Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Very Basic Promo Card, Six Feet Under One & Two P1 Didn’t Launch Rittenhouse Archive’s Awesome Set!


The Good: Good image, Informative, Inexpensive enough, Necessary for collectors
The Bad: It’s just one card and can usually be found for free!
The Basics: An underwhelming single trading card, the Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two P1 implied an awesome set that collectors did not, alas, flock to.


As my trading card business was growing, developing from my personal collection into a viable business, one of the first trading card sets I debated purchasing outside the Star Trek franchise was the Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two trading card set. I was both excited and skeptical when Rittenhouse Archives sent me a stack of the Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two P1 promotional cards; the card looked beautiful, but I did not believe that the viewers of Six Feet Under would translate into trading card collectors of the dark, disturbing HBO drama. I was right and in the long run, I was glad I did not invest in the Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two trading card set as the set – despite its beauty – did not take off in value and failed to find a respectable market.

Even so, the promotional card that foreshadowed the set was as nice as the set and well worth picking up for fans of the gritty television series.

To prepare collectors for the release of the Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two trading cards, Rittenhouse Archives produced a promotional card. Promotional cards are designed to give collectors a tease of the new set and generate enthusiasm for forthcoming card releases. Rittenhouse Archives gave away tens of thousands of Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two P1 promotional cards to collectors (who simply asked for one and sent a self addressed, stamped envelope) and to dealers to freely distribute to potential customers.

Numbered P1 (on the back) the Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two promotional card prepares fans for the style of the common card set for the Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two trading cards. As such, this is a standard trading card size and there is no gimmick to it. It has the Rittenhouse Archives standard UV protective coating to prevent fading and after more than a decade, mine shows no wear (though mine is nicely protected in a binder's poly pages!).

The front of the trading card features the full main cast of Six Feet Under crew posed for a promotional shot. In the sitting room of Fisher & Sons are the Fishers, Billy and Brenda, and Keith. The bottom front of the card indicates the name of the television series and the name of the card set. This is the format of the common cards and it accurately predicts how the set would look.

The photography on the front is very clear and the color contrast is decent, which prepares collectors well for the actual set, which was able to have clear images with vibrant colors. Those looking for something different to get signed at conventions, though, will find this is not the ideal cards for that. Because no one character on the card is dominant, it is a tough sell for autograph hunters.

The back of the card simply announces the Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two trading card set, illustrating that it will be a set that includes an autograph card in each box, and indicating when it would be available! Outside the most expensive cards in the set, the card does not tease potential buyers with much information and it is only insinuation and retrospect which lead those looking at the P1 to know that the common card set followed this style of card.

In the end, this card did not get me to invest, despite the fact that it did what promotional cards are supposed to do. The Six Feet Under Seasons One & Two P1 card prepares the consumer for the actual full trading card set. Rittenhouse Archives gave a slew of these away and it is not very collectible at all. As a result, those looking to purchase one of these ought to avoid overpaying. Many dealers throw promotional cards in for free (usually with a purchase) and this card only has a guide value of $2.00. Be sure not to pay more than that; it's one card and given how Six Feet Under had no real market outside the DVD set, the card is not an exceptional investment at all.

This card foreshadows a set that focused on Six Feet Under Season One (reviewed here!) and Season Two (reviewed here!).

For other reviews of single cards, please check out my reviews of:
Family Guy 2005 P1
Enterprise Season 1 Promotional Card P1
Twilight HT-1 Who Is Bella Swan? card

4/10

For other card reviews, please visit my Card Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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