DIGITAL DABBLINGS #35 – Post SummerSlam Blues

A quick reminder

I’m still gathering responses on my 4th year “Elite Performers” Survey, and would love to get more input from you the readers, so please if you haven’t already, take a few moments to fill it out HERE.

I know it’s been a few months since my last column, you have my sincere apologies. Life and work have gotten busier and busier, and I recently moved from lovely North Hollywood/Burbank California to Mid-City Los Angeles so that I can be closer to work. Rest Assured though I’m going to TRY to get through everything that’s happened in the app since my last article which was now 3 months ago. Yikes.

New(ish) Sets

I haven’t really looked at new sets since just after Wrestlemania, so it’s high time that we catch up. Shall we begin?

Usually alongside a personalized Live Signature release Topps will come out with something that most people can afford to actually purchase, Live Signature Reprints, which are simply previously issued cards with a signature overlaid on them. The designs are actually quite interesting and these are always popular. Problem is this time they were “limited” but Topps didn’t bother to tell anyone how limited they really were this time around. Last set they were somewhere in the 1200cc range. This batch is all currently between 176 and 531cc, and they were just re-released in combo packs and none are actually sold out. The set includes new singles of Kofi Kingston, Mandy Rose, Ricochet, Sting, Trish Stratus, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, plus a couple of nifty multi-signature cards. These currently sell between $3-10 each.

There were so many new sets to talk about and collect it’s hard to boil down what was popular and what stunk up the app. Of course Finn Balor fans were elated with a 4 card Demon King artwork set, even with two variants! The award scheme was interesting as well, you got a third variant for having each of the other two. These weren’t that difficult to put together as the odds weren’t terribly high and diamond purchases weren’t exorbitant.

The Third Anniversary set underwhelmed completely unlike last years. Unrivaled was junk except for the gold cards and even then most of them were difficult to off-load. The Becky Lynch box set sold out in record time and the video cards which were tough pulls have retained their value.

Probably the best card in Unrivaled.

 

Most of the rest of the new sets were lackluster at best.

Returning Sets were also fairly underwhelming in my opinion. I like the puzzle paradigm for the Vertigo cards, and they were actually fun to chase and put together. Too bad there are still so many puzzle pieces out there and not a lot of full cards. Ground Breakers are probably the best of this bunch of sets mostly because of that low CC limit.

Topps Fire returned as a large box set and much like Unrivaled and others, it underwhelmed. Off the Panels returned with a lot higher CC and thus didn’t sell as well. 205 Live is still in packs weeks later. Notorious Villains just appeared recently and this time there’s only two variants, not three. They still give coins though, and for 100 diamonds you get three cards and 170K in coins, not too shabby.

Easily the best card from Topps Fire.  Don’t often see a Triple H Triple Sig!

 

Queens of the Ring makes a triumphant return, with each wave having a different theme.  These are tough pulls in coin packs and collectors seem to really like them. Streak is a pain to collect as the 100cc Gold cards sell out in no-time and they’re super-hard to trade for or purchase.  I missed the first wave award, which was Bret Hart, though not for lack of trying. That 30cc card is now the only Bret I don’t already own. In general this new wave of Marathons is a winner. Each of them are tough pulls and the CC is usually limited enough to make them very collectible.  Rivalries seems to sell out almost instantly with every release.

Do you own this card?  You do? You Want to Trade it to Me. Send it now.  NOW!

 

Queens of the Ring returns with a fresh new look.

 

Looks like Topps is experimenting with the makeup of PPV sets yet again.  Some events only get two variants these days (alongside the obligatory Prize Wheel and Predictor sets), and some are still at three.  One even had only one base variant. The lowest CC on PPV sets seems to be fluctuating while Topps tries to find it’s sweet spot. 100cc for MITB, 30cc for NXT Takeover, 35 for SuperShowdown, but then 1200cc for Stomping Grounds, 500 for ExtremeRules, and back down to 10cc for SummerSlam and back up to 1000cc for Clash of Champions.  Makes no sense at all. Topps Now returned for SummerSlam, but haven’t appeared for Clash yet.

Topps actually messed up on this card initially and showed Charlotte Flair for a little while instead of Mandy Rose.  Nice thing about being digital is they fixed it right away.

 

I don’t normally go for Gold Rush, but I know a lot of people like them, and they generally hold their value or increase, as long as the subject is a woman or popular male.  These can go for $5-15 depending.

I’m definitely a big proponent of card exchanges and I’m super-happy they’ve returned in Slam.  They brought them back for Money in the Bank, and subsequently continued with a brand new base set in “cosmic” colors.  These are plentiful and just fun to collect, but will never be hugely valuable.

Top 25 Single Sales

This is supposed to be a quarterly feature, but I forgot to post the 2nd quarter list, even though it’s been completed since the end of May. I’m posting it below for posterity. The previous list was published in March and was for the Q1 of 2019.

Commentary – 3rd Quarter

2019 Excellence and 2019 SummerSlam both had several listings this time, dominating the chart with 9 cards total out of 25. The 5cc high end golds of the former and the 10-15cc base/sigs of the latter are really popular still.

Becky Lynch is by and far the most featured performed on this chart. The Man appears on no less than SEVEN different cards, only one of which sold for under $100. Alexa Bliss is in second place with a woeful four cards on the chart.

The Rock #5/5 Signature sold for $50 higher than the last time it appeared on this chart two quarters ago. This is a 1/1 card really, so yes it’s the same card.

Rock’s 2017 High Caliber 5cc Signature increased dramatically from $70 a year ago to $200 today.

The #1 ranked Alexa Bliss 2018 High Caliber 5cc Signature almost doubled it’s value over two quarters ago, after not being sold last quarter.

Can you believe this card sold for $600?  It did.

 

The Wrestlemania 35 Gold Triple Signature at #4 increased on the high end to $250 gaining $50.

The 2017 Backlash Women’s 6 Pack Challenge card, once the darling of the entire app, has dropped in value by almost $50 in the year since it appeared on these charts.

Peyton Royce’s 2018 Main Event Teal Signature got some love increasing by almost $30 over this time last year.

Rank	Year	Set	Performer	Variant	CC	Hi	Lo	# sold
1	2018	High Caliber	Alexa Bliss	Gold Signature	5	$600		1
2	2016	Serial # Signature	The Rock	#5/5	1	$300		1
3	2019	Excellence	Mandy Rose	Gold	5	$300		1
4	2019	Wrestlemania 35	Ronda Rosey vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch Triple Signature	Gold	5	$250	200	2
5	2017	High Caliber	The Rock	Gold Signature	5	$200		1
6	2019	Main Event	Alexa Bliss	Teal Base Award	10	$195		1
7	2019	Summer Slam	Becky Lynch vs. Natalya	Purple Dual Signature	15	$180	100	3
8	2019	Royal Rumble	Becky Lynch vs. Asuka Dual Signature	Red Dual Signature	5	$175		1
9	2019	Excellence	Becky Lynch	Gold Signature	5	$170		1
10	2019	NXT Takeover New York	Io Shirai	Red Base	4	$160		1
11	2016	Backlash	Women’s 6 pack Challenge	6 Signature	50	$155		1
12	2017	Topps Now Wrestlemania 33	Randy Orton	Mat Relic	25	$120		1
13	2018	Cyber Monday Base	Alexa Bliss	Signature Award	43	$120		1
14	2019	Summer Slam	Kevin Owens	Purple Signature	15	$120		1
15	2019	NXT Takeover New York	Women’s 4 Way Challenge	Purple Signature Award	13	$120		1
16	2019	Excellence	Naomi	Gold Signature	5	$120	54	2
17	2016	Heritage	Becky Lynch	Gold Signature	50	$105		1
18	2019	Excellence	Zelina Vega	Gold Base	5	$100		1
19	2019	Excellence	Triple H	Gold Base	5	$100		1
20	2019	Live Signature	Trish Stratus	Ticket Only	5	$100		1
21	2019	Summer Slam	Finn Balor	Blue Base	10	$100		1
22	2018	Main Event	Peyton Royce	Teal Signature	25	$99		1
23	2019	Timeless	Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte vs. Nia Jax	Gold Signature	10	$80		1
24	2017	Black Friday	Sasha Banks	Award	36	$79		1
25	2019	Summer Slam	The Fiend Bray Wyatt	Blue Base	10	$75		1

I missed publishing the 2nd Quarter listing, so I’m doing so here without commentary.

Rank	Year	Set	Performer	Variant	CC	Hi	Lo	# sold
1	2019	Royal Rumble	Becky Lynch vs. Asuka Dual Signature	Green	2	$240		1
2	2019	Wrestlemania 35	Ronda Rosey vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch Triple Signature	Gold	5	$200		1
3	2018	High Caliber	Ronda Rousey	Gold Signature	5	$200		1
4	2018	SummerSlam	Alexa Bliss vs. Ronda Rousey Dual Signature	Orange Award	17	$170		1
5	2019	Excellence	Becky Lynch	Gold Signature	5	$165		1
6	2019	Royal Rumble	Ronda Rousey vs. Sasha Banks Dual Signature	Green	5	$150		1
7	2016	TLC	Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch	Gold Dual Signature Award	30	$150		1
8	2019	Excellence	Becky Lynch	Gold Base	5	$125		1
9	2019	Excellence	Sasha Banks	Gold Base	5	$120	$105	2
10	2019	Excellence	Becky Lynch vs. Carmella Dual Signature	Gold Signature	5	$115		1
11	2019	Excellence	Paige	Gold Base	5	$110		1
12	2019	Timeless	Ric Flair	Gold Signature Award	13	$100		1
13	2018	High Caliber	Roman Reigns	Gold Signature	5	$100		1
14	2019	Excellence	Randy Orton	Gold Signature	5	$98		1
15	2018	Signature Series	Alexa Bliss	Gold Award	40	$90	$35	4
16	2018	High Caliber	Ultimate Warrior	Gold Signature	5	$90		1
17	2019	Live Signature Ticket	Mandy Rose	Ticket Only	10	$90		1
18	2019	Live Signature Ticket	Bayley	Ticket Only	10	$90		1
19	2018	High Caliber	Stone Cold Steve Austin	Gold Signature	5	$90		1
20	2019	NXT Takeover New York	Bianca Belair vs. Kairi Sane Dual Signature	Green Signature	4	$85		1
21	2018	High Caliber	AJ Styles	Gold Signature	5	$82		1
22	2019	Excellence	Bayley	Gold Base	5	$82		1
23	2019	Excellence	Carmella	Gold Signature	5	$81	$80	2
24	2019	Wrestlemania 35	AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton Dual Signature	Purple Signature	35	$80		1
25	2019	Excellence	Sting	Gold Signature	5	$80		1

Don’t forget you can find me in game at GRENDELSEN, and I’m always happy to trade or answer any questions you might have.  Leave questions or concerns here and I’ll see you next time.