NOT knocking these cards or anyones collection.

But WHY have these cards been so hot for so many years?

I mean, there are nicer insert cards from this time period with die cuts, etc. yet they dont draw much attention. In fact, no one buys 2002 Crusades.

Is it that a handful of collectors are driving the market or what?

crusades are the best looking cards ever. they are the best refractors, best 90s inserts etc
.,...
the 2002 stuff is completely different. I mean its not even the same company.

 

[donrusscrusademan]

First off, please know I am NOT knocking these cards or anyones collection.

But WHY have these cards been so hot for so many years?

I mean, there are nicer insert cards from this time period with die cuts, etc. yet they dont draw much attention. In fact, no one buys 2002 Crusades.

Is it that a handful of collectors are driving the market or what?

crusades are the best looking cards ever. they are the best refractors, best 90s inserts etc
.,...
the 2002 stuff is completely different. I mean its not even the same company.

LOL, ok.. "it just is" is a crappy reason, but they just look brilliant. you should pick up a noname player for cheap just to take a peek

 

[Philip J. Fry]

2002 Crusades sucked. End of story.

I know for me, the set itself is attractive and very hard to get a rainbow of your player, let alone a complete master set of all the colors. It was an insert set that just seemed to gain popularity over the years and you have this board full of 90's inserts guys like myself that put those inserts above inserts released today. In 1998, a card #/25 really was a card #/25, and they were tough as hell to obtain.

 

[donrusscrusademan]

2002 Crusades sucked. End of story.

I know for me, the set itself is attractive and very hard to get a rainbow of your player, let alone a complete master set of all the colors. It was an insert set that just seemed to gain popularity over the years and you have this board full of 90's inserts guys like myself that put those inserts above inserts released today. In 1998, a card #/25 really was a card #/25, and they were tough as hell to obtain.

yeah 2001+2002 are terrible cards. I know Mario did a story on how the real crusades and the disappointing followups are basically the exact opposite.

for people that dont follow crusades when we say "crusade" we are talking about exclusively the 1998 Donruss(/Leaf) Crusades.

 

[Resident Bay Fan]

2002 Crusades sucked. End of story.

I know for me, the set itself is attractive and very hard to get a rainbow of your player, let alone a complete master set of all the colors. It was an insert set that just seemed to gain popularity over the years and you have this board full of 90's inserts guys like myself that put those inserts above inserts released today. In 1998, a card #/25 really was a card #/25, and they were tough as hell to obtain.

And are even harder to obtain now.

Art

 

[Philip J. Fry]

[quote="Philip J. Fry":2rbdmywj]2002 Crusades sucked. End of story.

I know for me, the set itself is attractive and very hard to get a rainbow of your player, let alone a complete master set of all the colors. It was an insert set that just seemed to gain popularity over the years and you have this board full of 90's inserts guys like myself that put those inserts above inserts released today. In 1998, a card #/25 really was a card #/25, and they were tough as hell to obtain.

And are even harder to obtain now.

Art[/quote:2rbdmywj]

True dat! I spent years searching for the red and this was perfect timing for me.

 

[donrusscrusademan]

[quote="Resident Piazza Fan":3gks0ulq][quote="Philip J. Fry":3gks0ulq]2002 Crusades sucked. End of story.

I know for me, the set itself is attractive and very hard to get a rainbow of your player, let alone a complete master set of all the colors. It was an insert set that just seemed to gain popularity over the years and you have this board full of 90's inserts guys like myself that put those inserts above inserts released today. In 1998, a card #/25 really was a card #/25, and they were tough as hell to obtain.

And are even harder to obtain now.

Art[/quote:3gks0ulq]

True dat! I spent years searching for the red and this was perfect timing for me.[/quote:3gks0ulq]

yeah.. Bowman Chromes are based off a buy/sell stock market... while ones a Crusade is bought it goes in as the centerpiece of the PC... which is why they are so tough. Im really looking to see what the Canseco goes for

oh, and btw... if everyone thinks the reds are the only tough go and see the purple griffey selling right now, its turning into a war!

 

[smapdi]

The look, obviously, is great, although I didn't care for the two different looks (Coat of Arms versus Call To Arms), one or the other, please. They are right in the sweet spot of being scarce, but not too scarce. It's a challenge completing a set with 250 copies that is more than 10 years old now, but not like doing 1998 Flair Perfect 10s or anything where it's like trying to hunt sasquatch. But if you want to hunt sasquatch, there are two more levels to go for. The odd distribution, skip-numbered across multiple sets, made it hard to even determine a checklist for a while, and there's no one product that can be ripped to get them. The checklist is larger than usual for an insert set, one of the biggest non-parallel insert sets ever. It contained all the big names of the time, along with a couple key rookies, more than a few minor stars, and 'who was that?' guys (who are often the toughest ones to get when building a set). That makes it a competition between all sorts of player and team collectors along with set builders. And a lot of people liked the original Donruss. If the exact same set was put out by Topps or Donruss it might not have the same cachet. Their philosophy of weird inserts (Fractal Matrix, Fabric of the Game) had a strong following, and this is the best incarnation of it.

 

[gracecollector]

The Greens suck you in, because if you try you can find one, since there are 250 of them. Then you get it in hand and realize its much nicer than any scan you've seen. Your hooked. You look for a Purple, but you look a long time before one finally pops, and then you gotta fend off some other challengers, and it's too late before you realize you've been outsniped in the last few seconds of the auction. The next one pops, you're ready. You outsnipe the others and get the Purple. Now you've just gotta have a Red to complete the rainbow. But damn, they're tough! You relish a challenge though, and you're persistent. You add "Your Player's Name Red Crusade" to your eBay favorite searches" and wait. And wait. A couple years maybe. And then one hits. You can't believe it. You transfer some money from your savings to checking. You contact the seller and try to negotiate a sale offline. He says he's had several offers and he's gonna let it ride. You wait the seven days with baited breath. You put your snipe in (on two different services) for a few bills and you're ready. And then you win it and you can't believe it and you can't wait to get it in hand and scan it and show the rainbow off on the board. Then you can die happy, after amending your will so that they are buried with you.

 

[Philip J. Fry]

The look, obviously, is great, although I didn't care for the two different looks (Coat of Arms versus Call To Arms), one or the other, please. They are right in the sweet spot of being scarce, but not too scarce. It's a challenge completing a set with 250 copies that is more than 10 years old now, but not like doing 1998 Flair Perfect 10s or anything where it's like trying to hunt sasquatch. But if you want to hunt sasquatch, there are two more levels to go for. The odd distribution, skip-numbered across multiple sets, made it hard to even determine a checklist for a while, and there's no one product that can be ripped to get them. The checklist is larger than usual for an insert set, one of the biggest non-parallel insert sets ever. It contained all the big names of the time, along with a couple key rookies, more than a few minor stars, and 'who was that?' guys (who are often the toughest ones to get when building a set). That makes it a competition between all sorts of player and team collectors along with set builders. And a lot of people liked the original Donruss. If the exact same set was put out by Topps or Donruss it might not have the same cachet. Their philosophy of weird inserts (Fractal Matrix, Fabric of the Game) had a strong following, and this is the best incarnation of it.

Not to mention, the CTA cards were unnumbered for most of them, causing them even more confusion at first. The checklist, as you've mentioned, is one of the largest for an insert set. Add to that the fact that Donruss/Pinnacle Brands filed bankruptcy in 1998, and you have a huge chase on your hands. From what I've read, I don't think Donruss was done with that insert set by any means, but we'll never know the official answer unfortunately.

 

[Pinbreaker]

Just a side note.. The last Griffey Red Crusade sold for $1300...

I am still looking for an Edgar martinez Red Crusade..

 

[donrusscrusademan]

It was 2300 :O

and Steve has a red Edgar for 250

 

[Philip J. Fry]

Scans do NOT do this set justice.

 

[Pinbreaker]

It was 2300 :O

and Steve has a red Edgar for 250

I sent a note thru EBAY to see if he had one.. Can someone that has his e-mail contact him and let him know I am looking for one?

Thanks!!

 

[George_Calfas]

Hands down one of the top 10 insert sets of the 90s.

Crusades have grown in mythical proportions in the past few years. With a slumping economy and the $900K Burkbank purchase, these hit the market in larger numbers. Excitement grew and more people are hopeful to find their players again. Personally I own a full green set and most of a Purple and undisclosed number of reds and still hope to find ones I need at reasonable prices.

 

[George_Calfas]

It was 2300 :O

and Steve has a red Edgar for 250

I sent a note thru EBAY to see if he had one.. Can someone that has his e-mail contact him and let him know I am looking for one?

Thanks!!

pm sent

 

[Pinbreaker]

I got 3 pm's with the e-mail..

I sent him an e-mail, so I can hope..

Thanks guys..

 

[Philip J. Fry]

Well, we like to help out fellow board members once in awhile

 

[Russ S.]

[quote="Resident Piazza Fan":29ebwqm4][quote="Philip J. Fry":29ebwqm4]2002 Crusades sucked. End of story.

I know for me, the set itself is attractive and very hard to get a rainbow of your player, let alone a complete master set of all the colors. It was an insert set that just seemed to gain popularity over the years and you have this board full of 90's inserts guys like myself that put those inserts above inserts released today. In 1998, a card #/25 really was a card #/25, and they were tough as hell to obtain.

And are even harder to obtain now.

Art

True dat! I spent years searching for the red and this was perfect timing for me.[/quote:29ebwqm4]

yeah.. Bowman Chromes are based off a buy/sell stock market... while ones a Crusade is bought it goes in as the centerpiece of the PC... which is why they are so tough. Im really looking to see what the Canseco goes for

oh, and btw... if everyone thinks the reds are the only tough go and see the purple griffey selling right now, its turning into a war! [/quote:29ebwqm4]
This ought to be interesting to watch. Wonder what a Ripken Purple would get at auction...

Gracecollector, couldn't have said it better myself!!