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What's your favorite innovation/new technology in the card hobby?
goodriddance189
Posts: 2,388 ✭✭
what is your favorite innovation or technology applied to cards over the years? i'm not talking about serial numbers or game used or any of that junk. i'm talking about stuff like Gold Foil, UV gloss, Dufex (from Pinnacle Museum collection, etc), die-cutting, holograms, holographic foil, 3-d technology, etc.
my top three-
Lenticular (3-d effect)
remember the cards Fleer issued in the Mid 90's, with that cool 3-d effect with "floating" stats and background? it was first used on Kellogg's cards, and Fleer perfected it with 95 Flair Hot Numbers basketball and 96 Fleer USA Basketball. recently UD issued a LeBron City Heights promo that featured this effect
Motion on cards
Motion Vision released a few football sets in the late 90's with this effect. with a flick of the wrist, you see 3 seconds of actual game footage. Topps also issued a baseball set in 97 that used this technology as well. if you have never seen one, pick one up. they're totally cool.
the "moving hologram"
i remember finding my first UD Pro Bowl football card in 95, with the cool looking holograms. when tilted, the player's head actually moved and smiled at you.
close behind my top 3 is Pinnacle's Dufex cards. the Mask hockey inserts were the best, they image literally jumped out at you.
i was pondering this while looking through my old cards. i miss the era of card companies trying to one-up each other in rolling out the latest technological advances. now it seems card companies try to out do each other by making cards more rare, and not better looking
my top three-
Lenticular (3-d effect)
remember the cards Fleer issued in the Mid 90's, with that cool 3-d effect with "floating" stats and background? it was first used on Kellogg's cards, and Fleer perfected it with 95 Flair Hot Numbers basketball and 96 Fleer USA Basketball. recently UD issued a LeBron City Heights promo that featured this effect
Motion on cards
Motion Vision released a few football sets in the late 90's with this effect. with a flick of the wrist, you see 3 seconds of actual game footage. Topps also issued a baseball set in 97 that used this technology as well. if you have never seen one, pick one up. they're totally cool.
the "moving hologram"
i remember finding my first UD Pro Bowl football card in 95, with the cool looking holograms. when tilted, the player's head actually moved and smiled at you.
close behind my top 3 is Pinnacle's Dufex cards. the Mask hockey inserts were the best, they image literally jumped out at you.
i was pondering this while looking through my old cards. i miss the era of card companies trying to one-up each other in rolling out the latest technological advances. now it seems card companies try to out do each other by making cards more rare, and not better looking
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Comments
die-cut of Arod, and there's a hologram of his head. As you turn the
card, it's almost as if there's a real little Arod inside the card.
I don't know if this counts as new technology, but it's an innovation
and it does take some computer/graphic manipulation -- how about the
ability to make cards look "retro"? Y'know, like Topps T206 or the cards
they make in the Heritage series? That gets my vote as my favorite
innovation applied to cards over the years.
(sarcasm)
Collecting all bowman chrome rc's from 2002 and 2003
Seriously though, I think I'd go with 'chrome' cards. I think they look cool, even though I'm a little embarassed to admit it.
Despite many others on these boards despising them, I also like th Upper Deck fabricated team patches. The 2003 Sweet Spot Classics baseball and 2003 Sweet Spot football Patches look amazing even if they're not game used.
Jason
Our current ebay auctions, and of course BaseBallCardHeaven.com
For innovation, if it is an innovation, I like the Sweet Spot autographed baseballs. I always felt kind of ripped off, since that was my idea. Any intellectual property lawyers out there? UD owes me.
2005 Origins Old Judge Brown #/20 and Black 1/1s, 2000 Ultimate Victory Gold #/25
2004 UD Legends Bake McBride autos & parallels, and 1974 Topps #601 PSA 9
Rare Grady Sizemore parallels, printing plates, autographs
Nothing on ebay
I like the fact that they no longer "air brush" hats onto players when they move from team to team. Not sure this fits anywhere, but it is an improvement.
From a technology standpoint, I believe the overall quality of card stock used in modern cards is superior to that from the mid-80s and earlier. I find the Topps Archives reprints of older cards and their backs to be a nice in that they have that throwback feel but are vastly improved.
Not a fan of chrome or metallic cards, especially when they are mixed in with regular card type issues. These randomly inserted cards do nothing but spike prices overall.
I also think the use of technology has focused away from the essence of creating distinct card designs. To me, the Topps regular issued cards from the last 10 years don't have that unique style or feel that allows you to distinguish it from one year to the next.
Call me old school, but I think it is time to get back to the basics.
Erik
just think how different the card industry would be today if they were still sold with tobacco products
I thought the video quality would be poor, but they did a great job... it's crystal clear.
Mike
where do you get these? i searched for "SP in the game" and game up with nothing. are they in packs? id be really interested
Ben
<< <i>Hands down, the new "Upper Deck SP In the Game" cards that were just released. The way they got that technology into a card no thicker than a game used card is beyond me. I picked up the "audio/video" Joe Namath card last week... and to hear him shout out the snap count, then watch him throw the touch down pass... right there on the face of the card, is amazing.
I thought the video quality would be poor, but they did a great job... it's crystal clear.
Mike >>
say what? actual video on a card??? and it's not like motion vision where you have to move the card up and down? I gotta get these...please tell us more
Mike was pulling our legs. there actually are "motion" cards, showing 3.5 seconds of motion with a flick of the wrist. these include 98 Topps Screen Plays baseball, 95 Fleer Skymotion redemptions (Favre, Roenick, and Grant Hill), and 96 thru 97 MotionVision football.
the only audio/video cards i remember was from 98 Stadium Club Baseball. two special Ripken cards were issued in jumbo packs, with an audio broadcast of a homerun and 3 seconds of the swing.