Collectors who’ve been left holding the bag when it comes to redemption cards are getting a measure of relief from Panini America during next week’s National Sports Collectors Convention.
Panini announced Tuesday that the company will once again conduct its Live Redemption Trade-Up program on location during the show at the Stephens Convention Center in suburban Chicago.
Collectors who found redemption cards in packs at least four months ago but are still waiting for their promised autograph will be able to trade them in for a card or cards of higher value. The redemption cards must already be pending in the company’s redemption system.
There is some flexibility with the program and you’ll trade for autographs and relics from whatever sport you like but you won’t be able to pick the player or autograph you want. A collector holding four unfulfilled redemption cards with a combined book of, say, $100, can trade them in for a $100 card through a ‘grab bag system’ set up by the trading card maker’s customer service department.
Panini has assigned values to replacement stock and will offer those mystery bags containing one autograph or prime memorabilia card at $50, $100, $150 and $200 levels. Panini promises what you’ll get will at least equal what you missed out on thanks to slow-signing athletes but they say many times the value of the grab bag will exceed what you trade in—sometimes by a lot. Some collectors may score live onsite redemption cards that can be redeemed for boxes of Panini trading cards.
The trade-up program is limited to a total of $400 worth of cards so if you’re holding a lot of redemption cards with significant value, you might still have to wait. Collectors also will be required to sign a waiver that states they agree to the random pulled replacement.
There’s no online component, either. You’ll have to be in Chicago next week to take advantage of the trade up offer.
To keep things moving, collectors at the National should bring with them print outs from Panini’s website of the outstanding redemptions they want to have replaced at the National. A Customer Service team member at the booth will verify the transaction.
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