Saint Hung is the mind behind the FaBledHunters YouTube channel, a renowned collector of TCGs, and the owner of one of the largest and most important collections of Flesh and Blood in the world.
Ben Kiel has been collecting TCGs since he bought a nostalgic card from Saint in 2020. It was supposed to be a one-time purchase, but spiraled into a collecting obsession. He co-creates lots of online TCG collecting content with Saint.
Well... well... well...
For years fabtcg.com articles have covered event recaps, lore, interviews with players and content creators, set previews, and rules updates. But collecting content has largely remained on the shelf.
NO MORE.
We’re here to break the seal on FAB collecting content, and hope we can welcome you into a growing community who appreciate Legend Story Studio’s desire for Flesh and Blood “to honor the timeless tradition of collecting worthy specimens of human craftsmanship.”
What's the big deal?
Why do we collect?
Psychologists have theorized that anything from genetics, the dopamine chase of a finding a special and unique item, desire for status or community, connection to the past, or a variety of other influences (or a combination of the foregoing) could be the cause of humans’ desire to collect. And collect we have.
Since the dawn of time (literally - the earliest human collectors were after crystals over 100,000 years ago), humans have been collecting art, stamps, stuffed animals, TCGs, and pretty much anything else. Collectors have been the subject of countless movies and books; sometimes as the good guys, and sometimes as the type of person who wants a set of colored crystals to put in a really big glove.
There is something about collecting that motivates passion in a substantial portion of humans, and TCGs are well-suited to scratch that itch - the perfect combination of craftsmanship, rarity, and historical importance. That’s why we have such a large and active community. At any given time, there are Discord servers, Facebook groups, YouTube channels, and private chat groups dedicated to the collecting of FAB items. We highly encourage you to join these groups and get involved!
What makes FAB special?
In brief: beauty and scarcity.
The art of Flesh and Blood is breathtaking in its scope and execution. FAB artists create masterpieces that capture the spirit and the eye over and over again. Layer in the cold foiling, and you have a product that people want to display on shelves and show off to friends.
But "when everyone is super. . . no one will be.” The low print runs of the first few FAB sets and the reduction of the print runs of cold foils in subsequent sets add the scarcity that is so important for many collectors. Frankly, there just aren’t many of these things, certainly not enough for everyone who wants one to have one, and there will never be more. Thus we have the element of the chase. Collectors can’t just have everything - they have to pick and choose how to spend their attention and their budget.
FAB is in an interesting position when it comes to collectability. Unlike a few earlier games which didn’t have a collecting aspect until years after they were launched, FAB built collectability into the game from the outset. This has led to an early interest in collecting that will continue to grow as players eventually become collectors, nostalgic for the product of their playing days. By starting early, this allows fans of FAB to get an early exposure to, and interest in, the collecting aspect that will likely be a large part of their involvement with the game further down the road.
Sage advice for a budding collector
We all started our collecting journey as a beginner. If we had to distill the most important things to know when starting out, it would be these four:
1) Know the value of what you’re buying
Thanks to the internet, it has never been easier to understand whether you’re about to pay a fair price for something. You can search sold listings online (and if everything is “best offer accepted,” try using 130point.com/sales, which will show you the actual offer accepted), in the Facebook FAB marketplace groups, and Discord to see what recent prices for items were. If you can’t find any comparisons (comps) feel free to ping some of the active folks in the Facebook groups. Many of the more experienced collectors are happy to lend an opinion.
2) Understand the scarcity and importance
Scarcity correlates strongly with an item’s value. For example, the print runs of WTR Alpha Print and ARC 1st Edition were extraordinarily low. If you’re looking to collect a sealed booster box case of each 1st Edition product, you should expect to pay about as much as a down payment on a small house, because so few still exist. The importance to the game (and players) also has a strong impact on value. For example, a rainbow foil Enlightened Strike from WTR Alpha Print commands a huge premium over any other rainbow foil Majestic from the set, due to its power and ubiquity in decks.
3) If something looks too good to be true, it almost always is
An unfortunate milestone on the path of many collectors is getting scammed. Whether it’s a fake card, a fake seller, or something else, most collectors have, at some point, taken it on the chin. You can minimize the chances of this happening by closely evaluating the card/item to ensure there are no red flags (and request additional photos/video if any aspect is unclear), and, if transacting informally (i.e. Facebook, Discord), check the references of the seller - most sellers will have a reference thread where buyers and sellers can vouch for that person. Have they had successful transactions with other sellers? Remember, a legitimate seller should not have an issue with providing additional information, photos, or references. If they do, move on.
4) Take care of your collection
Much of the value (and therefore, resale value down the road) comes from the condition of your cards and other items. Keep cards out of direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. If they are ungraded, keep them sleeved and in a binder. If you have graded cards or sealed product, consider a holding case. If your collection is worth a substantial amount, or you live in a high-risk area, you may also want to consider collectible insurance.
Some of our favorites!
Collect the cards that make your heart race when you look at them.
Collect the highest graded examples of cards that remind you of important times in your FAB journey.
Collect a pile of the one card that brings you the most joy. Everyone knows that nothing makes Saint happier than a Gem Mint graded Snatch!
Collect a pile of Cold Foil Legendaries.
You notice what we didn’t talk about in this article? Investing. Certainly there is an investing aspect to collecting TCGs - we all want the value of our cards to appreciate. But collecting is about finding the things we love to hunt and acquire. The things we love to frame, to pull out of a case to admire, to put in a binder with all the cards from a particular set.
Certainly collecting sealed boxes, or highly-graded specimens of rare cards is going to be a popular pursuit. There are also artist proofs, misprints, posters and other memorabilia, and even playmats.
Both of us own a copy of what is widely considered the most beautiful FAB playmat ever created, a Fyendal’s Spring Tunic collaboration between FaB Popal and Rudy Dieudonne, of which only six were ever created.
Collecting anything is an individual journey, and we encourage you to find and collect what brings you joy. We’re excited for you to join us in this pursuit - collect what you love!
