Card Identification Forum

Hey everybody, quick question: I have some 2007 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia football that I'm entering into my collection. Are the shiny fronts hobby and the plain fronts retail? I checked scans for both on the database and both hobby/retail have plain front scans posted. Thanks in advance!

Yes, you're correct. I believe hobby box had 4 packs inside and are shiny. Scans can be difficult.  And sometimes just as difficult as figuring out what a hobby or retail box is.

Talked to another collector to verify, and from what I can gather you are correct.  Retail is plain; hobby is "shiny".

I appreciate the help. Thanks to both of you.

That depends on what you mean by "shiny". The hobby cards have a holofoil coating on them while the retail are just glossy cards. Both are "shiny", but only the Hobby version has rainbow-like colors in the shine!

nice nowing that. thank's

Having been collecting since 1968, it's an interesting turn. Yes, the hobby has gotten to the point that a glossy card has become "plain". 

spazmatastic wrote: That depends on what you mean by "shiny". The hobby cards have a holofoil coating on them while the retail are just glossy cards. Both are "shiny", but only the Hobby version has rainbow-like colors in the shine!

There are still sets that aren't shiny though. Topps A&G, Heritage, Archives and Gypsy Queen are a few but Score releases usually aren't real glossy b/c they have the parallel that is really glossy. Score is kind of the throwback to the 1980's. The glossy cards are inserts and parallels. I don't really care if a card is glossy or not, but I love holofoil on cards.

Also, a good rule of thumb for Absolute cards is that if it does NOT have holofoil on it, it's probably retail. That has almost always been the difference since 2000.

C2Cigars wrote: Having been collecting since 1968, it's an interesting turn. Yes, the hobby has gotten to the point that a glossy card has become "plain".  spazmatastic wrote: That depends on what you mean by "shiny". The hobby cards have a holofoil coating on them while the retail are just glossy cards. Both are "shiny", but only the Hobby version has rainbow-like colors in the shine!