Used Redemption Card collectors.... Why? Value question

wmelchior628 · 04-22-2023, 05:51 AM

For some reason people buy used Redemption cards on ebay, and some go for hundreds of dollars.

Are you one of the people who buy them? If so.... Why?

I'm sure some of the higher end sales are people being scammed and not realizing it's used, but there are legitimate sales happening.

That said, I hit the 1/1 Mike Trout auto redemption from 2014 Topps Supreme in a break back in the day. Sold the card years ago for $1,100 (probably in 2015 or 16). Selling is one of my bigger regrets, even though selling it did help fuel a budding addiction and fund a start back into collecting heavier.

What is a good asking price for it? The redemption itself is a 1/1 Mike Trout card, so I'm sure there is value there, it just won't get a 10 being scratched if someone were to send to PSA lol.

Thoughts?

chilly55 · 04-22-2023, 06:51 AM

I'm a non-sport collector who dabbles in baseball. I know for me, I buy them to "complete" my collection. If I can acquire relatively cheap, paid $15.00 for the one below, then I'll add the redemption card to the actual card. I think completest would buy them the most. I won't pay hundreds of dollars for a redemption card like a completest would. As far as used redemptions, have seldom purchased them, but can see why some folks would.

MoreToppsPlease · 04-22-2023, 09:17 AM

Sounds obvious when you think about it, but people collect cards.

towerymt · 04-22-2023, 11:29 AM

I probably would not collect the plain looking blue background Topps redemption cards, unless it was for a huge card I wasn't likely to own.

I did collect this redemption card, though. Would have come in a pack. I've managed to find a couple unscratched ones, too:

Soxrule111 · 04-22-2023, 11:56 AM

Some buy them because they still can be considered a card for a player in the collection.

Some because the card was never made, but it fills the hole in their set.

Most because their POS people who will try to claim the code and complain when they dont get what the card says because its already been redeemed by the original owner

UCCF · 04-22-2023, 12:04 PM

I have hundreds of these. I had no idea people paid for them.

Cards and 401K · 04-22-2023, 12:42 PM

Most of these sellers never show a pic. of the scratched back of the card......
I bought an unused Franco auto card from Canada an asked the seller to just scratch the card and send me a picture of the code he did I redeemed it on topps.com
and when I got auto card in mail he chucked it: saved postage and time.

mjohnatgt · 04-22-2023, 06:46 PM

A redemption card can be considered a parallel to player collectors.

jplarson · 04-22-2023, 08:13 PM

Completionist (non-1/1 division) set builders would find value in these as well.

HarryLime · 04-23-2023, 09:05 AM

There's so much in this hobby that people collect that has no considerable value. I'll never understand the people that think collecting something that has no possibility of future ROI is a waste of time. I'm not saying that's what you're saying, wmelchior, just using this as an opportunity to get on my soap box.

Obviously, money/value/trends/markets are all factors to one degree or another in the hobby. But I think we lose sight of the fact that this is supposed to be fun. A lot of people do keep it about fun and they tend to craft collections that might be a bit out of the box than most. Personally, I'd rather read a long post from someone who collects something that I had no idea anyone collects than another long post about Mike Trout.

Just my $0.02.

Arthur

ewokpelts · 04-23-2023, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wmelchior628

For some reason people buy used Redemption cards on ebay, and some go for hundreds of dollars.

Are you one of the people who buy them? If so.... Why?

I'm sure some of the higher end sales are people being scammed and not realizing it's used, but there are legitimate sales happening.

That said, I hit the 1/1 Mike Trout auto redemption from 2014 Topps Supreme in a break back in the day. Sold the card years ago for $1,100 (probably in 2015 or 16). Selling is one of my bigger regrets, even though selling it did help fuel a budding addiction and fund a start back into collecting heavier.

What is a good asking price for it? The redemption itself is a 1/1 Mike Trout card, so I'm sure there is value there, it just won't get a 10 being scratched if someone were to send to PSA lol.

Thoughts?

you sold a redeemed trout redemption card for $1100?

Sweet.

RedLabelRecords · 04-24-2023, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryLime

There's so much in this hobby that people collect that has no considerable value. I'll never understand the people that think collecting something that has no possibility of future ROI is a waste of time. I'm not saying that's what you're saying, wmelchior, just using this as an opportunity to get on my soap box.

Obviously, money/value/trends/markets are all factors to one degree or another in the hobby. But I think we lose sight of the fact that this is supposed to be fun. A lot of people do keep it about fun and they tend to craft collections that might be a bit out of the box than most. Personally, I'd rather read a long post from someone who collects something that I had no idea anyone collects than another long post about Mike Trout.

Just my $0.02.

Arthur

I can agree. There’s that thread about the Prince William card. That wasn’t expected and I was genuinely happy for the collector.

zworykin · 04-24-2023, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewokpelts

you sold a redeemed trout redemption card for $1100?

Sweet.

...I think it's pretty clear he sold the actual card for that...

atk825 · 04-24-2023, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wmelchior628

For some reason people buy used Redemption cards on ebay, and some go for hundreds of dollars.

Are you one of the people who buy them? If so.... Why?

I'm sure some of the higher end sales are people being scammed and not realizing it's used, but there are legitimate sales happening.

That said, I hit the 1/1 Mike Trout auto redemption from 2014 Topps Supreme in a break back in the day. Sold the card years ago for $1,100 (probably in 2015 or 16). Selling is one of my bigger regrets, even though selling it did help fuel a budding addiction and fund a start back into collecting heavier.

What is a good asking price for it? The redemption itself is a 1/1 Mike Trout card, so I'm sure there is value there, it just won't get a 10 being scratched if someone were to send to PSA lol.

Thoughts?

You should get Mike Trout to sign it IMO

whitmm · 04-24-2023, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wmelchior628

For some reason people buy used Redemption cards on ebay, and some go for hundreds of dollars.

Are you one of the people who buy them? If so.... Why?

I'm sure some of the higher end sales are people being scammed and not realizing it's used, but there are legitimate sales happening.

That said, I hit the 1/1 Mike Trout auto redemption from 2014 Topps Supreme in a break back in the day. Sold the card years ago for $1,100 (probably in 2015 or 16). Selling is one of my bigger regrets, even though selling it did help fuel a budding addiction and fund a start back into collecting heavier.

What is a good asking price for it? The redemption itself is a 1/1 Mike Trout card, so I'm sure there is value there, it just won't get a 10 being scratched if someone were to send to PSA lol.

Thoughts?

The 1/1 is going to have a much more limited market for it. Most of the people buying used redemptions are buying them to pair with a card they already own. Maybe there's a few people that are collecting just used redemption cards, but I can't imagine there's many.

ScooterD · 04-24-2023, 05:13 PM

A lot of valuable products in the collectibles market are rare (hence, the value) because they were considered disposable at the time of issuance. Years later, there are fewer of these items available. Think of the boxes for classic toys… sometimes worth more than the toy, itself.

I wouldn’t be shocked if a secondary market develops one day for redemption cards

RedLabelRecords · 04-24-2023, 07:17 PM

Here’s another take from my experience.

I called one of Alex Bregman’s home run challenge dates. Cool card, but I really am glad I kept the redemption card I pulled from a pack. Kinda completes the story.

Come to think of it, it was Father’s Day. I had a great day with Lil’ Red.

whitmm · 04-24-2023, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedLabelRecords

Here’s another take from my experience.

I called one of Alex Bregman’s home run challenge dates. Cool card, but I really am glad I kept the redemption card I pulled from a pack. Kinda completes the story.

Come to think of it, it was Father’s Day. I had a great day with Lil’ Red.

I did the same thing with a Joey Gallo HR challenge card. Kind of cool to have both, I like that it's different teams on each

wmelchior628 · 04-25-2023, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewokpelts

you sold a redeemed trout redemption card for $1100?

Sweet.

I sold the actual 1/1 auto for $1100. Worth more than that now.

Thank you everyone for the responses. I have a stack of used redemptions, but those are valuable to me because it's memories of cards hit that I may or may not still have. That said, if people want to pay for them the memories are worth that much lol. It just surprised me when I saw how much some of these were actually selling for.

dwillard · 04-25-2023, 06:58 PM

Collecting these actually makes Topps Bunt look like a good idea. Collect what you like as they say though.

Twalk1975 · 04-25-2023, 07:46 PM

I suppose not quite the same thing, but I hit on a Topps Home Run Challenge on the night Vlad Jr. hit three home runs in 2021. I've got my winner card, the scratched HRC card, and also the Topps Now card on display at home. None are worth anything, but I just felt it's more interesting to have all three related cards...

DynaEtch · 04-26-2023, 12:43 AM

Pretty much what the above said: set completists, player collectors, being throwaways so rare to see now, or 'closest you can to the real thing'-which may be some $10k card. Some have images and are basically cards in their own right... just without the auto, such as the Artbox Harry Potter redemptions-

One of my grails is actually a redemption. 1996 Marvel Masterpieces had redemptions for original paintings that were an astounding 1:60,000 packs, only 9 exist (and probably less if people sent them in and they werent returned- before the era of online codes). You cant even find a picture of one of these redemption cards anywhere, much less find one for sale. They are long since expired, but if you pulled one from a pack nowadays it would be hands down the hit of the product. The reason it's one of my grails is because I collect master sets, but also because it's an important piece of 90s Marvel card history.

Edit: just noticed the OP was about used redemptions, talking more about expired redemptions here. Similar idea.

Termie · 04-26-2023, 08:23 AM

I have this, and the Acuna card.
I keep them together with actual prize card. I consider the 2 a set. Now if it was the white and blue redemptioncard, id probably feel a little different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by towerymt

I probably would not collect the plain looking blue background Topps redemption cards, unless it was for a huge card I wasn't likely to own.

I did collect this redemption card, though. Would have come in a pack. I've managed to find a couple unscratched ones, too:

smapdi · 04-26-2023, 02:18 PM

If they depict the player or whatever and actually have a design, they can be desirable as cards themselves. This was a card you could redeem for a full Silver Skates set from 93-94 UD Hockey.

It's actually a really nice shiny foil Gretzky card, and there's a rarer gold version. But that's when these things were like extra hits and not 'we messed up and didn't actually get the card done in time, and still might never' excuses.

04-22-2023, 05:51 AM	#1
wmelchior628 Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 1,431 wmelchior628	Used Redemption Card collectors.... Why? Value question For some reason people buy used Redemption cards on ebay, and some go for hundreds of dollars. Are you one of the people who buy them? If so.... Why? I'm sure some of the higher end sales are people being scammed and not realizing it's used, but there are legitimate sales happening. That said, I hit the 1/1 Mike Trout auto redemption from 2014 Topps Supreme in a break back in the day. Sold the card years ago for $1,100 (probably in 2015 or 16). Selling is one of my bigger regrets, even though selling it did help fuel a budding addiction and fund a start back into collecting heavier. What is a good asking price for it? The redemption itself is a 1/1 Mike Trout card, so I'm sure there is value there, it just won't get a 10 being scratched if someone were to send to PSA lol. Thoughts? __________________ "One man's garbage is another man person's good ungarbage" - Ricky Last edited by wmelchior628; 04-22-2023 at 05:54 AM.

04-22-2023, 06:51 AM	#2
chilly55 Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Dumfries, Va Posts: 3,538	I'm a non-sport collector who dabbles in baseball. I know for me, I buy them to "complete" my collection. If I can acquire relatively cheap, paid $15.00 for the one below, then I'll add the redemption card to the actual card. I think completest would buy them the most. I won't pay hundreds of dollars for a redemption card like a completest would. As far as used redemptions, have seldom purchased them, but can see why some folks would. Last edited by chilly55; 04-25-2023 at 07:48 AM.

04-22-2023, 09:17 AM	#3
MoreToppsPlease Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Posts: 8,676	Sounds obvious when you think about it, but people collect cards. __________________ IRS Tax Tip 2022-57 A hobby is any activity that a person pursues because they enjoy it and with no intention of making a profit. People operate a business with the intention of making a profit.

04-22-2023, 11:56 AM	#5
Soxrule111 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: DeKalb Posts: 14,667 Soxrule111	Some buy them because they still can be considered a card for a player in the collection. Some because the card was never made, but it fills the hole in their set. Most because their POS people who will try to claim the code and complain when they dont get what the card says because its already been redeemed by the original owner __________________ Texans Future Super Bowl Champions Check my COMC Port, Selling my Collection in 2025. Making Progress, down to about 1,660 Cards but 10% off right now and lowering cards all week through the sale

04-22-2023, 12:04 PM	#6
UCCF Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,181 UCCF	I have hundreds of these. I had no idea people paid for them. __________________ I (still) want your Rizzos

04-22-2023, 11:29 AM	#4
towerymt Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: VA Posts: 8,761	I probably would not collect the plain looking blue background Topps redemption cards, unless it was for a huge card I wasn't likely to own. I did collect this redemption card, though. Would have come in a pack. I've managed to find a couple unscratched ones, too:

04-22-2023, 12:42 PM	#7
Cards and 401K Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 3,565	Most of these sellers never show a pic. of the scratched back of the card...... I bought an unused Franco auto card from Canada an asked the seller to just scratch the card and send me a picture of the code he did I redeemed it on topps.com and when I got auto card in mail he chucked it: saved postage and time.

04-22-2023, 06:46 PM	#8
mjohnatgt Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Niceville, FL Posts: 14,626 mjohnatgt mjohnatgt	A redemption card can be considered a parallel to player collectors.

04-22-2023, 08:13 PM	#9
jplarson Banned Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 15,578	Completionist (non-1/1 division) set builders would find value in these as well.

04-23-2023, 09:05 AM	#10
HarryLime Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Spaceball 1 Posts: 4,794	There's so much in this hobby that people collect that has no considerable value. I'll never understand the people that think collecting something that has no possibility of future ROI is a waste of time. I'm not saying that's what you're saying, wmelchior, just using this as an opportunity to get on my soap box. Obviously, money/value/trends/markets are all factors to one degree or another in the hobby. But I think we lose sight of the fact that this is supposed to be fun. A lot of people do keep it about fun and they tend to craft collections that might be a bit out of the box than most. Personally, I'd rather read a long post from someone who collects something that I had no idea anyone collects than another long post about Mike Trout. Just my $0.02. Arthur __________________ I wish these cards would scan themselves.

04-24-2023, 05:13 PM	#16
ScooterD Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 5,309	A lot of valuable products in the collectibles market are rare (hence, the value) because they were considered disposable at the time of issuance. Years later, there are fewer of these items available. Think of the boxes for classic toys… sometimes worth more than the toy, itself. I wouldn’t be shocked if a secondary market develops one day for redemption cards

04-24-2023, 07:17 PM	#17
RedLabelRecords Member Join Date: Dec 2022 Location: Wine Country 🍷 Posts: 1,035 ___	Here’s another take from my experience. I called one of Alex Bregman’s home run challenge dates. Cool card, but I really am glad I kept the redemption card I pulled from a pack. Kinda completes the story. Come to think of it, it was Father’s Day. I had a great day with Lil’ Red.

04-25-2023, 06:58 PM	#20
dwillard Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: S.C. Posts: 855	Collecting these actually makes Topps Bunt look like a good idea. Collect what you like as they say though. __________________ My Dale Murphy collection so far: https://www.flickr.com/gp/47512774@N02/H8gNR4

04-25-2023, 07:46 PM	#21
Twalk1975 Member Join Date: Jul 2022 Location: Phoenix Posts: 967	I suppose not quite the same thing, but I hit on a Topps Home Run Challenge on the night Vlad Jr. hit three home runs in 2021. I've got my winner card, the scratched HRC card, and also the Topps Now card on display at home. None are worth anything, but I just felt it's more interesting to have all three related cards...

04-26-2023, 12:43 AM	#22
DynaEtch Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 9,460	Pretty much what the above said: set completists, player collectors, being throwaways so rare to see now, or 'closest you can to the real thing'-which may be some $10k card. Some have images and are basically cards in their own right... just without the auto, such as the Artbox Harry Potter redemptions- One of my grails is actually a redemption. 1996 Marvel Masterpieces had redemptions for original paintings that were an astounding 1:60,000 packs, only 9 exist (and probably less if people sent them in and they werent returned- before the era of online codes). You cant even find a picture of one of these redemption cards anywhere, much less find one for sale. They are long since expired, but if you pulled one from a pack nowadays it would be hands down the hit of the product. The reason it's one of my grails is because I collect master sets, but also because it's an important piece of 90s Marvel card history. Edit: just noticed the OP was about used redemptions, talking more about expired redemptions here. Similar idea. __________________ ~~~ '90s trading cards === Golden Era ~~~ Last edited by DynaEtch; 04-26-2023 at 01:25 AM.

04-26-2023, 02:18 PM	#24
smapdi Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 1,764 piledriver1	If they depict the player or whatever and actually have a design, they can be desirable as cards themselves. This was a card you could redeem for a full Silver Skates set from 93-94 UD Hockey. It's actually a really nice shiny foil Gretzky card, and there's a rarer gold version. But that's when these things were like extra hits and not 'we messed up and didn't actually get the card done in time, and still might never' excuses.