TF4 Topps Trading cards now out in Australia (free at some Hoyts)

This is out now with some newsagents stocking the booster backs but here is some info

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ps517c2438.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...ps242c38e7.jpg

Starter Pack & Packet of Cards
The hugely popular Transformers franchise is back for what looks set to be the box-office smash of the year! With an exclusive insight into the film, Age of Extinction, this collection includes the new Autobots, humans and villains, as well as action-packed movie still. There are 170 cards to collect. Released June 2014

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...psbd16e459.jpg


Transformer Trading Cards Tins
This comprehensive Transformers collection features characters from the previous 3 movies along with the new characters from the upcoming film. Age of Extinction – New Autobots, Deceptions, Villains and human characters. Each tin contains: 19 x Regular Cards, 2 x Mirror Foil Cards, 1 x Rainbow Foil Cards, 1 x LE Card and Game Rule Guide. Released: June 2014
- Transfromers Tin 1 - LE Optimus Prime
- Transformers Tin 2 - LE Drift
- Transformers Tin 3 - LE Grimlock
- Transformers Tin 4 - LE Lockdown

Transformer Trading Cards Multipacks:
This comprehensive Transformers collection features characters from the previous 3 movies along with the new characters from the upcoming film. Age of Extinction – New Autobots, Deceptions, Villains and human characters. Each multipack contains: 5 Packets and exclusive Limited Edition Card. Released: June 2014
- Transformers Multipack 1 - LE Bumblebee
- Transformers Multipack 2 - LE Crosshairs
- Transformers Multipack 4 - LE Swoop
- Transformers Multipack 3 - LE Sentinal Prime

Source

i have grabbed a couple of packs from the newsagent have not seen any of the other items the tins do look nice

here is some addition info

- 5 cards per pack ($2.50 per pack)
- Mirror Foils 1:2
- Rainbow Foils 1:4

I see that the website (link) is a British site, but I'll have to see if we are getting the other items (like the Tins).

At the Australian Toyfair I reported that Banter is the distributor of Topps Trading cards this year, but it was still too early to know what, and how much.

Last week I got an email from the Australian Distributor while I was in America, but wasn't able to respond to it while I was over there (it's my own domain address, so isn't something I have set up for using easily on other ISPs).

They did mention that the cards are now out here (which Sharky has reported above), and that... "Hoyts cinemas are running a promotion in VIC, NSW and WA where everyone who books a ticket online during release weekend will receive a free packet of the cards."

Griff would be interestin to know what we will actually get here as those tins look pretty nice and i wouldnt mind picking them up(same goes for starter pack and multipacks too)

Banter toys have this up

transformer tcg booster

doesnt look like we will be getting the other stuff if you go by the product page which is a shame would of liked the starter set so you cab get the playmat they refer toin the instructions


BUT they also have a listing for movie cards coming in july

Quote:

---

There are 170 cards to collect, including special rainbow foil cards, and authentic memorabilia cards, with genuine costume pieces, and original Optimus Prime parts, from the Age of Extinction movie set! 

These exciting memorabilia cards feature outfits worn by the three main human characters, with pieces of the jeans, t-shirts and jackets worn by Cade Yeager (played by Mark Wahlberg), Tessa Yeager and Shane Dyson!

170 cards to collect
Includes: Special mirror foil, rainbow foil Cards and authentic memorabilia cards, with genuine costume pieces and orginal Optimus Prime parts, from the Age of Extinction movie set.

10 Cards per packet
10 packets per display

---

Banter Toys Transformers Page

I might wait 3 years so Robotkingdom can send me 50 packets of these free.;)

Just confirming what Sharky has posted above, from Banter Toys Marketing Manager, when I asked about the collector tins that are on the UK site...

Quote:

---

We only have the card packets available at newsagents in Australia and will be getting Memorabilia cards July/August.

---

Sharky quoted the details of the Memorabilia cards, so look out for them in the next month.

That is a shame Griff especially about the starter pack too since the packed in instructions refer to the play mat that comes with them...

just booster packs does not make any sense

Quote:

---

BUT they also have a listing for movie cards coming in july

Quote:

---

There are 170 cards to collect, including special rainbow foil cards, and authentic memorabilia cards, with genuine costume pieces, and original Optimus Prime parts, from the Age of Extinction movie set! 

These exciting memorabilia cards feature outfits worn by the three main human characters, with pieces of the jeans, t-shirts and jackets worn by Cade Yeager (played by Mark Wahlberg), Tessa Yeager and Shane Dyson!

170 cards to collect
Includes: Special mirror foil, rainbow foil Cards and authentic memorabilia cards, with genuine costume pieces and orginal Optimus Prime parts, from the Age of Extinction movie set.

10 Cards per packet
10 packets per display

---

Banter Toys Transformers Page

---

the movie cards have been updated with some images,

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps50bbfovp.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...pssovmiezl.jpg


at 10 packs per box (10 cards per pack you will need 2 boxes to mostlikley complete the set but i have not seen any break down of odds for inserts as of yet

Banter has it under the new release heading so not sure when or if they will hit stores

I see DOTM shots on those sample cards

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zippo

I see DOTM shots on those sample cards

---

it is a 170 card set, i imagine it is like the current CCG game and takes takes from all 4 movies

i send an email to banter a couple of weeks ago to enquire about the binders/starter packs as packed in instructions refer to a playmat you get from the start pack, i received a reply today which just reinforces Griffebs response a while back

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Banter Toys & Collectibles

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, thank you for your enquiry.

The binders are not available in Australia just the trading cards which can be purchased at any newsagency

They are also available as on this week in Toys R us stores and the following independents below

Anime At Abbotsford Abbotsford NSW
Dad&Daves Dandenong Markets VIC
Gametraders - Blacktown Blacktown NSW
Gametraders - Chermside Chermside QLD
Gametraders - Ingle Farm Ingle Farm SA
Gametraders - Marion Marion SA
Gametraders - Salisbury Salisbury SA
Kinokuniya Book Store of Australia Sydney CBD NSW
Launceston Toyworld Launceston TAS
Midland Toyworld - Midland WA
Mosman Newsagency (NSW) Mosman NSW
NewsXpress Miranda Miranda NSW
The Hobby Matrix Modbury Modbury SA
Top Class Cards Watsonia VIC
Toyworld Geelong West Geelong West VIC
Toyworld Greensborough Greenborough VIC

Thank you

Kind Regards

Helen

---

but in saying that i just got a binder and some tins in the mail today and amabout to open them up

I received the playmat and a sheet of cards, included with the Titan AOE comic magazine. Wasn't very impressive, and the cards have zero bio information for each character. Waste of space when you turn them over

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by reillyd

I received the playmat and a sheet of cards, included with the Titan AOE comic magazine. Wasn't very impressive, and the cards have zero bio information for each character. Waste of space when you turn them over

---

Considering they are gaming cards like the tops trumps etc the need for bio is not there and the blank back is part of the game element so not to give anything away,

the upcoming collector cards is probably more what you are after

Banter sent me some samples of each to review, and the two are indeed distinctly different.

Card game - a little over 170 cards to collect and battle with opponents (the more cards you buy, the stronger your deck is).
Five cards per pack - single sided. One mirror foil every two packs (average). One rainbow foil every five packs (average).

Collector Cards (or memorabilia cards) - 170 cards, plus souvenir clothing and Optimus truck pieces (which are NOT part of the 170 numbered cards, but are individually numbered on their own).
Ten cards per pack - double sided, which is supposed to include one Rainbow Foil card per pack.
EXCEPT - if your pack has a truck panel or clothing piece, it will not have 10 cards in it. The truck panel is encased in a solid block that is the thickness of 10 cards, so no other cards will be in the pack (making it easy to find if you have sensitive fingers... like those hunting down Lego minifigures in their blind bags).
The clothing pieces are not as thick, but still takes up the space of 5 cards (so comes with 5 regular cards)... while the Optimus tail-light pieces are said to come with 1 or 2 regular cards because it is almost as thick as the panel pieces.
(Photos and review to come as soon as I get to processing the photos.)

Odds listed on the back of the packs...
Optimus truck panel (the shiny blue or red parts) - 1 in every 7 packs. (noted on the back of each one as xxxx/8070... so you can work out the total amount of trading cards Topps produced if their ratio is accurate)
Cade Yeager clothing piece - 1 in every 50 packs (probably individually numbered as well)
Shane Dyson clothing piece - 1 in every 50 packs
Tessa Yeager clothing piece - 1 in every 100 packs (probably because she wore less clothing, or, more of her outfits were "kept" by production staff after the movie ;) )
Optimus Truck tail light piece - 1 in every 150 packs. (I'd much rather have the signature/unique shiny truck panel parts than a piece of red glass that could be anyone's tail light... making this rarest item, the least interesting of the five.)


I really hope that these movie props were duplicates that were going to be destroyed anyway, as it would be a shame to have signature costumes cut up, or an Optimus Truck stripped of its outer panels, when there are museums or collectors who would buy the entire, undamaged prop.

I'd rather just buy a topps trading card starter set. enough to have a little fun with on occasion.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by griffin

I really hope that these movie props were duplicates that were going to be destroyed anyway, as it would be a shame to have signature costumes cut up, or an Optimus Truck stripped of its outer panels, when there are museums or collectors who would buy the entire, undamaged prop.

---

There would be multiple costumes, and multiple sets for different scenes (based on damage, dirt, etc) to ensure all on-screen wear is consistent. Think 50 shirts from Cade and you might be remotely close.

As for the truck, there were probably a few, dependent on the requirements of the scene.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UltraMarginal

I'd rather just buy a topps trading card starter set. enough to have a little fun with on occasion.

---

I would much rather prefer a "complete set" purchasing option of these sorts of blind-pack card sets, especially the Collector Card set... because they are quite nicely done, with a lot of effort put into them, but I just don't want to be buying hundreds of packs just to track down the 4 or 5 cards that are bound to be impossible to find. (people would still buy the blind packs for the truck parts and clothing pieces)

It was nice to have 8 packs of cards and not get one double (80 of the 170 in one hit)... but so many cards will end up being wasted by being thrown away (after giving away ones that others need, because you can't make any money back on your spares) just to track down the illusive few to complete the set.

Even when it comes to a simple set of 8 TF1 capsule figurines or those 12 DOTM capsule figurines... I had to spend a lot of money to complete the set, and they aren't something you can get any money back from either.
So I won't be collecting either of these. Eight free packs may be a big saving, but I can estimate needing to buy about 30-50 more packs, just to get all the chase cards and any illusive regular cards. That's money I'd rather spend on toys.

i will collect the collector cards but i have been discussing with banter where they will actually be stocked. as i will most likley try to chase the full set and by a box or 4 and if its anything like the last few series i will probably end up with multiple sets

those odds are pretty good too that is once prime card per box but you will need more then one box for the 170 card set

i am looking forward to gettting my hands on some and look forward to your review too griff

They sent me a Point-Of-Sale box of 10 Collector card packs (which is at the banter link you posted above), and two of them had Truck panel parts, leaving me with 80 cards from the box.
The odds are that there should be at least one Optimus truck panel in every POS box, but if you are lucky you can end up with two (as the odds are 1 to every 7 packs). But if you think about it, you can find (or avoid*) the truck panel packs if you know how to feel the pack (I hate to recommend it if Banter are watching... but if you are careful, you can feel if the cards slide inside the pack before you buy them from the store/newsagent).
*I say "avoid", because some people might only be only wanting the cards and have no interest in the souvenir movie parts... particularly if they don't have any resell value to fans (but expect to see dealers try to sell them for high prices).

For me though it is the opposite. The thing that is tempting me to consider collecting these is the surprise of finding the souvenir movie bits... rather than the cards themselves. To me, collecting the cards would actually be the bonus, not the other way around that they are being promoted. (I don't care much about the clothing bits, but a collection of Optimus bits on my toy shelf has an odd appeal to it... and I now have two on my Movie shelf)


(is it wrong to be disappointed that there was no gum inside the packs... :p )

Review of the Topps Collector Cards and Game Cards.

Review of the Loyal Subjects Series Two figures, which Banter also sent me at the same time (and I wasn't even expecting it).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by griffin

They sent me a Point-Of-Sale box of 10 Collector card packs (which is at the banter link you posted above), and two of them had Truck panel parts, leaving me with 80 cards from the box.
The odds are that there should be at least one Optimus truck panel in every POS box, but if you are lucky you can end up with two (as the odds are 1 to every 7 packs). But if you think about it, you can find (or avoid*) the truck panel packs if you know how to feel the pack (I hate to recommend it if Banter are watching... but if you are careful, you can feel if the cards slide inside the pack before you buy them from the store/newsagent).
*I say "avoid", because some people might only be only wanting the cards and have no interest in the souvenir movie parts... particularly if they don't have any resell value to fans (but expect to see dealers try to sell them for high prices).

For me though it is the opposite. The thing that is tempting me to consider collecting these is the surprise of finding the souvenir movie bits... rather than the cards themselves. To me, collecting the cards would actually be the bonus, not the other way around that they are being promoted. (I don't care much about the clothing bits, but a collection of Optimus bits on my toy shelf has an odd appeal to it... and I now have two on my Movie shelf)


(is it wrong to be disappointed that there was no gum inside the packs... :p )

---

i love the swatch/pieceworks/patch cards, i have the ones from movie one and optimum collection so i would be adding these to the collection when i find them on shelf

pretty awesome of banter to send you some for review!!

Did anyone ever find the Collector Cards (not the card game) in Australia?

Banter wouldn't say when they were supposed to be out, and their website once said July.... but at $15 per pack of 10 cards, I can understand if newsagents and retailers didn't want the expensive risk of sitting on them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by griffin

Did anyone ever find the Collector Cards (not the card game) in Australia?

Banter wouldn't say when they were supposed to be out, and their website once said July.... but at $15 per pack of 10 cards, I can understand if newsagents and retailers didn't want the expensive risk of sitting on them.

---

they were avaliable for stocking but newsagents wouldnt order them in, even with the Gaurentee sale of a full box, and banter themselves wouldnt sell them directly either, they tried to find some stockist..

i would imaging the costume card would be easy to cherry pick from the box leaving newsagents with almost full boxes of worthless base.


for me the value for money was not there at all..especially when compared to something like Guardians of the Galaxy from Upper Deck.

Topps Transformers 10 packs 1 memorbilia hit per box @ $150 per box.

Upper Deck GoTG 10 Packs, 2 memoriblila hits + 1 Sketch or Autograph, + 1 Jumbo Card with a 1:12 chance of a Jumbo Sketch, 1 bronze foil parallel per pack @ $87 a box

so you see the Upperdeck stuff was far superior to that of TF and i am Highly disapointed at the lack of oportunity for purchasing this product so much so that i dont even want it anymore

i would not be suprised to see these rock up in places like Uncle petes or toyworld in 12 months or so on clearence

None of that surprises me if true.
I wonder if Banter was then burnt with stock that they bought off Topps, or if they could reject being the Australian distributor, for someone else to do it (if there was anyone crazy enough).

Topps must have spent a lot of money on those movie props (truck panels and two outfits) to be charging that much money on regular cards just to pay for it all... and it sounds like they might be taking a big hit from it (globally).

(I wonder if it was already known to them, or if they saw it in my review, that it was easy to pick out the movie-prop packets, potentially leaving stores with unwanted, "worthless" cards. They would have to instruct stores to keep them out of reach of customers, to prevent feeling for the preferred packs.)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by griffin

(I wonder if it was already known to them, or if they saw it in my review, that it was easy to pick out the movie-prop packets, potentially leaving stores with unwanted, "worthless" cards. They would have to instruct stores to keep them out of reach of customers, to prevent feeling for the preferred packs.)

---

there are alot of companies out there that when dealing with mem/swatch/patch cards will insert "Dummys" or "Blanks" into the packs these are the same stock card but just blank as a deterant to the cherry picking.

i do think they priced themselves out - or priced it for the mid to high end card collectors, but if they were aiming for a higher end product they fell far from the bullseye, for that price there was still no pay off with a very ordinary base, base inserts and 1 guarenteed mem hit.

optimal collection was a far superior product on comparrison but then even alot of the other non sport products on the market deliver a much better product. it disapoints me as a card collector that Transformers was poor quality.

i would be interested to hear banters thoughts on this if you still have contact with them Griff, did they think it would sell better did they sell it and we just havent seen it. etc etc

They didn't reply when I last asked about them... so maybe don't want anything made public about it in case it leads Topps to revoke their license.

When you factor in buying of multiples, the cost of a complete set would cost at least $300-400... which is way too much for a set of photo movie cards that don't do much, or appreciate much, if at all.