Tag Archives: Wax

Details on Upcoming Topps x WAX GPK Goes Exotic Digital Set

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Can’t get enough of Netflix’s popular Tiger King documentary? Then Topps has you covered. Earlier this year Topps released three GPK sets based on Tiger King that were available for purchase on Topps.com. Those sets proved popular with collectors and fans of the show. The first series set a record for sales for a online only release. Now digital collectors will have a chance to buy and trade those cards as part of the WAX Blockchain platform. This will be the second release on the platform after last month’s very popular release of OS 1 cards. Packs of OS 1 sold out in just over 24 hours, and continue to be actively bought, sold, and traded in various online groups.

Today Topps shared with GPKNews details around the upcoming release of GPK Goes Exotic. The set will feature all 30 base cards, 15 with a/b versions, that were available in the original physical release. Those cards can be found in Base versions (Common), Prism (Uncommon), Tiger Stripe (Rare), and Tiger Claw (Super Rare). There will also be 6 Collector’s Edition cards, 3 with a/b versions. These will also be Super Rare.

Topps is increasing the number of packs available this time around at launch. Standard Packs will be available one again at $4.99 each. Each pack comes with 5 cards. There will be 13,000 standard packs available. The Mega Pack returns at the price of $19.99 each. This time the mega pack will come with 25 cards. There will be 7,000 mega packs available. There will be 240,000 total cards available for the GPK Goes Exotic release. This is up significantly from the OS 1 total of 110,000.

Other details such as card rarity numbers and any buying restrictions at launch haven’t been released yet by the companies. Below you can check out some examples of the cards. GPK Goes Exotic is still to launch July 8th at 12:00 PM Eastern time.

Topps Teases Next Wax Digital Release Garbage Pail Kids Gone Exotic

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After weeks of rumors online, Topps has confirmed the next digital release with their Wax partnership. Garbage Pail Kids Gone Exotic will be making its digital debut. No release date or other details were shared, just that the set will be coming see. The first WAX x Topps release was OS1 and was a huge success, selling out in just over a day. Demand of the limited product has remained high on the various secondary markets. It will be interesting if the newer Gone Exotic cards will see similar demand. While not officially announced yet, OS 2 should also see a digital release in short order.

WAX x Topps Packs Sell Out, Secondary Market Flourishes

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Tuesday afternoon at 12:00, WAX x Topps launched their first partnership on the WAX Blockchain by selling Series 1 Garbage Pail Kids packs. Just 28 hours later all the packs had sold out. The first set had a run of 10,000 Standard packs, and 2,000 Mega packs. The Mega packs went quickly in the first 7 hours, with the Standard packs selling out the next afternoon. Topps and WAX were very happy with the results of the initial launch. Selling out quickly was something that was in the back of the minds of Topps. VP of Topps Digital Tobin Lent told GPKNews, “We are thrilled of course. This was our first step into blockchain, so to see this type of success out-of-the gates is fantastic.  We weren’t quite sure how it would go. However, many of us thought a 24 hour sellout was possible. We figured there would be demand from a wide variety of folks, from GPK fans to blockchain enthusiasts and other digital collectors. That’s exactly what we saw.”

WAX had similar feelings on the launch. They are also thrilled with the secondary market support the set has been receiving. Evan Vandenberg, Director of Business Development at WAX, told GPKNews, “I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was a little surprised. The response was overwhelming, especially considering the fact that these were a first-of-their-kind release and people took a few hours to figure out exactly what these blockchain-based cards were about. More surprising and important to me has been the activity on the secondary markets. We are on pace for secondary market sales to top well over $100K of transactions in the first week since launch. This shows that people genuinely value these assets and are willing to spend money to acquire cards and complete sets. Cards and sets are being sold for hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars on the secondary markets. For me, this was the biggest win and shows that future releases will likely garner even more interest.”

So, who exactly bought all these packs quickly? Based on activity on Telegram and Blockchain secondary marketplace sites, it appears the WAX community was very excited about the launch and fully supported it. While, it may take some time for longtime GPK collectors to warm to the idea of digital cards, there were also many collectors who not only bought packs, but are actively engaged in the marketplace. The secondary marketplace has taken off in the days after release. While secure sales can’t happen via eBay, prices for packs and cards are still soaring. Mega packs have been selling for $100 or more. In no surprise, Adam Bomb is the most popular selling for individual cards. The rare sketch variations have been fetching right around $600, while the prisms over $100. Other sketches and prisms have also been constant sellers. There are also sales happening on secondary blockchain marketplace websites. Simple Market is one website where there are over 4000 cards listed for sale. Prices have seen similar results as ebay, although Wax tokens are needed to purchase cards.

There is not currently an integrated marketplace to buy and sell on WAX’s website. The company is working on a solution. There is a steep learning curve for GPK collectors who want to buy on secondary blockchain markets. Especially if they want to acquire Wax tokens to purchase cards. Until WAX either integrates a marketplace or the third party websites make it easier to use common payment methods, it will be a barrier for regular GPK collectors to enter the market. The Wax website also has plenty of improvements that will need to be made. Although, the company is listening and changes are already happening. Better search and sorting functions for the Inventory tab were launched Thursday on the website.

Is this the future of card collecting? There’s no doubt this first launch was hugely successful. Was it successful because the WAX community finally has a major player on the Blockchain? Or are there really collectors out there who are collecting the cards? There seems to be no shortage of collectors on the GPK channel in Telegram who are trying to put together base and prism sets. There are also people who are looking for deals, and trying to flip, or hold long term as an investment. Is there room for both investors and collectors? Thats probably the big question, we will see. How will pack and card sales hold up in the coming days and weeks to come? The “first” of something always seems to be more collected. Will collectors want to keep their digital assets long term? As for what’s next for WAX and Topps? With a quick sellout, it’s obvious there will be more GPKs in the future for the Wax Blockchain. In a tweet earlier in the week, Topps Digital teased a future Series 2 GPK set. As for what WAX is working on Vandenberg told GPKNews, “Without going into too much detail, I can tell you we are working hard on plans to release upcoming GPK sets in the not too distant future. We have a few very cool concepts in the work for the next packs, so stay tuned. As far as other Topps properties go, I will leave that officially unanswered at this time, but I can tell you we are both interested in figuring out the next IP to bring to the WAX blockchain.” Meanwhile, Topps Tobin Lent told us, “We are very excited to introduce the beloved GPK brand to a new platform and new fans. We are just getting started. More to come.” Looks like the digital future of card collecting has arrived.

Topps x WAX Mega Packs Sell Out on First Day

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Well that was fast! After launching at 12:00 Eastern time today, the Mega Packs of the new Topps x WAX Blockchain Garbage Pail Kids have sold out. The packs cost collectors $24.99 for 30 digital cards. It’s basically like buying 6 packs for the price of 5. There were 2,000 Mega packs created for the launch. After the first hour they had sold over 500 packs. It ended up taking just over 7 hours to sell out of the Mega packs. The Standard packs have not had the same luck. As of press time there are still a little more than 8,300 of the 10,000 Standard packs still available. Still I’m not sure many GPK collectors could have predicted the rate at which these have been selling.

Collectors have been trading all day, despite some odd random errors popping up on the site. WAX has been busy squashing bugs as the day has gone on. Collectors familiar with the cryptocurrency world have also been listing cards for sale. There is currently no integrated marketplace on the WAX website. The company is working on that feature. In the meantime WAX has suggested to collectors in tweets to use the wax.simplemarket.io to buy and sell cards. There looks to be a steep learning curve for collectors not already involved in the crypto world. However, websites like this one will be the main place to buy/sell until WAX incorporates that into their website.

Collectors have also been asking about the “print run” for each type of card. Is that what we should be calling it, “print run”?? Here’s a rundown based on the math of the percentages they’ve given:  

  • Total Cards – 110,000
    • Standard: 10,000 Packs x 5 cards per pack = 50,000 cards
    • Mega: 2,000 packs x 30 cards per pack = 60,000 cards
  • Prism “B” Names – 20,000
    • Standard: 10,000 packs x 1 per pack = 10,000
    • Mega: 2,000 x 5 per pack = 10,000
    • 20,000 total prism / 41 different names = 487 each B name Prism
  • Prism “A” Names – 11,000
    • Standard: 10,000 packs x 0.5 per pack = 5,000
    • Mega: 2,000 x 3 per pack = 6,000
    • 11,000 total prism / 41 different names = 268 each A name Prism
  • Sketch “B” Names – 3,000
    • Standard: 10,000 packs x 0.1 per pack = 1,000
    • Mega: 2,000 x 1 per pack = 2,000
    • 3,000 total sketch / 41 different names = 73 each B name Sketch
  • Sketch “A” Names – 1,500
    • Standard: 10,000 packs x 0.05 per pack = 500
    • Mega: 2,000 x 0.5 per pack = 1,000
    • 1,500 total sketch / 41 different names = 36 each A name Sketch
  • Collector Edition – 40
    • Standard: 10,000 packs x 0.002 per pack = 20
    • Mega: 2,000 x .01 per pack = 20
    • 40 total Collector / 8 different names = 5 each Collector Edition
  • Base Cards – 74,460
    • Standard: 50,000 – 15,000 Prisms – 1,500 Sketch – 20 Collector = 33,480 total base cards
    • Mega: 60,000 – 16,000 Prisms – 3,000 Sketch – 20 Collector = 40,980 total base cards
    • 74,460 total base cards / 82 cards = 908 per base card

If my math is off on any of these, please let me know. Interesting numbers. The math doesn’t come out exact on the parallels. Most likely because the pack odds are rounded, much like Topps does with physical cards. These numbers should be very close to what’s out there for each card type.

Topps X WAX Launch Digital Garbage Pail Kids on Blockchain

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The time has come for digital Garbage Pail Kids to go prime time. Today Topps and WAX launched their joint venture to offer digital Garbage Pail Kids on the Blockchain. Collectors can signup and start their collection now at https://toppsgpk.io.This has been something the companies have been working on for nearly two years now. This is Topps first step into selling digital cards on the Blockchain. So what is the Blockchain, and why is this a better mousetrap for digital cards?

The Blockchain is part of the cryptocurrency world. But here’s the good news for collectors. As the Rock would say, “It doesn’t matter…”, what the Blockchain is. To make a very long story short, the Blockchain is basically a secure digital notebook that stores all kinds of information on digital items. Why should digital collectors care? This system gives three distinct advantages over the current digital collections offered on other Topps card apps like WWE Slam or Topps Bunt. 1) Ownership belongs to the collector. Cards can be bought and sold on any website that can view Blockchain assets. 2) All information on each individual card is tracked on the Blockchain. All ownership and transaction details will follow the card and can be viewed. 3) Finally,  digital cards can be bought and sold securely. No more having to use eBay and hoping there isn’t fraud with the transaction.

For collectors wanting to give digital cards a shot they don’t need to understand or even see the nuts and bolts about what makes this work. WAX has built a website where collectors can purchase packs, view their cards, and trade with others. For their first release the companies are launching Original Series 1 cards. All 82 cards, (41 with a/b versions), from the first series of GPK are available. Two pack options are available. Collectors can buy a 5 card pack for $4.99, or a 30 card pack for $24.99. Packs can be purchased with a regular credit card, or cryptocurrency. There are a set amount of packs available at launch. Once the packs are sold out, no more will offered of this series. There are a total of 10,000 5 card packs, and 2,000 30 card packs available. Collectors will be able to see a countdown of how many packs are left for sale on the website.

When packs are opened, each card has a small digital animation. Each pack can contain up to four different types of cards. The most common card type is Base cards. Uncommon Prism cards are randomly inserted into packs. These feature a shiny prismatic effect. Rare Sketch cards feature an animation that goes from pencil sketch to final card image. Finally, Super Rare Collector’s Edition cards have a special animation. While all 41 characters are available in Base, Prism, and Sketch versions, there are only 4 characters, (10a/b, 16a/b, 19a/b, 34a/b), available in the Collector’s Edition subset. Each pack type has different on the odds of receiving of of the rarer cards. The 5 card pack offers; 1 “B” name Prism Card, 50% chance at an “A” Prism card, 10% chance at a “B” Sketch card, 5% chance at “A” Sketch card, and 0.2% chance at a Collector’s Edition card. The 30 card pack offers; 5 “B” Prism cards, 3 “A” Prism cards, 1 “B” Sketch card, 50% chance at “A” Sketch card, and 1% chance at Collector’s Edition card.

Once collectors own cards, they will appear in the Inventory section of their account. Collectors can view the fronts and backs of all their cards. They can also view individual information for each card such as transaction and ownership history. Collectors can then use the Trading and Community sections of their website. All the options you would expect are there. Collectors can search for a card they want and submit trade offers. Alternatively, they can make trade offers to other collectors they are friends with. There is also a wishlist feature where collectors can post which cards they are looking for. There is also a section of their site that allows collectors to view all the available cards that are offered.

What isn’t available yet on the website is a marketplace that allows collectors to buy and sell cards with other collectors. WAX tells GPKNews that they are working on an integrated marketplace that will debut later. In the meantime, collectors can use any of the Blockchain marketplace websites out there that support the WAX Wallet. WAX will offer tutorials on how to do this in the coming days.

Topps and WAX will be going all out to support the launch in the coming days and weeks. There are 100 special Gold cards that will be awarded randomly to collectors purchasing packs. There will also be plenty of contests on the companies social media accounts where collectors can win free packs. This is just the first project between the two companies. Once GPK plays the guinea pig role, look for the companies to expand to other Topps properties.

Interview With Topps Digital VP Tobin Lent On WAX Partnership

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Back in early March, Topps and WAX announced a partnership to bring Topps licensed digital cards to the Blockchain for the first time. The companies decided to start with Garbage Pail Kids to help celebrate the 35th anniversary of the brand. With the release just a few weeks away, GPKNews was able to do an email interview with Tobin Lent, who is VP & General Manager of Topps Digital. Tobin has been with Topps the last year and a half, and oversees all of Topps digital properties. Tobin was able to share many details of the upcoming launch, including pack options and pricing. Tobin also talks about the various cards types collectors will be able to find. Other topics include what made WAX attractive to Topps, what collectors can expect in this digital marketplace, and what Tobin would say to classic collectors who might balk at digital cards. Collectors interested in learning more about the partnership, including the technology behind the app should visit their landing page at topps.wax.io.

GPKNews – Thanks for the interview Tobin! Topps recently announced a partnership with WAX for new digital cards. What made WAX the company Topps wanted to work with for this venture?

Tobin Lent – We liked Wax for two main reasons. First, they’ve had years of experience operating a robust platform for buying, selling and trading digital items. Second, the team at Wax really cares about the user experience. It’s not about the blockchain technology. They are focused on creating a platform for fans to find and collect the things they love, and connect with each other. That’s also our mission in the digital group at Topps.

GPKNews – Topps has several properties, MLB, WWE, Star Wars, etc. Why the decision to start with Garbage Pail Kids?

TL – We wanted to start with Garbage Pail Kids because it is a pop culture icon. GPK is a beloved brand that has a long history and a deep sense of nostalgia. This year also marks the 35th anniversary of GPK and there is a full year of integrated marketing programs to celebrate the brand’s anniversary. It seemed the timing was good to bring the iconic GPK brand to a promising digital technology such as blockchain.

GPKNews – Do you guys have plans to expand into some of the other properties Topps has?

TL – We believe blockchain has tremendous potential. We’ll continue to explore and expand our efforts. We are 100% committed to innovation and evolving the way fans collect, trade and play, and we plan to work closely with our partners in this space.

GPKNews – How will this be different from some of the other current digital apps that Topps offers like Topps Bunt and WWE Slam?

TL – Our portfolio of mobile apps has been very successful. We continue to invest in and build that business aggressively. We see blockchain as more of an enabler to that business, allowing us to add more features and capabilities for our users in the long-term.

GPKNews – Right now these will only be digital cards? No physical versions are currently planned, right?

TL – For this particular initiative, there are digital cards only.

GPKNews – The artwork on the cards is a giant part of the hobby. What are the plans for what is being offered? Are the cards just digital copies of past cards? Reimagined characters based off of old characters? Completely new characters? If new artwork is being created, who are the artists creating the cards? Is the original artwork being done digitally? Who is making the decisions on releases, Topps or WAX?

TL – This set will be based on the original GPK Series 1 cards, but with a digital spin. We wanted to create more than just digital representations of physical cards. We wanted to harness the unique capabilities of digital and marry that to spirit of the Series 1 cards and the personality of GPK. We’ve created a base version, and then paired that with rare variants and chase cards featuring motion and special effects that bring the collectibles to life in a new way. We are going to be offering some very special, never-seen-before collectibles with low card counts that we think will appeal to collectors and fans of GPK.

GPKNews – Are you able to share an example of how the initial sales will take place? Will there be virtual packs to open? Individual cards listed for sale? I assume each card/pack will be limited somehow? How are cards initially allocated, first come first serve? Auction? Will there be limits on how many an individual can buy?

TL – We will offer two pack options to purchase, one at $4.99 and the other at $24.99 which offers more cards and better odds at rare cards than the $4.99 pack.

GPKNews – How often will new cards/packs be released? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Are there sets to collect? Different versions (parallels) of the same cards?

TL – The two packs will be available at once. The packs will include the original Series 1 set with 41 cards of both A and B names each, with a base version and 2 premium variants at lower counts. The packs will also include a chance at some rare and very rare chase cards that should be a lot of fun for collectors to go after and collect.

GPKNews – Not only will the app facilitate the initial sale from Topps, but will it also serve as the secondary market? Once people own these digital cards, will there be a marketplace for potential buyers to browse and purchase cards? Will trading cards be a function of the app? Will there be a private message system for collectors to negotiate? Public message board for offers? Or rather will that communication need to happen off the app?

TL – One of the most appealing features of the Wax platform is that after the initial sale, collectors are able to freely trade or buy & sell from each other. It should be easy and seamless for collectors to post collectibles for sale or trade, as well as find collectibles and communicate with each other. Wax offers a safe, easy and trusted platform to support secondary trading. We are eager to see how much activity there will be in the secondary market.

GPKNews – I understand there isn’t an official launch date yet. I’ve seen WAX mention Spring 2020. Is that still the plan? Has a launch window been determined? How does the Coronavirus pandemic affect the launch? Are you concerned that the events of the last few weeks in the world might hurt the digital collectibles industry?

TL – We will launch within the next few weeks. Fans are still looking for a fun diversion, probably now more than ever. We hope that we can bring a little joy to GPK fans all over the world.

GPKNews – What would you say to GPK collectors who, for the last 35 years, are accustomed to busting physical packs, holding the cards in their hand, and flipping through binders of their old cards? How do you get that collector to try out digital cards?

TL – I think physical cards and digital collectibles each bring their own unique joys to collectors. Nothing replaces the feeling of opening physical packs and flipping through cards. Conversely, digital brings its own unique characteristics in terms of special collectibles that are impossible to create in the physical world, as well as the ability to instantly connect and trade with other GPK fans from all over the planet.

GPKNews – Finally, what’s your favorite Garbage Pail Kid? Why?

TL – Junky Jeff. He always looks happy and could survive anywhere.

Topps & WAX Officially Announce Partnership for Digital Garbage Pail Kids

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After their website was posted a bit early last week, WAX & Topps Digital officially announced today their partnership for digital trading cards. According to the press release, each Garbage Pail Kids card is a unique digital card. Collectors will be able to buy, sell, and trade these digital cards on WAX’s platform. The website topps.wax.io has since added a FAQ section. The company says the cards will launch in a few weeks. Here is the press release.

THE TOPPS COMPANY PARTNERS WITH WAX TO BRING GARBAGE PAIL KIDS COLLECTIBLE CARDS TO LIFE ON THE BLOCKCHAIN

GARBAGE PAIL KIDS INVADE THE BLOCKCHAIN!
TOPPS CONTINUES ITS CELEBRATION OF THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF GARBAGE PAIL KIDS

March 2nd, 2020 – New York, New York Today, The Topps Company and Worldwide Asset Exchange (WAX) have announced the introduction of Garbage Pail Kids trading cards featuring blockchain technology.  This exciting partnership will feature a proprietary platform provided by WAX where collectors can buy, sell, trade and store Garbage Pail Kids digital collectibles.

Each Garbage Pail Kids card is a unique digital card.  Collectors will be able to buy, sell, trade and store their Garbage Pail Kids blockchain collections on a dedicated Topps platform which uses the WAX blockchain to authenticate each card and its content. Every Garbage Pail Kids card on the platform will retain a unique code that will ensure its authenticity.

“Over the years, collectors of Topps trading cards have enjoyed the thrill of ripping open a pack of cards.  This partnership allows us to bring that memorable collecting experience to an even wider audience.  Our Garbage Pail Kids blockchain product will highlight recent advancements in technology and continues Topps’ history of developing innovative products,” said Tobin Lent, Vice President, General Manager of Topps Digital.

“We are excited to work with Topps to develop a new approach for collectors to engage and interact in a digital space.  As the popularity of blockchain collectibles grows, Topps, as the leader in the space, is well-positioned to take advantage of our WAX platform features to provide a unique collecting experience,” said Evan Vandenberg, Vice President of Business Development at WAX.

The new Garbage Pail Kids digital cards will launch in the next few weeks and can be purchased at topps.wax.io using credit cards or the WAX Cloud Wallet available at all-access.wax.io. Visit topps.wax.io for more information and to sign up for the latest GPK product updates.

 

About Topps:

Founded in 1938, The Topps Company, Inc. is the preeminent creator and brand marketer of physical and digital sports cards, entertainment cards and collectibles, and distinctive confectionery products. Topps’ leading sports and entertainment products include Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga, Star Wars, WWE, UFC, Wacky Packages, Garbage Pail Kids, Mars Attacks and other trading cards, sticker album collections and collectibles. Topps’ digital trading card apps portfolio, which has been a hit with millions of fans around the world, currently includes Topps® BUNT®, TOPPS® KICK®, Topps® Star Wars℠: Card Trader, Topps® WWE Slam®, Topps® NHL SKATE™, The Walking Dead: Card Trader, Marvel Collect! by Topps and Disney Collect! by Topps! Topps’ confectionery brands include Ring Pop®, Push Pop®, Baby Bottle Pop®, Juicy Drop ® Pop, and Bazooka® bubble gum. Topps was acquired by Michael Eisner’s Tornante Company and Madison Dearborn Partners in October 2007.  For additional information, visit Topps.com and Candymania.com.

 

About WAX (Worldwide Asset eXchange)

WAX is an all-in-one blockchain platform enabling developers to easily create, sell and trade digital goods to empower businesses to profit from the next era of digital commerce. For more information, please visit https://wax.io and follow along on Twitter, YouTube, and Telegram.

Topps and WAX Teaming Up for Digital Garbage Pail Kids

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Wax.io announced a partnership with Topps today that will see Topps trading cards come to the Wax Blockchain. The company’s GPK website shares the first details of the partnership. The first product to be available on their app will be Garbage Pail Kids to celebrate their 35th anniversary. The company promises other Topps properties such as MLB, Star Wars, and WWE will also appear in the future.

Details such as pricing, release dates, and exact cards we’re not released by the company. However, their website says their blockchain technology will allow collectors to buy, sell, and trade instantly with anyone around the world for free. Their app will track all ownership and pricing history for all sales of the cards. One example of a Leaky Lindsay care is given, showing transaction history and sales graphs. Here are some of the bullet points given on the website:

When blockchain technology meets collectibles like Topps trading cards, collectors can:

  • Trade collectibles instantly, with anyone, anywhere in the world
  • Trade with ease from a smartphone or computer – for free!
  • Trade with confidence that every collectible is certified authentic, unique, and can never be altered
  • View a collectible’s full ownership records and trading history

Their website is also offering a contest to win GPK cards to collectors who sign up on their waiting list. This website has the potential to be a very big deal for Topps in the future. It would appear they will use GPKs to test drive the initiative. GPKNews will bring you more details once released by the company.