Crafting a Unique Rainbow Collection
The various editions and assorted parallels of player cards present some great opportunities to compile truly unique collections. All that’s needed is some imagination, a tight focus, a well-connected friend, and color-matched paint pens.
Alex Williams, who goes by Coastal Card Collector on social media, found out about a local signing event with Jackson Merrill from fellow collector Matt Eichinger. Instead of taking up another spot, Matt let Alex “piggyback” on his VIP experience at Honey Hole Collectibles. All that Williams needed to do was figure out how to best capitalize on the opportunity.
“Originally, I was going to get various 2024 rookie cards signed,” Williams said. “But then I started to think about what would work better as a collection, not just individual autographed pieces. There are so many parallels, that I needed to narrow my focus. I decided upon the paper rainbow Update Series #US210 card.”
After conceiving the plan, Williams provided Eichinger with five Merrill rainbow cards and paint pens that matched their color schemes. Eichinger took the cards with him to be signed by Merrill after getting his items signed.
Popping Better on Paper
Williams said he reasoned that the “paint pen ink would pop better on paper vs. Chrome.” He also wanted Merrill featured in his City Connect uniform, which he “loves.” But most importantly, he “thought this would be a unique route to go from other in-person signed cards I see circulating around.”
What did Merrill think? “He was very friendly and liked the idea of signing the cards in the corresponding colors,” Eichinger said.
While Williams is sticking with the solid-color parallels for now, he’s looking to add the base (white), Black, Gold and Royal Blue, also signed with matching pens.
“This would complete the rainbow (minus the Platinum 1/1),” he said.
A key to the success of the signings was Eichenger’s knowledge of autographs. “Matt’s an experienced collector, so it was easy to trust him to match the ink colors and let them dry properly,” Williams said.
Williams is thrilled with the results.
Outside-the-Box Collecting
“I’ve collected traditional serial-numbered rainbows in the past, but I’ve never done in-person autograph rainbows,” Williams said. “I do enjoy thinking of collections that are a little outside-the-box.”
Other projects Williams has done include assembling a PSA 9 or 10 of every Topps Flagship Tony Gwynn card from 1983 to 2002. “I’ve also started a PSA 10 collection of Fernando Tatis Jr. Topps Chrome X-Fractor cards from each year of his career,” said Williams, who’s also a huge padres fan.
Eichinger didn’t leave the event empty handed either. “I had a ton of Merrill cards I got re-signed, a handful of game-used lineup cards, plus some locker tags and tickets,” he said. “I have the Finest Super Auto, so I asked him to use the same signature on those three jersey match autos.”
Williams has since gotten all the rainbow cards graded. But he’s not viewing them as an investment, nor is he constantly checking Merrill news, looking for the perfect selling window. It was being able to obtain something so unique and keeping it that gives him satisfaction.
“I’m a collector through and through,” Williams said.
