Gauging interest in Symphonia promotional cards...

[Cless]

Anyone remember these?

It's almost hard to believe they're over five years old already. They're probably completely impossible to find these days. I don't remember what the conditions were to win the first two sets (I got them through eBay), and the third one I think was given out through some random drawing that seemed like everyone on the official US Tales forums managed to win (including me). I have a vague recollection that they only printed 1000 of each set.

Anyways, I'm starting to get a little less attached to collectibles that just lay around in closed containers never to really be looked at again. I figure these might still have some kind of value if they haven't been completely forgotten about and thought maybe I'd raise some awareness before I try throwing them on eBay or something. Unless there's a highly enthusiastic collector out there willing take them off my hands with a very nice offer. All three sets, never opened, and in the same shape they were when I got them.

[DuskShark]

What the? Namco made Tales cards? Anyway, how much are these worth now?

[Cless Aileron]

All I know was that the first set was won through a random drawing via Nintendo's official site and the other two were won through random drawing via Namco.  I only managed to get the ones done via Namco.

Well, I can't really separate the set there, since I have #2 and #3, so I'll let someone else take the opportunity.

However, I haven't really kept my eyes on eBay to see them pop up now and then, so I can't get a price gauging here personally.

[Kogahazan]

I have one set, I think I got it through Nintendo Power or something. It would be nice to have all of them, but I would sorta feel bad since they're unopened and all. But unless there was a way to view something without opening it, I would open it anyway. I like to actually see the things I'm collecting, plus I don't really sell things I collect so it doesn't matter to me if they're opened.

Anyway, I have a slight interest in buying them but I as well have no sort of measure as to their monetary value. Therefore I shall see if anyone can come up with a price, or if Cless would state what his idea of "a very nice offer" is, before expressing further interest in purchase.

[Cless]

Cless would state what his idea of "a very nice offer" is, before expressing further interest in purchase.

All I'm gonna say is...it's going to take somewhere in the neighborhood of three digits to at least convince me to not try auctioning them. High, yes, probably crazy high, but I'm not interested in lowballing them. Looking over my ancient PayPal history, I picked up set 1 and 2 for $18.50 and $16.50, respectively. Of course, this was five years ago, and I vaguely recall some auctions around the same time hitting around $30 for a single set.

I don't really expect anyone to pitch me an offer I'll jump for. But I'd still be interested in hearing them, so that maybe I could get some kind of rough idea as to what to expect from auctioning them or to help work out a fair starting price (but no reserve). I may also list each set separately in auction, but I'm undecided on that right now.

[Carnivol]

Oh! The horrors of something sealed! (Come to think of it, I've never seen those cards)

I honestly dunno what you could get for those, but I'd say they probably shouldn't be parted with unless you reach three digits and beyond (Something like $100~150, maybe? $33~50 for each + the details on the origin for each pack seems like something some "Must have it all" collector might get lured in by.).

The horrible thing is the fact that they are sealed, though. It limits the purchase audience. If you're lucky, you'll score some nutcase who must have things sealed and is willing to pay blood money for it. Unfortunately, in most cases you'll just turn off the average collectors who fears the power of the seal and actually wants to pay LESS for something that's sealed ('cause they can't "use" it). It's a big problem with promotional material and obscure retro collectibles. Unsealing them will of course remove the opportunity to sell something to a "sealed or GTFO!"-person... and heavily decreasing any random phony number someone would be willing to throw out as the supposed "actual" value of something.

(Seriously... I spend all night crying over some of the retro collectibles I've only been able to dig out in sealed state... mauling their seals, just to pry them open for the sake of properly documenting/archiving the contents lurking inside... Though, I'm sure there are people out there who has no problem ripping open something they scored "cheap and sealed." I somewhat envy them... in a strange way.)

[pedrocasilva]

I unseal everything.

Even if it costed a fortune.


As for the cards, I didn't even know they existed, more than $100 for cards that had a 1000 print run doesn't seem misplaced, it would be a lot more if the franchise was a really well established one in US; that said, the fact it isn't as established as it could might narrow a little the number of people interested/tracking it on ebay. But more importantly, do you really want to part with them?

[Cless]

All they've really done is stay enclosed inside a cookie tin the whole time. Totally out of sight. Like I've said, collectibles like this don't do a lot for me these days (I still love things like displayable figures, though... Why haven't they made Estelle/Judith figures yet?)

Anyways I'm also a little strapped for cash at the moment and need to spend next year making an effort to get this credit card bill I've racked up since moving paid off. I've already listed some of my game collection for sale on Amazon and for trade on Goozex (I plan to exploit the hell out of their system to play most new releases for very cheap over the next year).