collector’s edge

 
 

Again, I don't really know who was in charge of the art design group at Collector's Edge, but one has to wonder where they got their ideas.  The first set in 1992 was a classic and It was a nice way to enter the hobby.  The cards were sequentially numbered, the plastic stock was a real innovative idea and they came in a nice collectors box, (See the 1992 Collector's Edge "Rickey Jackson" #114 below).  However, after that a majority of their sets were real duds.  The 1996 Collector's Edge Advantage set was a real downer, (See #2 on My Least Favorite Sets).  It had a real ugly front side which really underutilized its given area and its a good example of why I normally don't like cut-out players pasted onto a crazy background.  However, this set did have the Truly remarkable "Game Ball" cards, (See the 1996 Collector's Edge Advantage "Terrell Davis" Game Ball Insert #32 below), and they made up for any shortfall the set had.

Well, Collectors Edge had a handful of those one-hit wonders.   These sets may have looked good in the boardroom or even did well as a insert set, but put them in a set all to themselves and the hobby just looks the other way.  However, one such set, the 1997 Collector's Edge Extreme set with the Game Gear Quads, (See the 1997 CE Extreme "Eddie George" #12D Game Gear Shoe Quad below),  was a very cool, innovative set that didn't return in 1998.  The 1997 Collector's Edge Extreme Game Gear Quads Insert set made Collector's Edge the first card producer that included "Shoes" and "Pants" as part of the "Game Used" world of collecting.   I'm clueless as to why it was terminated.

I have No idea what gave Collector's Edge the idea of combining Football Card Collecting with the Dragon Slayer / Merlin era, (See the 1995 Excalibur Jake Reed #46 below).  I know all this card shows is a sword, but on some other cards Collector's Edge goes as far as showing a knight or a dragon's tail.  Does anyone have a clue why CE did this?  I would've loved to have been in the boardroom when that one came across!!  Regardless, I don't think this was the brightest marketing idea to come along in the hobby.  Outside the 1997 Excalibur Game Helmet Insert set, (See #7 on My Least Favorite Sets),  I really didn't have too much interest in the Excalibur series.

My Photos

September 5, 2009

 

Another problem I had with Collector's Edge is the utilization of the back.  This goes for almost every card of theirs, (Exception, 1998 Collector's Edge Advantage Memorable Moments Gameball Set).  I've included a comparison below between the 1997 Upper Deck Legends base set and the 1998 Collectors Edge 1st Place Successors Insert base set. Now, it's clear from the pictures that the "James Lofton" Legends card back includes: 1) Full Career Stats, 2) Short Career Synopsis, 3) Career Highlights, (Yellow Box) and 4) Small Picture, (Same picture as front, I guess, they had to cut corners somewhere).  Total utilization of card space. It makes for a very memorable set. 

On the other side, The Collector's Edge 1st Place card has: 1)Very Large picture of a Football, 2) Player Information. This is all.

The difference is plain to see, but the real problem is why? Why can't Collector's Edge put more effort into their card designs.  First, I can look at the back of the Legends card and tell why its called "Legends".  James Lofton was a Football Legend due to the numbers he put up, (career stats), or if you still have any doubts the synopsis / highlights on the right should help shed some light on the issue.

When I look at the Successors card back, (or front for that matter), I have no idea why it's called Successors.  Is Cris Carter, Anthony Carter's Successor? Has Cris Carter had a successful career? If so, explain why. In other words, what's the purpose of this set? This is my problem with Collector's Edge.  How long did it take for them to put this card design together? And not only that, why did they bother.