EXTRA - Trading Cards by PANINI - The First Michael Jackson Memorabilia Cards

[Autumn II]

I definintely see what you're saying. But at the same time, them making money while making the fans happy, isnt really a bad thing. That's how businesses work. But I definitely agree that it wasn't necessary and that if the estate had put their resources into building a museum that housed all of these memorabilia, it would have been way cooler and more respectul for both Michael and the fans..

Right. What I'd like to see, though, is some sort of plan to have a museum of Michael's stuff. We have no idea, really, what there is, and what is left? I'm also uneasy about the children's input. They are SO young, and once this stuff is gone, it's gone? I do hope that they are consulted, as young as they are? This was their FATHER!

There will be a lot of "Michael products" offered, and that is, in general, fine. I'd like to see if there is some sort of strategic plan for this, though? In terms of his legacy, and not just commerce?

I'm thinking about what happened with the death of Elvis, the only person who comes even close to Michael in terms of his cultural impact on contemporary music and entertainment. If I remember correctly, Lisa Marie was a child then, and Priscilla managed things, FOR her, until she came of age. Graceland was preserved, and remains a site to be visited, for old and new fans, and for those who just want to KNOW about him. His belongings were retained, and some are displayed at Graceland.

So, I think "Michael products" are fine, but I would like to know if there is a museum planned, and what has been retained for that?

 

[StaceyMJ]

I've not read this thread until now. I've seen scraps of this on twitter and various places and I thought there must be more to this than them actually cutting up Michael's clothes to put into these packs. Well, looks like I was wrong. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I won't be buying any. It just seems a bit too....I don't know what the word is.

 

[Sunflowers]

If only I was a millionaire.... I'd buy a lot of items and make the museum myself. Sure hope it's still in the intention of the estate and that they are talking about where would be the best place. That's often been the discussion.

 

[Autumn II]

I've not read this thread until now. I've seen scraps of this on twitter and various places and I thought there must be more to this than them actually cutting up Michael's clothes to put into these packs. Well, looks like I was wrong. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I won't be buying any. It just seems a bit too....I don't know what the word is.

The first thing I thought of when I read about this was, "surely NOT? That has to be some kind of mistake or misprint?" But, it wasn't. I think having commemorative cards of Michael is a great idea. But, to cut up his CLOTHES! When I realized that REALLY was what was happening, it reminded me of what he wrote in his autobiography, that fans would pull out pieces of his hair and want a "piece of him." If one person does it, that's bad. But a LOT of people? Hurtful!

So, although I don't fault anyone for buying these cards, personally, I certainly would feel just AWFUL about doing so.

 

[JCO8]

YES.It IS disrespectful.But it means we can get close to Michael when so many of us unfortunately never met him.Just my opinion

That's being extremely selfish and that's what Panini expects from the fans to sell their stuff. These costumes (even if they are just a few) had been kept for decades, and the truth is they no longer exist now, because of people thinking about money on one side, and people thinking about themselves on the other side. People selling and people buying this stuff don't wanna think about anything else.

This is disgusting and I hope Panini will get very bad publicity. If the Estate gave their agrrement for this, then there is no hope that Michael's legacy is gonna get well treated in the future. Shame on everybody involved in this. I just can't believe this is happening.

 

[aliana101]

I never met or even saw Michael in person...owning a piece of a cloth from his cut up clothes would not make me feel any bit better. I feel it loses magic if cut up! I just don't know whether to be angry or sad at what they did. This reminds me of the time his jacket was being sold in pieces in 2006 on ebay but that didn't upset me because he was alive and the jacket was new and he himself threw it at fans.

 

[KingMikeJ]

^I remember that too. His sleeve on ebay for £500,000.

 

[saveNRG]

It's not the first time this was done, they do that a lot with trading cards. They're not being disrespectful by cutting them up, it's something they thought fans would want. Like someone else said, the clothes they're cutting up aren't going to be his most well known costumes. They're going to be using things that aren't that important. What if it ended up being something like a t-shirt? Is that something that would be put in a museum or given to his kids? Probably not, most people wouldn't care if it's just a t-shirt. Plus, one shirt would make a bunch of cards (they're cut into tiny squares) so they're not going through an insane amount of clothes.

 

[dam2040]

That's being extremely selfish and that's what Panini expects from the fans to sell their stuff. These costumes (even if they are just a few) had been kept for decades, and the truth is they no longer exist now, because of people thinking about money on one side, and people thinking about themselves on the other side. People selling and people buying this stuff don't wanna think about anything else.

This is disgusting and I hope Panini will get very bad publicity. If the Estate gave their agrrement for this, then there is no hope that Michael's legacy is gonna get well treated in the future. Shame on everybody involved in this. I just can't believe this is happening.

Yes it was,sorry.But some people think that ALL of Michael's clothing is being cut up.It's wrong.Of course it is but Panini and the Estate will get away with it.

 

[Autumn II]

The FACT is, NONE of us know what there is left of Michael's belongings, or how many pieces of clothing were cut up, and how many items of Michael's will be sold at auctions in the future. Nobody here can say that they KNOW, because we don't. There are no plans for a museum that have ever been stated.

What DO we know? We know that Michael tried very hard to stop the auction of his belongings, when still alive. Given that, I don't think anyone here can say he would have WANTED his stuff to be auctioned off now?

Here's what we don't know.

-- We don't know if there are any plans in place for an eventual museum, or if his belongings have been cataloged and there is some sort of plan in place.

-- We don't know if his minor children have been consulted as to their FEELINGS about what happens to various of their father's belongings.

-- We don't know HOW so many of Michael's things wound up in private ownership of those who have only profit in mind, and not necessarily preservation of any sort of legacy.

Again, I don't fault anyone who has a "collection" and wants to add to it with these cards. That's a matter of individual choice. The idea of "cards" is a good one, of course. The idea of "cutting up his clothing?" Horrible, in my own opinion. That "other clothing has been cut up" in the past doesn't make it right. UNLESS, there has been a sincere and diligent effort to catalog all of his stuff and make some sort of plan for it. Otherwise, I'm afraid that his precious belongings will continue to be dispersed, cut up, displayed in restaurants or bars, or "other." Michael was SO important, that there really does need to be an over-arching plan in place. IMHO.

 

[JMie]

Haven't read this thread for a long time, but I read about cutting the costumes on twitter and came here to read if it's true. apparently it is.. how sad! I have to say that I was looking forward to the release of these cards because I have the previous set from the 90s and it is amazing and I thought this one would be equally great and a must-have because you can never have enough photos of Michael But after this thing with costumes I won't be buying these card. I think cutting his clothes and selling it is creepy and disrespectful and I can't understand how owning a piece of his clothes would make anyone feel closer to him. I mean, it's one thing when he throws his hat in the crowd and you catch and you own it, it's like it goes from his hands to you like a gift. But this... I think it's invasive, it's like someone went to his closet and took some items without his knowledge and is selling it.

I truly believe that Michael's things, especially his belongings from performances (no matter how famous or unknown they are) should be kept in a museum and it's very upsetting for me to see everything being sold at auctions or even cut into pieces! At least the items that are auctioned off can be bought back, but if you cut a costume it will be lost forever.

 

[SimplyMagic]

The truth of the matter is that when it comes to Michael; it's damn if you do, damn if you don't. People will NEVER be satisfied. :sad:

 

[MoeJack]

Let's also not forget that the number of cards that actually have these cut-up pieces is actually very small. The majority of people who will be buying/collecting these cards will not have any of those memorabilia cards. Just sayin. And for those who believe that this will be some kind of stepping stone for all of Michael's clothes to be eventually cut up....I admire your love for Michael and all, but if you think about it you'll realize that you're taking it way out of proportion. Yes, we do know how many shirts they used, I didn't check but you can count them on the panini website where they showcased all of the pieces that are being used, ranging from 1971-1974. Now that I think about it more after reading some comments, I guess I do agree that it wasn't really necessary and that maintaining them probably would have been better. But again, they're a very very limited number, and people shouldn't write off collecting these cards because chances are they probably won't get one of these memorabilia cards anyway..

The truth of the matter is that when it comes to Michael; it's damn if you do, damn if you don't. People will NEVER be satisfied. :sad:

Unfortunately, it's beginning to seem that way..

 

[myosotis]

The FACT is, NONE of us know what there is left of Michael's belongings, or how many pieces of clothing were cut up, and how many items of Michael's will be sold at auctions in the future. Nobody here can say that they KNOW, because we don't. There are no plans for a museum that have ever been stated.

What DO we know? We know that Michael tried very hard to stop the auction of his belongings, when still alive. Given that, I don't think anyone here can say he would have WANTED his stuff to be auctioned off now?

Here's what we don't know.

-- We don't know if there are any plans in place for an eventual museum, or if his belongings have been cataloged and there is some sort of plan in place.

-- We don't know if his minor children have been consulted as to their FEELINGS about what happens to various of their father's belongings.

-- We don't know HOW so many of Michael's things wound up in private ownership of those who have only profit in mind, and not necessarily preservation of any sort of legacy.

Again, I don't fault anyone who has a "collection" and wants to add to it with these cards. That's a matter of individual choice. The idea of "cards" is a good one, of course. The idea of "cutting up his clothing?" Horrible, in my own opinion. That "other clothing has been cut up" in the past doesn't make it right. UNLESS, there has been a sincere and diligent effort to catalog all of his stuff and make some sort of plan for it. Otherwise, I'm afraid that his precious belongings will continue to be dispersed, cut up, displayed in restaurants or bars, or "other." Michael was SO important, that there really does need to be an over-arching plan in place. IMHO.

I have to say that whilst generally agreeing with you, I am in two minds about some aspects of the situation as regards private collectors (and I declare a small interest here, so I am not unbiased!).
I agree that a museum for major and iconic items would be the ideal solution...but it will be expensive to set up and run and is only available 'in one place' once set up. Museums are not immune to failure. Debbie Reynolds' Hollywood museum' has recently gone bankrupt and had to be sold off, seemingly due to lack of public interest. (Maybe museums are less popular now that people can find most of what they are interested in on the internet). Pending the establishment (if ever) of an MJ museum, items tend to be 'warehoused'.
Warehouses are demonstrably unsafe and un-ideal places to store delicate items such as papers, photos and clothing, which all require careful preservation in correct conditions. Warehouses are also prone to fire, flood and other disaster, and several major collections worldwide have been completely lost this way.

Any item that comes on to the market (whether from family, friends, aquaintances, business associates or whatever), is going to be VERY well cared for after purchase. I doubt that most 'serious' collectors will ever make a profit from their collections, given the high cost of insuring items, not to mention finding the space to keep them.

Aside from the items 'cut up' for sale, most MJ items are very unlikely to 'disappear' forever, since items and collections are regularly sold as collectors age, heirs are un-interested, money or other situations change, or for numerous other reasons. Most items are therefore likely to come back on to the market and I imagine that the estate will be able to re-purchase them if it wishes, or indeed some collectors may be happy to give (eg for tax breaks) or lend (as is usual in the art world) to any museum which may be set up.

As regards asking PPB...I think that what you might want to do in your teens may be very different to what you might want to do in your 20's or again in your 50's...it's often only when you have children of your own, that you get a feel for what is important to keep for the future... Personally, if setting up a museum, I'd keep all documents, all public appearance clothes, all artwork, all photoshoots, ...well, you get the general idea. But unless you own the Smithsonian, this can be very expensive to do. Even though Graceland has been preserved, there are still LOTS of Elvis owned and worn memorabilia on the general market....so not everything was preserved in Graceland.

 

[Eric]

I recieved my cards today and they are so nice!

 

[ADKIc3mAnX]

I just bought a box for $60.00 hope I didn't get ripped off.

BUT OMG I WANT THIS ALREADY

 

[MoeJack]

I just bought a box for $60.00 hope I didn't get ripped off.

BUT OMG I WANT THIS ALREADY

Yea same here, I got mine a few days ago. It was pretty cool opening each of the 24 packs and looking through the cards and all. They're not bad. Although I wonder how they decided to choose the pics..some of them seem kind've random. I mean they're all nice, but as a fan, I soo could've gave them some of the best and iconic photos and poses of Mike through the years. But I'm not complaining. However, as nice as they were, it didn't make the $60.00 price feel any better...I think $30 would have made me feel more comfortable

 

[unn]

Well, what moejack says it's true.

Not many cards, called 'insert cards' have been released with these pieces of clothes so there's not a big damage to his legacy.

I understand your concern and disappointment in this, but you have to eat something:

1) These people bought these items at Julien's auctions years ago in a very legit way.

2) They asked permission and OBTAINED IT from the Estate, that's why they're official and have Bravado and Triumph International Inc. trademark.

3) Do you think that every single person who owns MJ's clothes can give these for charity (after spending thousands and thousands of dollars at auctioneers) or open a museum at their own expenses to let people see all these items or give them to his kids who are already multi-millionaire and most of all have thousands of their father's items (not neglecting that the money comng from Estate's sales, including Panini, will go to them too) ? C'mon this is absurd and smells of hypocrisy.

Nobody of us collectors has so much money to open a museum and anyway there will be millions of fans who won't ever see them 'cos of trip costs and various reasons, depending on the town where the museum will be opened.

The problem is establish a limit when something owned by a private collector belongs to Michael's legacy and must be kept safe in his/her house or sold publicly and something which is really private (such as personal letters, wigs, make-up boxes, personal belongings) is sold publicly and put at everyone's availability, media outlets included.

I think we should make a real difference between these 2 things.
In fact, selling a signed fedora, a signed book, a signed CD is not so harmful imho (since he signed thousands and thousands of items in his life and myself was obliged to sell some signed items even when he was alive, 'cos I needed money for health problems or help some close relative financially) but selling something so private as a wig, that will be sold on next June 25, this is really disgusting and appaling because he puts his life under public scrutiny and especially the press.

I also personally disagree with the sale of Thriller Jacket and black glove worn at AMA '84 'cos these 2 tailors were given these items (and many others) by Michael as a gift and I don't like what they are doing 'cos I think that if they had opened a museum in LA and exposed all their items, they would have earnt much more money in years and forever.

In fact, even if Thriller jacket should overpass 1 Million $, they must give 20% to Julien's and so the buyer. Their profit ends on June 25th, when the jacket will be sold, while with a museum they could have earnt profits from ticket sales, ads, souvenir gadgets (caps,cups, posters,books etc...) .

If you see the guy who bought the Motown 25th Anniversary white sequined glove at more than $ 450,000, he opened a museum in Macao (China) and he's exposing all his MJ's items there, then he's making a lot of money in selling tickets and other paraphernalia.

So considering what that guy did (and even being a fan, he didn't even know MJ personally) , while Bush and Tompkins were Michael's friends other than his employees and got his items for FREE, they could have done so too, not to let these beautiful items spread all over the world.

I don't judge them 'cos maybe they're broke without Michael, who was their main money $ machine, and need quick money but it's the method they're using that I disagree.
Some months after his death, they cried crocodile tears on US TV , feeling a little guilty for not helping him, and now they're exploiting his death as everybody else.

 

[Laura.L.]

I already said what I have to say about this here, so I'm not going to repeat everything. Once again, I understand that some fans feel wrong about buying these cards, and they have every right to feel so. But comparing others who do buy them to someone who pulled hair out of Michael's head is taking it too far!

But, to cut up his CLOTHES! When I realized that REALLY was what was happening, it reminded me of what he wrote in his autobiography, that fans would pull out pieces of his hair and want a "piece of him." If one person does it, that's bad. But a LOT of people? Hurtful!

THAT is hurtful! Collecting these cards doesn't make me or anyone else crazy/heartless. I would've never ever hurt Michael! I have seen him from a close distance once, and it didn't even cross my mind to try and somehow force my way closer to him, let alone grab him. Saying that you personally wouldn't feel good about having a costume swatch card is fine, but guilt-tripping others to this extent is not.

And it's kind of useless to say that you don't fault us, when on the other hand you compare us to those lunatics who would've ripped Michael apart given the chance.

I realize this topic is bound to evoke some deep emotions, but I wish we could avoid judging each other too harshly. Despite our opposite viewpoints on this matter, we all love Michael the same

 

[KingMikeJ]

I can understand the other side of the argument. To hold something and think, "This was once on Michael" must be an amazing feeling.

 

[Autumn II]

I've already said what I had to say. I'll condense it, and then leave it.

I really don't CARE if fans buy this merchandise, or don't buy it. The material is obviously already out there. My PERSONAL feelings about cutting up Michael's clothing. . any of it. . . are that it's NOT good. That's the way I feel about it -- because there are so many unanswered questions.

It is probably not for private collectors to do a comprehensive museum. I'd expect that would be for the Estate to do. What I'd like to know is, are there any plans for this? Has the material that still remains with the estate been cataloged? Michael did NOT want to sell his belongings at auctions (Julien's or otherwise. See his lawsuit against Julien's, for his exact language. Something went very badly wrong when Tohme scheduled that auction). Then there was that whole mess about the storage locker, when Michael lost so much of his precious stuff, including legal documents, clothing, awards, and other memorabilia. That issue is still with the courts, isn't it? We don't really know WHAT remains, how much of it there is, or who has it. I hope that the Estate has a signficant amount of Michael's personal possessions, and that they will keep this material intact until such time as the children come-of-age and are able to make decisions about it.

Some material obviously was given as gifts, by Michael, and those owning it can do whatever they like with it. (But, what ABOUT that wig? How could that possibly have been a gift? Selling that is just, plain, awful.)

I think cards, posters, CDs, statues/dolls, etc., replica clothing, calendars, etc. are just fine, and are a joy for fans to have. To me, items that he OWNED are another issue entirely, and one about which there remain many questions (i.e. plans for an "official" museum, eventually involvement of the children in making decisions, and so on)

 

[Eric]

I've already said what I had to say. I'll condense it, and then leave it.

I really don't CARE if fans buy this merchandise, or don't buy it. The material is obviously already out there. My PERSONAL feelings about cutting up Michael's clothing. . any of it. . . are that it's NOT good. That's the way I feel about it -- because there are so many unanswered questions.

It is probably not for private collectors to do a comprehensive museum. I'd expect that would be for the Estate to do. What I'd like to know is, are there any plans for this? Has the material that still remains with the estate been cataloged? Michael did NOT want to sell his belongings at auctions (Julien's or otherwise. See his lawsuit against Julien's, for his exact language. Something went very badly wrong when Tohme scheduled that auction). Then there was that whole mess about the storage locker, when Michael lost so much of his precious stuff, including legal documents, clothing, awards, and other memorabilia. That issue is still with the courts, isn't it? We don't really know WHAT remains, how much of it there is, or who has it. I hope that the Estate has a signficant amount of Michael's personal possessions, and that they will keep this material intact until such time as the children come-of-age and are able to make decisions about it.

Some material obviously was given as gifts, by Michael, and those owning it can do whatever they like with it. (But, what ABOUT that wig? How could that possibly have been a gift? Selling that is just, plain, awful.)

I think cards, posters, CDs, statues/dolls, etc., replica clothing, calendars, etc. are just fine, and are a joy for fans to have. To me, items that he OWNED are another issue entirely, and one about which there remain many questions (i.e. plans for an "official" museum, eventually involvement of the children in making decisions, and so on)

Well MJ did not own all the clothes he wore. He didn't have a closet in Neverland with every single outfit that he wore for 45 years. MJ probably didn't own even half of the costumes he wore. SOme people are saying these clothes belong to MJ's kids, but I'm pretty sure they don't.

 

[Autumn II]

Well MJ did not own all the clothes he wore. He didn't have a closet in Neverland with every single outfit that he wore for 45 years. MJ probably didn't own even half of the costumes he wore. SOme people are saying these clothes belong to MJ's kids, but I'm pretty sure they don't.

Michael rented large storage units, because obviously all the stuff wouldn't fit in a residence.

The estate of a deceased person belongs to whoever is designated in the will. That estate includes all assets, including bank-accounts, real-estate, stocks and bonds, and all personal property, i.e. clothing, furniture, jewelry, and anything else the person owned. The children OWN all of this, and it's being managed by the estate until they come-of-age.

 

[bluesky]

Michael rented large storage units, because obviously all the stuff wouldn't fit in a residence.

The estate of a deceased person belongs to whoever is designated in the will. That estate includes all assets, including bank-accounts, real-estate, stocks and bonds, and all personal property, i.e. clothing, furniture, jewelry, and anything else the person owned. The children OWN all of this, and it's being managed by the estate until they come-of-age.

No, I don' t think the estate own every piece of MJ's clothing. A lot of items are auctioned off by fans, friends and family.

 

[bluesky]

Panini America Responds to “Disgraceful” Michael Jackson Memorabilia Controversy

by Tracy Hackler


I’ll begin with this: Trading card manufacturers have been cutting up superstar-worn memorabilia and sharing it with collectors for more than 15 years now. Frankly, memorabilia cards rank favorably among the most popular and significant trading card innovations of the last 50 years.
Babe Ruth’s jersey has been cut. So has Jim Thorpe’s. And Kobe Bryant’s. And Sidney Crosby’s. Marilyn Monroe’s dress? It’s been cut. John Wayne’s shirt? It’s been cut. I could, quite literally, go on and on and on and on . . .
But when Panini America last week introduced the Official Michael Jackson Trading Card Set (including in its packs randomly inserted cards featuring pieces of clothing Michael wore on stage decades ago), one point became painfully clear: Michael Jackson had never been the subject of a memorabilia card.
The fact that he finally is struck a sour note with some Jackson fans who used various social media venues to voice their displeasure regarding us “destroying his clothes.”
They called the cards “disrespectful,” “disgraceful,” “stupid” – and those are just the adjectives suitable for print.
Clearly, there’s been a huge misunderstanding.
In the interest of full disclosure, know this: The people who worked closest on bringing this set to life (starting at top with CEO Mark Warsop) are lifelong Jackson fans who wanted nothing more than to develop a timeless trading card tribute to Jackson that his fans across the world would cherish. Most of us inside Panini America – and most of the fans we’ve heard from – have received it as exactly that.
Others . . . not so much.
When we set out to produce the official Jackson set more than 18 months ago (working hand-in-hand with the Jackson estate every step of the way), we did so with a sincere desire to respectfully honor Jackson’s immense legacy and to bring his fans closer to him than they’ve ever been.
Carefully and tastefully sharing pieces of his memorabilia with those folks was simply one unique way of doing that. We also worked diligently in the areas of photo selection and design to create a 240-card tribute that elegantly honors Jackson’s greatest moments, records and achievements.
The fact is that even the most passionate Jackson fans had long since forgotten about these particular pieces of Jackson memorabilia from the 1970s, which we purchased at public auction two years ago. As is the case so many times, these pieces of memorabilia could easily have been purchased by a private collector and tucked away from public view forever, never to be seen – let alone touched – by Jackson’s fans.
Instead, we bought them, carefully deconstructed them and transformed them into bona fide pieces of Jackson history, complete with descriptions on the back detailing exactly when and where the items were worn. You can admire it. You can touch it. And most importantly, you can appreciate it.
That’s why we made it. And that’s exactly what most Jackson fans are doing.
“This has to be the greatest set Panini has ever released,” said YouTube viewer royletlow after watching our video break of the first box. “I have been waiting patiently for this release. I am a big Michael Jackson fan. The world lost the greatest entertainer to have ever lived when he passed. I think it’s great that you guys are giving the fans a way to feel close to Michael. Thank you so much for creating this set. I can’t wait to get my hands on a piece of memorabilia that Michael actually wore.”
Apparently, neither can scores of other Jackson fans. Early sales of the memorabilia cards on the secondary market have been nothing short of thrilling, with some cards commanding more than $200.
“Just knowing that these cards are out there makes my heart feel good and I know that [Michael] would be so proud,” said YouTube user TheBryanSaraShow. “I’ll be happy with just having any of the regular cards. Having a special memorabilia card would make my heart feel happy, because I would own a piece of my idol.”
Michael Jackson cards making his fans’ hearts happy? That’s why we made them.

source: http://paniniamerica.wordpress.com/...eful-michael-jackson-memorabilia-controversy/

 

[bluesky]

Another perspective from one of the comment!

Cydney PERMALINK
June 23, 2011 11:25 am
Tracy, thank you so much for this post! I will definitely be spreading this around the MJ Communities.
When I saw people posting about how “disrespectful” this is, I honestly didn’t know how to respond. Some Michael fans can be so very sensitive and extreme that sometimes it’s hard to get through to them.
But, as a different kind of avid fan, I want to say thank you for doing this for all of us! It is giving many of us an opportunity to really feel Michael’s spirit better and connect in a way that wasn’t possible before. I, personally, would rather see Michael’s fans owning little pieces of him than these costumes being in a warehouse or even a museum somewhere. This is an opportunity for those who can’t travel or can’t begin to imagine owning a piece of Michael’s clothes to really be closer to him. I think it is a wonderful idea and I only wish there were more memorabilia cards so more people could experience the closeness that might come with owning, however small, a piece of his clothing. I say thank you so much! And the cards are incredible, truly. Done with real class and respect. I am sure Michael would be proud Thank you!

 

[unn]

No, I don' t think the estate own every piece of MJ's clothing. A lot of items are auctioned off by fans, friends and family.

Exactly Eric and Bluesky: not all personal clothes and other items belong to his kids.

1st) Because Michael himself gave many of these items for free to his friends and many followers ( such as hats, shirts, pieces of paper with lyrics, demos of unleaked songs etc..) and there is a large evidence of this.

2nd) when someone buys something in a legit way, such as Julien's auctions FYI, the collector/buyer can do whatever he/she wants to, even throwing it in a bin.

3rd) Estate agreed with all the Panini's card production and made clear they have authorized this production many months ago, so nobody is doing anything wrong.

4th) they bought these clothes at Julien's and they later cut them out. They're Jackson 5 clothes and honestly 50% of you doesn't even know about Jackson 5 era clothing line.

5th) As per point #4, many people will have the chance to own a piece of those clothes that wouldn't ever had nor seen in their farest dreams.

Once you leave something in a storage and you don't pay that storage for many years, the owner of the storage is entitled to be the new owner of ALL items inside of it.

This happened with Vaccaro with his New Jersey's storage. Law was on his side and not Michael's side. In fact, Michael was advised through his lawyers and associates to pay that man so he could get his belongings back but NOBODY inside Michael's inner circle nor him was interested in getting them back and paying past due.

This happens to everybody's life.

So the fact to give all these items to his kids is very naive and a little silly, 'cos how can a collector spend thousands and thousands of $ and give a rare expensive item to them for free?

They're not poor and they are earning and will earn profits from the Estate forever so nobody has the urgency to make charity to them 'cos they're not homeless.

Then, if they want to open a museum, they can ask aunts Maureen and Janet, uncles Marlon, Jermaine and Tito who are giving 80% of Michael's personal belongings to Julien's.

So if there's someone who should keep his legacy it's not a collector, it's not a company, it's not a stranger but his own family and if they are the first ones who don't care, so guess the others!

 

[Eric]

So has anyone seen these cards at Target stores yet? I checked yesterday and didn't see them.

 

[myosotis]

^^^^ The truth is, that if you are a commercial organisation, you can probably afford to pay a LOT more for clothing items than can most private collectors, especially for the 'less than iconic' pieces (the iconic ones are usually hoovered up by the mega rich who ignore the less famous items). If you cut something up and sell it you can presumably get a lot more money for it than selling it whole...especially if you sell it in packs 'watered down' with non-costume pieces. Panini are not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts but for profit! (Yes, it is good that the estate get a share, but I hope that money doesn't sway them over other considerations).
I now have terrible fears that Michaels TII wig may be purchased and sold off hair by hair...

Quote 1 : ''Having a special memorabilia card would make my heart feel happy, because I would own a piece of my idol.”:angry::shock::excl:

Quote 2:" Babe Ruth’s jersey has been cut. So has Jim Thorpe’s. And Kobe Bryant’s. And Sidney Crosby’s. Marilyn Monroe’s dress? It’s been cut. John Wayne’s shirt? It’s been cut. I could, quite literally, go on and on and on and on"

Most of the above weren't (to my knowledge) pulled to pieces so much in their lifetimes... somehow it feels that cutting MJs costume pieces up is a negative thing in the light of all he went through..after all, you usually cut things up to destroy them , not to preserve them...its just the association of ideas.

 

[Autumn II]

^^^^ The truth is, that if you are a commercial organisation, you can probably afford to pay a LOT more for clothing items than can most private collectors, especially for the 'less than iconic' pieces (the iconic ones are usually hoovered up by the mega rich who ignore the less famous items). If you cut something up and sell it you can presumably get a lot more money for it than selling it whole...especially if you sell it in packs 'watered down' with non-costume pieces. Panini are not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts but for profit! (Yes, it is good that the estate get a share, but I hope that money doesn't sway them over other considerations).
I now have terrible fears that Michaels TII wig may be purchased and sold off hair by hair...


Quote: ''Having a special memorabilia card would make my heart feel happy, because I would own a piece of my idol.”:angry::shock::excl:

Exactly.

To repeat, what is OWNED by the estate is what was in Michael's possession, i.e. any items in residences or storage units. What he gave as gifts, can be used/sold by the owners as they see fit. At least at one point, he rented an airplane hangar for storage!

At this point, we don't yet KNOW how much material is in the estate (i.e. clothing, and other personal items), and how much has been dispersed. I'm hoping for some quality-control by the estate, and a strategic plan that includes more than just profit for the estate. Sure, that benefits the heirs (Michael's children), but at some point, there is more to life than profit?

We do know that Michael wanted nothing to do with Julian's Auctions. His lawsuit states that clearly, and his desire NOT to sell off his stuff.

EEEEK! About selling off the wig, hair-by-hair!