ANS7 Sketch Review

[Kook]

I was very surprised to win this with the bid I put in.  I think this is about where the sketches should be selling, and hopefully the days of $1,000.00 + are over.  I also noticed a gold that sold for $255.00, much more reasonable.  

I have noticed that the buy it now/best offers have been going much higher than the sketch auctions. I don't know if it is a matter of the holiday week/weekend for bidders, or the "sure thing" of a buy it now? A few sketches sold for the $1000 range as buy it now/best offers over the weekend in addition to this sketch @ $455 at auction.

[BumChex]

WOW! the Ajerx color sold for $2K. i think we have a sketch card record

It's the same guy that has bought most of the sketches. Do we now have another collector with deep pockets?

[Plan 9]

WOW! the Ajerx color sold for $2K. i think we have a sketch card record

It's the same guy that has bought most of the sketches. Do we now have another collector with deep pockets?

Or deep problems.

[DrSushi]

Or deep problems.

  Probably both!

[Sue Mee]

WOW! the Ajerx color sold for $2K. i think we have a sketch card record

It's the same guy that has bought most of the sketches. Do we now have another collector with deep pockets?

I knew that one was going to go high, but that's still surprising.

[Glocky Packages]

sportzfreak89 retracted his bid on my sketch for resaon of "Entered wrong amount"...after 4 days. He was the only bidder so knocked out 4 days of my Buy It Now. If that's how eBay works, then I'm about done with it. There is little entegrity with people these days. So I adjusted the price. If it does not sell, I'll gladly keep my pull.


http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=140448934679

[Dr Popper]

sportzfreak89 retracted his bid on my sketch for resaon of "Entered wrong amount"...after 4 days. He was the only bidder so F∩(ᶄHEAD knocked out 4 days of my Buy It Now. If that's how eBay works, then I'm about done with it. There is little entegrity with people these days. So I adjusted the price. If it does not sell, I'll gladly keep my pull.

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=140448934679

Not that it's terribly relevant but sportzfreak is a female.  My guess is that she didn't bother to read about the crease before she bid.

[Jean Nutty]

Not that it's terribly relevant but sportzfreak is a female. 

I'm interested in any woman who goes by "sportzfreak"

Sorry for the meaningless post  - someone's got to step in and fill the (gaps)       I wonder how ol' Ron is doin'

[Sue Mee]

I'm interested in any woman who goes by "sportzfreak"

Sorry for the meaningless post  - someone's got to step in and fill the (gaps)       I wonder how ol' Ron is doin'

I'm sure he's doing his WACKY best!  (or screaming at someone about something crazy)

[Glocky Packages]

Not that it's terribly relevant but sportzfreak is a female.  My guess is that she didn't bother to read about the crease before she bid.

  Don’t tell me it’s a woman…lol…that makes it harder for me to stay mad. But seriously, whoever it is…they are blocked…that’s ridiculous after 4 days.

[deadpresidentsvisa]

I'm sure he's doing his WACKY best!  (or screaming at someone about something crazy)

Good Answer

[Dr Popper]

I'm interested in any woman who goes by "sportzfreak"

Sorry for the meaningless post  - someone's got to step in and fill the (gaps)       I wonder how ol' Ron is doin'

I know, a woman who collects Wackys AND is a sports freak!  Too good to be true!  Lol  Unfortunately it's her son that's the sports freak. 

[RawGoo]

I know, a woman who collects Wackys AND is a sports freak!  Too good to be true!  Lol  Unfortunately it's her son that's the sports freak. 

We're just a very rare species.   

[BumChex]

We're just a very rare species.   

Then why haven't you joined our football pool? Only 2 days left!

[RawGoo]

Then why haven't you joined our football pool? Only 2 days left!

I had intended to join, but right now I don't think I'll be able to actively review and participate, and me picking blindly at the last minute just doesn't seem right.  Although, I might do better that way.......

[Plan 9]

sportzfreak89 retracted his bid on my sketch for resaon of "Entered wrong amount"...after 4 days. He was the only bidder so F∩(ᶄHEAD knocked out 4 days of my Buy It Now. If that's how eBay works, then I'm about done with it. There is little entegrity with people these days. So I adjusted the price. If it does not sell, I'll gladly keep my pull.


http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=140448934679

It must be incredibly aggravating to have the bid retracted. I'm sure her reason wasn't on the list (reason of insanity) but she is one of the MAJOR buyers of sketch cards. I'd recommend not blocking her even though she screwed you once. Give her a second chance. Otherwise set your auction to "requires immediate payment".

I wonder if it was the crease that made her reverse her decision. If so, that fits the insanity plea. Buyers don't care who draws them or what their artistic measure is, but if there's a crease in the paper then it's a reject. The factors by which art is judged are exactly OPPOSITE of how these sketch cards are. I don't have any issue with Topps putting them out. I like the few that I have. My issue is with the perception of sketches as somehow deserving of so much $$$$$.

[Glocky Packages]

It must be incredibly aggravating to have the bid retracted. I'm sure her reason wasn't on the list (reason of insanity) but she is one of the MAJOR buyers of sketch cards. I'd recommend not blocking her even though she screwed you once. Give her a second chance. Otherwise set your auction to "requires immediate payment".

I wonder if it was the crease that made her reverse her decision. If so, that fits the insanity plea. Buyers don't care who draws them or what their artistic measure is, but if there's a crease in the paper then it's a reject. The factors by which art is judged are exactly OPPOSITE of how these sketch cards are. I don't have any issue with Topps putting them out. I like the few that I have. My issue is with the perception of sketches as somehow deserving of so much $$$$$.

Thanks for the advice. I'm very new to eBay. I did tweak the price and a few minor conditions...for the looks nuts number of times. The lady stays blocked. Maybe I'll get lucky and a billionaire with a ketchup fetish will bid it up!  

Note: Even though I’m new to eBay, I take selling seriously and will always go the extra mile to ship fast. As far as buying goes, I always have paid in less than one hour…99% in less than 10 min and would never skip out on a bid.

[BumChex]

It must be incredibly aggravating to have the bid retracted. I'm sure her reason wasn't on the list (reason of insanity) but she is one of the MAJOR buyers of sketch cards. I'd recommend not blocking her even though she screwed you once. Give her a second chance. Otherwise set your auction to "requires immediate payment".

I wonder if it was the crease that made her reverse her decision. If so, that fits the insanity plea. Buyers don't care who draws them or what their artistic measure is, but if there's a crease in the paper then it's a reject. The factors by which art is judged are exactly OPPOSITE of how these sketch cards are. I don't have any issue with Topps putting them out. I like the few that I have. My issue is with the perception of sketches as somehow deserving of so much $$$$$.

The crease is a huge issue when collecting cards. People paying outrages prices has nothing to do with a sketch being on the card or a gold border. It's the odds of obtaining one that drives up the price. The quality of the sketch will determine the value someone will pay and it will generally be higher than normal. You can't think of these as just sketch cards. They are part of a Topps issued series. That is what makes them so valuable compared to any sketch or painting. It's a card collectors mentality.
Chase cards have been around for about 20 years. One of Tom Brady's rookie cards sells for over $1000 regularly because it was part of a chase series. Other rookie cards are not as valued even though they have the same high odds of being pulled.

[BumChex]

Now the color OLDS sketch sold for $2K tonight. WTF?  Quick, someone, find me a color sketch!

[RawGoo]

Now the color OLDS sketch sold for $2K tonight. WTF?  Quick, someone, find me a color sketch!

Who bought that one?  I can't see buyers on BIN's.

I still have my color Old School sketches...................

[BumChex]

Who bought that one?  I can't see buyers on BIN's.

I still have my color Old School sketches...................

It was Leslie. You can see the feedback and scrambled name if you have the iphone or ipad app. She told me yesterday she was discussed that someone would pay that much for a sketch and she did it today. Too funny

[RawGoo]

It was Leslie. You can see the feedback and scrambled name if you have the iphone or ipad app. She told me yesterday she was discussed that someone would pay that much for a sketch and she did it today. Too funny

I have read here that people with iphones, etc., can see the buyers, but I don't have any expensive toys like that.   

I'm a little surprised Leslie went that high, but she sure does like Wacky sketches.

[bandaches]

It was Leslie. You can see the feedback and scrambled name if you have the iphone or ipad app. She told me yesterday she was discussed that someone would pay that much for a sketch and she did it today. Too funny

I assume you meant "disgusted".....are you saying Leslie contradicted herself again?  Say it ain't so.....

Have you been watching the show "hoarders" by any chance?  She has he hoarding affliction, no doubt about it.

[Plan 9]

So now it's $2000 for a sketch card? Alright then. Time for another lecture.

Wacky sketch cards, with rare exception such as the Dave Gross GPK sketch cards, should not be valued like a full blown illustration. It's just a sketch. A glorified autograph on behalf of a non-entity, aka Wacky Packages. Just a quick little study that takes any decent artist on the planet about 10 minutes to render. If non-artists really understood how simple and quick it is to spit these things out then they'd have to think twice about paying heaps of cash for them. You can explain why the original art used to create a pop culture image could be worth that much. Or even the value of a vintage card. But calling quick sketches "art" and paying more for them than a painting? A painting has invested in it so much time, thought, development and refinement. A sketch would represent a molecule of it's conception.

Is every bit of scratch from an artists pen a work of art? Most collectors are not paying crazy money for these. But to those who are, you're making a terrible mistake! Can you sense what an insult this is to the truly worthy material? Think of the choice you're making. For the same money you can either put a fully realized semi-famous painting on the wall or stick a doodle card in your album that nobody ever saw. Who saw it? A few ebayers? The forum? How does that compare to the thousands who have a printed replica of your PAINTING stuck to their notebook or bedroom door, ingraining itself into the memories of so many since childhood. It's obvious you pay crazy money because you have to have it at all cost. But stop and ask yourself why you have to have THIS at all cost. The next time you look at your $1500 sketch card and a shudder of fear strikes you, take comfort in it. It's your healthy mind doubting it's sanity. As long as you have doubt, at least you have hope.

[bandaches]

So now it's $2000 for a sketch card? Alright then. Time for another lecture.

Wacky sketch cards, with rare exception such as the Dave Gross GPK sketch cards, should not be valued like a full blown illustration. It's just a sketch. A glorified autograph on behalf of a non-entity, aka Wacky Packages. Just a quick little study that takes any decent artist on the planet about 10 minutes to render. If non-artists really understood how simple and quick it is to spit these things out then they'd have to think twice about paying heaps of cash for them. You can explain why the original art used to create a pop culture image could be worth that much. Or even the value of a vintage card. But calling quick sketches "art" and paying more for them than a painting? A painting has invested in it so much time, thought, development and refinement. A sketch would represent a molecule of it's conception.

Is every bit of scratch from an artists pen a work of art? Most collectors are not paying crazy money for these. But to those who are, you're making a terrible mistake! Can you sense what an insult this is to the truly worthy material? Think of the choice you're making. For the same money you can either put a fully realized semi-famous painting on the wall or stick a doodle card in your album that nobody ever saw. Who saw it? A few ebayers? The forum? How does that compare to the thousands who have a printed replica of your PAINTING stuck to their notebook or bedroom door, ingraining itself into the memories of so many since childhood. It's obvious you pay crazy money because you have to have it at all cost. But stop and ask yourself why you have to have THIS at all cost. The next time you look at your $1500 sketch card and a shudder of fear strikes you, take comfort in it. It's your healthy mind doubting it's sanity. As long as you have doubt, at least you have hope.

Do the other artists feel as you do on this subject?

[Smokin Joe]

It does seem to me we have the cart waggin' the dog... maybe we can right this train wreck if ANS8 is sketch card art printed as stickers... and the chase cards for this series number about 80 and are 8" x 10" full blown paintings based on characters from the sketch stickers.
   (All we'll need then is some razor sharp gum and all will be right in the world.)

[koduck]

The biggest difference I can see between sketch cards and the original art, is that on one hand, you have a rare, printed trading card with the "officially licensed Topps Wacky Packages" endorsment - giving them automatic "rock star" status. So, most people (with money) are basing their bids on the collectibility or resale value. An interesting side effect is that the artist's work seems to be a secondary priority. When they go full tilt on the drawing, it's icing on the cake, but even when they don't, the sketch cards still sell for crazy dollars.

The paintings on the other hand are a one-of-a-kind item, that people buy for the aesthetic value. I would guess that the majority of these people buy them for keeps, to hang on their walls.

A very interesting phenomenon. But what does it all mean? Any rocket scientists in the house?

[Crakola Crayons]

I've seen friends go to comic book conventions and pay anywhere from $10 (when you can get a good deal) to $50 for a b/w full page drawing of a favorite character (a bit more if it is in color).  I've gotten a couple sketches over the years of characters I played in a super-hero roleplaying game.  I find these kinds of sketches meaningful since they are unique to me - one of a kind.  I have a buddy who has this sketch book full of renditions of his favorite character Iron Man done by many comic industry artists (some who did Iron Man in the books, some not).  He has spent a couple thousand on this book easy but it is something truly unique, one of a kind, and very meaningful to him.

I can't see spending thousands on a Wacky Package sketch card.  Anyone who does is likely looking at it from a rarity angle and possibly for resale down the road - but will it hold its value a year or two or five or ten?  I question that.  Like Plan9, I can see investing that kind of money in an original piece of art.

[paste_anyplace]

In a just and rational universe, final ANS or Old School paintings would sell for more than sketch cards.  The current mania for sketches is puzzling.

[RawGoo]

In a just and rational universe, final ANS or Old School paintings would sell for more than sketch cards.  The current mania for sketches is puzzling.

As a long time card collector, I can understand the idea that because the sketch cards came from packs, they are somehow more 'official'.  Of course, the artist returns are now making that very murky, but that's another issue.....

Still, I cannot justify spending more for a sketch card than a painting, and my sketch cards are basically all from pack pulls or resulting trades.  I am hoping that with all the ANS7 art coming up from Topps Vault, I might be able to snag one at a decent price.  I'd love to get County Time!!

[Dr Popper]

The biggest difference I can see between sketch cards and the original art, is that on one hand, you have a rare, printed trading card with the "officially licensed Topps Wacky Packages" endorsment - giving them automatic "rock star" status. So, most people (with money) are basing their bids on the collectibility or resale value. An interesting side effect is that the artist's work seems to be a secondary priority. When they go full tilt on the drawing, it's icing on the cake, but even when they don't, the sketch cards still sell for crazy dollars.

The paintings on the other hand are a one-of-a-kind item, that people buy for the aesthetic value. I would guess that the majority of these people buy them for keeps, to hang on their walls.

A very interesting phenomenon. But what does it all mean? Any rocket scientists in the house?

I am one of the collectors who buys the skethes because they fit the parameters I have set for a particular series, and once I set my parameters I try to get them all.  To your point about the artists art becoming seconday to getting a Topps endorsed sketch, I would have to say I fit into that category.  With ANS7 because the sketch cards are so rare and they are so many titles the artists did I decided to get one sketch per artist so 3 total, and the title I get isn't my primary concern.  I do however find some sketches I really like and I'll sometimes try to swap one for one I like better, but that's after I've already got the category filled. 

I think the sketch cards are cool and a lot of fun to collect, but I also agree that paying $1,000 - $2,000 for one of them is definitely over the top.  Those kinds of #'s should only be seen with original art.  It's an interesting debate though.  The problem is that it only takes two collectors with deep pockets to drive the prices on them up.  The two ANS7 sketches I bought I was able to get both in the $400.00 - $450.00 range.     

[BumChex]

I assume you meant "disgusted".....are you saying Leslie contradicted herself again?  Say it ain't so.....

Have you been watching the show "hoarders" by any chance?  She has he hoarding affliction, no doubt about it.

Yes, disgusted (damn spell checker ). Ironically I emailed her yesterday and asked her if she saw the show hoarders. After watching a few episodes I decided I better clear out some of my stuff..LOL
I am in no way like these people on the show. These people are absolute pigs. I don't think it's hoarding as an issue as total laziness. They are too lazy to throw away boxes and empty pop bottles. They go shopping and just throw whatever they bought on top of a pile. It's really disturbing.

[Dr Popper]

Yes, disgusted (damn spell checker ). Ironically I emailed her yesterday and asked her if she saw the show hoarders. After watching a few episodes I decided I better clear out some of my stuff..LOL
I am in no way like these people on the show. These people are absolute pigs. I don't think it's hoarding as an issue as total laziness. They are too lazy to throw away boxes and empty pop bottles. They go shopping and just throw whatever they bought on top of a pile. It's really disturbing.

I've seen that show and it is like a disease for some of those people.  They literally get close to a nervous breakdown when someone tries to throw anything away, even if it's junk.  This one guy had rooms and rooms of newspapers that he had already read, and he couldn't throw any away.  It doesn't make rational sense and it goes a lot deeper than just laziness with most of the ones I've seen.   

[Plan 9]

Yes, disgusted (damn spell checker ). Ironically I emailed her yesterday and asked her if she saw the show hoarders. After watching a few episodes I decided I better clear out some of my stuff..LOL
I am in no way like these people on the show. These people are absolute pigs. I don't think it's hoarding as an issue as total laziness. They are too lazy to throw away boxes and empty pop bottles. They go shopping and just throw whatever they bought on top of a pile. It's really disturbing.

The hoarders in those documentaries are definitely not like us. They keep everything and anything. Mostly trash. But you've also got collectors who are slightly more discerning. They bring back stuff from auctions and yard sales. The best collections can be seen on American Pickers. There are a lot of amazing vintage collections found on that show. The hosts distinguish collectors from hoarders and don't like to bother with hoarders. I'm waiting for a case of original Wacky Packages to turn up on this show. I hope the hosts are keeping Wacky Packs in mind. I emailed them to let them know I am interested in such a find.

[Kook]

The hoarders in those documentaries are definitely not like us. They keep everything and anything. Mostly trash. But you've also got collectors who are slightly more discerning. They bring back stuff from auctions and yard sales. The best collections can be seen on American Pickers. There are a lot of amazing vintage collections found on that show. The hosts distinguish collectors from hoarders and don't like to bother with hoarders. I'm waiting for a case of original Wacky Packages to turn up on this show. I hope the hosts are keeping Wacky Packs in mind. I emailed them to let them know I am interested in such a find.

American Pickers is a very interesting show. It's unbelievable how much people are able to accumulate!