BEHIND THE SCENES Futera UNIQUE 2015 World Football Collection leads the way in a trio of Futera high-end football/soccer card releases with the Official ARSENAL and MANCHESTER CITY Futera UNIQUE 2015 Collections releasing early July, limited to only 15 cases of each worldwide. The Futera UNIQUE 2015 World Football Collection - an Investment Grade release of only 200 cases - presents the most impressive Checklist of 1 of 1 Autograph cards and Memorabilia Sets featuring top football stars ever released in a football card collection, taking Futera UNIQUE beyond where it s been before. CHECKLIST: 1 of 1 AUTOGRAPH CARDS CHECKLIST: MEMORABILIA CARD SETS CHECKLIST: Futera UNIQUE 2015 World Football Card Collection From this year Futera Unique 2015 checklist is bought to you in an interactive format. For example you will be able to locate your favourite footballer and see what Sets the cards appear in and use other search functions for your favourite cards. http://futera.com/checklists/unique2015checklist.xlsx As the Collection is quite complex, below is an overview with some of the Sets original concept drawings and card photographs from various stages. Now Versus Memostars A Futera First: We ve introduced another first' for Futera collections with a new type of Memorabilia Card called MatchDay where a piece of the player s game-used jersey plus a piece of the actual MatchDay Programme from the same game both feature on the same card. Matchday: MatchDay (25 card set /only 25 sets created) features the player s game-used jersey plus a piece of the Matchday Programme from the same game. GAME MEMORABILIA Information about the card s memorabilia such as the date/season/which game the memorabilia was used in is given on the back of the card. This year we ve moved from laser to ink-coding of individual numbering and unique codes, and have additionally increased the thickness/density of the board for all Memorabilia Card Sets. Even Regular cards are produced on a high-grade board of around 1mm thickness. Search for your favourite players The Collection showcases 10 different Memorabilia Sets presenting a stunning range of game-used memorabilia with single, double and triple memorabilia cards featuring combinations such as Pele s game-used jersey with a piece of match-played ball from his final professional game; Zlatan Ibrahimovic s game-used jersey and shorts from the same game; 3 different Lionel Messi game-used jerseys on one card Other items you ll see are players Goalkeeper s gloves and Training wear.
Examples of other Memorabilia sets: Kitcard: Kitcard (16 card set /only 13 sets created) providing combinations of 2 or 3 game memorabilia items on the same card with a real diamond. Memorabilia in the set includes shirts, boots, balls, training wear and Goalkeeper s gloves. Cards featured in the set include Sergio Aguero, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele & Diego Maradona. The Incredibles: (10 player cards/ less than 15 of any released) COMBO cards featuring an on-card Autograph together with a piece of game memorabilia on the same card. Cards featured in the set include Lionel Messi, Neymar and Radamel Falcao. Mythicals: (13 card set /only 10 sets created) 2 pieces of game memorabilia featured on a retro design card commemorating football greats from a bygone era with each card presented in a gold-plated frame with diamonds. Cards featured in the set include Diego Maradona, Pele, Roberto Baggio, Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini. 1 of 1 COMBO Memorabilia with Autograph cards (only 1 of each player card exists worldwide). 1 of 1 COMBO Cards featuring an Autograph together with a piece of game memorabilia on the same card. 1 of 1 COMBO Cards are presented in a gold-plated frame with diamonds. Other sets include Memostars (Double & Triple game memorabilia cards including Boots, Ball, Training wear, Goalkeeper s gloves), Versus (2 players game memorabilia on the same card) Superstars, Then, Now, Captains Check the Collection Info Sheet for details: http://www.futera.com/pdf/futeraunique2015infosheet.pdf
Memorabilia card in every pack! A Memorabilia card is included in every Pack except where a Pack contains a rare Insert of either an Incredibles COMBO Autograph with Memorabilia card, a 1 of 1 Autographed card in gold-plated frame with diamonds, a 1 of 1 COMBO Autograph with Memorabilia card in gold-plated frame with diamonds, or a 1 of 1 Printing Plate Production Set. Pele 1 of 1 COMBO Autograph + Memo Card In fact, most Packs have an additional Insert. This could be a Silver, Gold or Platinum or 1 of 1 Parallel card, or even an Autograph Card (i.e. you could find both Inserts in the same Pack). WHAT IS A 1 of 1? A 1 of 1 card or set means that only 1 of its design has been created and exists worldwide. Futera actually created the 1 of 1 concept for the Trading Card hobby, with the 1 of 1 card feature later being adopted by other publishers for their collections. 1 of 1 Autograph cards included in Futera Unique 2015 include Alex Ferguson, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi & Pele. Alex Ferguson 1 of 1 Autograph Card George Best Futera 1 of 1 Archive Autograph Card AUTOGRAPHS & RARITY RARITY: Why only 200 cases? Actually, it would be easier for us to make much more (within hours of releasing the Collection details trade reservations had well exceeded the release quantity, and with the previous Futera UNIQUE 2013 and 2014 collections having both sold out ). But making more cards would not provide collectors with the rarity associated with the Futera UNIQUE brand, so we haven t. In fairness to everyone, again this year markets have been allocated so that collectors everywhere can have the opportunity to collect and trade cards from the new Collection. Futera UNIQUE on-card signed autograph cards feature in every Display Box. Packs containing an Autograph card ALSO include a Memorabilia card in the same Pack, although packs containing a rare COMBO Autograph with Memorabilia card would only have one insert. On the back of each autographed card, details include security features of individual numbering and a unique code together with information about where and when the player signed the card. The Incredibles is a COMBO set where a player s on-card autograph together with a piece of game-used memorabilia appears on the same card. The Collection also introduces commemorative 1 of 1 Archive cut autograph cards from football legends such as George Best, Ferenc Puskas and Di Stefano which are presented in a gold-plated frame with diamonds. THE INCREDIBLES COMBO Autograph + Memorabilia Every Memorabilia card is photographed and its data uploaded to Code for Collectors and also to the Memorabilia Card Grading Service where collectors can check the rarity and features of their cards. (the Memorabilia Card Grading Service activates from the latter part of June following upload of data & photographs, with Code for Collectors following shortly thereafter). These free services will show collectors any cards that were short-printed, for example the Blokhin Memorable card was significantly short-printed because of a production issue on one of the sheets. So although numbering on the backs of Blokhin's Memorable cards will show of 105', in fact if you check the Colour Grading Chart and Code for Collectors online data, you will see that much fewer than the originally planned cards for Blokhin - and some other player cards in the Collection - were actually released and will therefore be even more rare.
WHAT IS A PRODUCTION SET and why is it so special? A Futera Printing Plate Production Set is the equivalent of one Insert but comprises a metal printing plate card, plus one or more elements taken from production, plus a Certificate Card. Whilst a Production Set generally includes a metal printing plate of the card front, some may feature a plate of the card back, or even both front and back plates. The Set may include a 'Printer's Proof - or more than one type of Proof - produced for Publisher-checking before the card goes to press. Some items are only produced for some card sets such as 'Blank Back' cards (no print on the card's reverse). The number of inserts in a Production Set will vary. Futera has only released 1 Printing Plate (Black) from some of the Futera UNIQUE 2015 card sets and as the Production Sets themselves are 1 of 1, they are unique with only 1 existing worldwide for the associated card s design.the Printing Plate cards have a unique code, and the Production Sets include a Certificate card. A true collector s item. BASE SET & PACKAGING The Base Set has been produced with a velvet effect giving an interesting finish and feel to the cards. Futera uses a high-grade, prestigious board (1mm+) for its Regular Cards considered to be one of the best in the industry. Example of 1 of 1 Printing Plate Production Set TIP: YOUR CARD STORAGE BOX: You can use the Futera Display Box to store your cards - remove the inner shelf and you ll find your cards can stack neatly inside. PARALLEL SETS I find it difficult to get excited about Parallel Sets because it doesn t take a lot of effort or investment for a Publisher to do a run on of a Base Set, make a minor change such as foil colour (as was a common treatment in the old days) and call the Set by a different name. However, I know that collectors generally like to see Parallel cards in a Collection and I do believe that there is a good place for them, therefore for this Collection we ve created 3 limited run Parallel Sets, titled SILVER (limited to only 30 sets), GOLD (limited to only 20 sets) and PLATINUM (limited to only 14 sets). The SILVER and GOLD sets are gold-foiled, with the PLATINUM Set being titanium-colour foiled. 1 of 1 PARALLEL SET - a unique set within Futera UNIQUE 2015 We ve created a 1 of 1 Parallel Set with a bit of a twist through a selection of just 80 cards from the Base set each having a different image from its corresponding original Base Set card. This is the sort of Parallel Set I do like - it retains the relationship with the Base Set, yet is different and rare. 1 of 1 Parallel Base card 1 of 1 Parallel Base card
FREE SERVICES FOR COLLECTORS created by FUTERA Card codes to utilize the following services will activate shortly following release once post-production details, card data and photography have been uploaded, as well as to give time for the shipping of the new release to the different markets in fairness to all. Activation of card codes is scheduled during the second half of June and we will announce the activation date on Facebook and mail to customers. (If you re not already on our mailing list and would like to be, please email us at info@futera.com and we ll keep you updated with new releases and other info/offers). HOW RARE IS YOUR MEMORABILIA/JERSEY CARD? MEMORABILIA GRADING SERVICE - http://futera.com/colour-grading The Memorabilia Card Grading Service was created several years ago by Futera as a world first for the Trading Card Hobby to help collectors understand the rarity of their cards. Cards are graded according to their content and colour combinations and how many cards with such colours/combinations were actually released, with their rarity translated into easy to read charts. Search for your memorabilia card s number to find out how rare it is. Example of a multi-colour Futera Memorabilia card:- CODE FOR COLLECTORS Enter the code from the back of your card to get details about your card s features and rarity. CODE FOR COLLECTORS SERVICE Code for Collectors is another world first created by Futera for the Trading Card Hobby. Futera individually numbers and applies a unique code to all of its insert cards. Apart from this being a useful security code for collectors, the code can also be used to trade your card at efutera.com, and to add it to your Team in the FWFOnline football card game (see below). Collectors can enter the unique code from cards in the Base Set, Parallel Sets, Game Jersey/Memorabilia Sets and Production Sets at www.futera.com to get details about their card s rarity and features including behind the scenes photos/videos from the crafting and printing processes of the original card. Free service. Video: https://vimeo.com/95493707 efutera - live online Card Trading Market Collectors can buy, sell and trade Futera UNIQUE 2015 cards together with cards from other Futera collections at www.efutera.com. Free service. FWF ONLINE - Futera World Football Online Game Cards from Futera UNIQUE 2015 can be played in live online games at www.fwfonline.com - simply add the card s code to your Team (register free and get a free Starter Squad of 27 virtual football cards). NB: Because Futera UNIQUE cards are rare, they provide strong playing power in the game, so are sought after by gameplayers and collectors alike.
FUTERA OUTTAKES - what happens? This year we printed two Memorabilia Card Sets which were never released. The first run of Superstars was pulled because the colours didn t translate well from the concept to actual print, and the second run proved too challenging for the finishers to achieve the outcome we d required. Despite the concept not coming to fruition for the 2015 release, it s still in the sidelines for a possible launch with UNIQUE 2016. With Kitcard, the first print run omitted the support artwork for where the diamond was to be inserted therefore the Set had to be reprinted. The rejected Superstars and Kitcard Sets were earmarked for the secure waste department or has a new drawer of outtakes been added to the Futera Archive? Version 1 Superstars - Unreleased DIAMONDS & GOLD CERTIFICATION One of my favourite times in production is buying the diamonds, precious stones and unusual materials used in the crafting of Futera collections. Our diamond purchases come with independent Certification (collectors can obtain Certificate confirmation directly from www.igeclab.com) and the gold content of Futera s gold-plated frames is certified by Helmut Fischer, Analysts of Gold and materials content measurement (Fischerscope X-Ray). WHAT WILL YOU FIND IN YOUR PACK? Most Card Collections are collated automatically by machine by way of Feeders or Hoppers dropping out cards at a particular setting according to the collection s insert ratio specification. However, Futera Collections are firstly masterminded across various spreadsheets with insert ratios and collation created according not only to the different card types and providing the likelihood of finding a particular type in a Pack, but with bespoke pack, display box, minicase and case combinations, even taking into consideration variety of a Pack mix s card colours, players and countries to create an interesting and informative content across the production. FUTERA - what does it mean? The Brand name was created from combining the words Future + Era = Futera. This name fits our corporate psyche as much today as it has done for over 25 years, with our objective to be innovative and pioneering in the Hobby to bring interesting and informative Trading Card Collections and services to collectors into the future.
Futera Unique Football Cards 2015 Thank you for your interest in Futera cards, Best wishes Gwyneth Gwyneth M Glascodine CEO, Futera VIDEOS & USEFUL LINKS BEHIND THE SCENES from the making of Futera UNIQUE 2015 Collections https://vimeo.com/119916045 * * * Podcast Interview with Footballcardz.net http://footballcardz.podbean.com/e/003-gwyneth-glascodine/ * * * Video excerpt from Trading Card Conference, China http://vimeo.com/116229865 * * * ORDER NOW: Visit the Online Shop - http://www.futera.com/latest-product or email us at info@futera.com and we will be pleased to help.