Proposal : Coaster Cards

I recently stumbled into one of those sports trading card get togethers, where people buy and sell and trade baseball, or football or basketball, cards. Surely you all know about those cards, with the picture of the player on the front and lots of information about that player on the back. Some of those cards bring hundereds or even a thousand dollars.

Well, I got to thinking. Why couldn't we create a series of those cards for roller coasters. At each park, the gift shops could sell (let's say for $1.00 each) a card for each coaster. The front would be a color photo of the coaster, and the back would contain lots of information about designer, opening date, length, height, speed, etc.

As we all travel around to various parks, we could add to our collection. I could also see people trading in their attempt to collect cards for every coaster in the country.

Kids have figured out all kinds of games to play using baseball cards. I suppose some clever people could figure out coaster card games to play.

I could envision somebody setting up a table in a park for trading purposes.

Now, is this just nuts, or does anybody out there agree that this is a reasonable marketing idea? Perhaps Coasterbuzz could get permission, collect the photos, have the cards printed, and place them in the gift shops. If not, perhaps one of the baseball card companies might be receptive to the idea.

What does everyone think ?

They actually did come out with Coaster Cards, around 40 of them. I don't know how well they sold, but I thought they were cool.

I like your idea of having every park having them for their coasters, but I don't know if that would work or not...

You mean like these?

I bought my set of coaster cards at Dorney Park. I think it was the 2001 season. I have checked for them again on subsequent trips, but they no longer carry them.

My son and I also got the cards that they were selling at SFA during the 2001 season.

Sealed, boxed sets of those cards are *always* available on ebay.

Still have them for sale in the gift shop at Enchanted Forest in Turner, Oregon for around $15.

Would you be interested in coaster greeting cards?

(URL fixed by Greg) *** Edited 7/17/2004 12:34:23 AM UTC by GregLeg***

In addition to that, Six Flags once tried selling individual cards of coasters in front of each coaster's queue (in 2001, I believe) I saw it first at SFA, where I bought a "batwing card" They were overpriced, in my book, about $1, so I only bought the one.

Did this happen at other SF parks or was it a test market at SFA?

edit: Oops...missed coasterphantom mentioning this *** Edited 7/16/2004 4:44:06 PM UTC by Peabody***

I got a set as a birthday present from a friend. The "showcase" card is one of those "action" cards of Magnum XL-200

I believe the 2001 set was the only set they made, correct?

I guess they weren't that big of a seller.

I loved those cards! Its a shame that at least one more set wasn't available.

Good Grief! How did I miss those? And I thought I kept up with things!

The cards at SFA were supposed to be a way of showing that you rode the coaster (hence, that you were a brave rider), but seeing as the boxes were at the exit to each ride, it wouldn't have been hard for someone to just buy the card without riding.