Dropping Nov. 26, their Rally Series 1 trading card packs feature historical figures and authentic autographs rendered in a retro 8-bit and 16-bit art style.
For more than a few of us, the feeling of opening a pack of trading cards in hopes of landing a rare edition of our favorite player is a strong one. Long after the fact, it sticks with you. Whether your favored brand was Topps, Upper Deck, Donruss, Fleer, or anything in between, there was nothing like ripping that shiny, exclusive card.
Now, collectibles platform Rally and designer Keenan Wells of Pixel Hall of Fame want to blend that nostalgic appeal with a touch of modernity and exclusivity in their latest collaboration: Rally Series 1.
“We want to combine the feeling of the nostalgia of personal value with the tangible value in the collectible market,” Rally collector investing platform supervisor Rob Petrozzo told Boardroom. “Growing up in Brooklyn, I was introduced to card shops and collectibles. Cards like rookie Shaquille O’Neal were valuable then. I carried that inspiration into Rally. I want to combine that personal value with museum-quality works.”
Quality and overall value are painstakingly determined based on details like scarcity, authentic signatures, and the condition of the card’s surface and edges — but Petrozzo made a point to share another key component that Rally means to emphasize. “The story behind the card matters,” he said. “Honus Wagner is one of the more valuable figures in card collecting. The 60 that are still around were salvaged from a fire so these are super unique.”
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In creating this inaugural collection, Petrozzo and Rally reached out to Pixel Hall of Fame’s Wells because of his unique style and commitment to quality.
“Keenan’s so humble,” Petrozzo said. “For someone who is so dedicated to art and blending nostalgia and modern aspects, we had to work with him. He’s a designer’s designer.” Wells specializes in art reminiscent of 8-bit and 16-bit video game eras and has done projects for ESPN, Nike Basketball, as well as NFT designs for the Boston Celtics.
“Nostalgia is a huge factor, and I definitely like to play that up,” Wells told Boardroom. “One thing I enjoy is researching cutscenes and title screens from old 80s and 90s video games like Ninja Gaiden, Double Dragon, the Tecmo sports games, and the Street Fighter franchise, to name a few. While most of my subject matter has been sports-related, it’s games like No Man’s Sky that have inspired me to explore some of my other interests around science fiction and space travel. Wells’ artworks have sold well, including items from his march 2021 NFT collection that recently sold on the secondary market for as much as 1.0 ETH [valued at $4,200 USD at the time of this writing].”
What’s Inside the Rally Series 1 Packs?
- 144 total packs will be released Nov. 26
- Each pack contains five historical figures, all of whom already have associated assets on Rally.
- Packs are priced at $100 each, with guaranteed delivery before the December holidays.
- Each card is numberered 1 to 99 in its respective set.
Some of the historical figures included in each pack are Abraham Lincoln, William Shakespeare, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, and Albert Einstein. The designs are rooted in that 80s retro gaming sci-fi look mixed with a “cracked ice” holographic touch. Some cards will include ultra-rate signatures from the respective legendary figures depicted on them, all certified authentic and embedded within the cards (no sticker autos here, folks).
The pre-sale site for this collection has already seen over a thousand sign-ups, and Rally hopes to open access to collectibles once reserved for a select few. The Rally app will play a key role in visibility and accessibility here.
“This is similar to the stock market. Through each category, users can navigate through the app to determine what it is they would like to invest in,” Petrozzo said. “But it is different from an auction. Instead of one person deciding the market value of a collectible, we allow users to buy into a collectible, and that determines the market cap.”
Value as perceived by one individual is different than value reflected in the markets. A model that permits multiple investors to hold shares in a particular collectible asset, then, is the best of both worlds. It preserves the nostalgia that comes from a collector’s personal relationship to an item, but matches it with the visibility and liquidity that Rally’s platform enables.
“We’re going back to personal touch in quality,” Petrozzo said. “The best stuff is starting to break through.”
