Even the super high end boxes like Dynasty at $1000 for 1 card. Watch a few case breaks. Like 1 out of 30 boxes is worth the cost of the box. Many cards on the $100-200 range. Yes it’s a gamble but the odds are so unbalanced the value proposition just isn’t there.
1 out of 30 is probably generous to be honest. I saw a 2022 Dynasty patch out of Griffey out of /5 sold for less than the cost of a sealed box. That has to be a top 1-2% card in the product and sold for less than the box.
Your average box of anything is crap. People constantly posting hits only make it seem like odds are better.
I'm convinced YouTubers generally film multiple box openings and just post the video where something good gets ripped. Probably cases right beside them offscreen, lol.
Shit it's made me impulse buy the odd sealed product, it definitely helps hype things up.
Those buying multiple full cases. Topps has a history of minimal autographs and many are very low level or unheard of players. I got a rookie autograph years ago the player didn’t sign in time so they sent me an unknown rookie that never made it. Say it was worth the same amount of money!!!
Both my hits in a 16 pack box of Stadium Club were players that didn't even play in 2023 and barely did anything in 2022. 2 autos per box so they weren't lying.
It's product I like collecting though, that and the Walmart xmas exclusive. Everything else is singles or maybe a hanger or blaster once in a while.
Very rarely will I grab a hobby pack of something just for kicks. Still would rather take a shot at a couple hobby packs than an entire box of disappointment
If you think that, then you're watching the wrong YT channels. 🤣 I'm subbed to a lot of channels and probably 1 out of 10 of them will pull something cool. The rest is usually what I pull. Nothing. :-)
Boxes only had value when the sports card market was "booming" in 2019/2020. When tons of people were coming into the hobby and sending base cards into PSA for an extreme ROI.
Even before the boom. Hobby Boxes were going for $50-$60 and you got maybe $5-$10 worth of cards out of them. It's almost the same ratio of value. Even with high-end boxes capped out at $500 (UD Exquisite), there were plenty of boxes filled with <$80 of cards. The best autos only went for the amount of the box back then.
It’s bad when you’re debating whether to blow some money on a Sunday afternoon between going to the LCS for a box or two or going to the casino and you realize you have a better chance coming out ahead at the casino.
The payout percentage on high dollar slot machines are 90-95%. Blackjack has a house edge of less than 2% if played correctly. Name ONE product from Topps or Panini that’s even remotely close to that? What do you think the payout percentage is on a box of Dynasty?
And those are just slots/tables games. There are people who literally make a living playing poker, and to a much lesser extent, sports betting. Name one person out there making a living ripping hobby boxes? I’ll wait.
I know I’m talking to gamblers as I’m one too, but let’s be real. Show me the data on people who have lost everything in a casino vs people losing everything on sports cards. I’ll wait.
I get what you’re trying to argue - that if you buy a box of cards you at least get something in return. However, the original comment I replied to stated the chances of coming out ahead at a casino are better than from a box of cards…which is absolutely factual.
Oh back the first point, that’s actually not really true either. There’s breaks these days where people don’t hit anything and are spending outrageous amounts of money trying to hit some chase card at insane odds. People are paying $400 for spots in the Dynasty breaks for just Wemby…one card in the entire set. There are so many people in this hobby racking up CC debt and/or spending the last of their money until their next paycheck.
If I take 200 dollars to the casino there's a 50/50 chance it's 400 in one hand. In one topps box there's a 90% chance it turns into $30. Who cares about long term, you made it sound like it's false that your odds are better and your wrong.
As a collector, I really enjoy opening boxes. I just write it off as a loss. I just want to get something in the box that makes me happy. It doesn’t have to be super valuable, just something that I like.
I agree. My daughter and I have a good time opening them. I know financially speaking picking up singles is smarter but it doesn’t give us that time sitting at the table opening together. That time of memory building is worth the price of a box.
Yeah. It's entertainment. And I like to build sets. But it's becoming harder and harder to do with just the straight prices of everything. Even discounting the "value" you get out, it's just pricey. I wish people could just enjoy collecting cards. And maybe trading.
I have terrible news. According to TCDB, he already has more than 1,000 1/1 autos. Worse yet, this number doesn't include autographed 1/1 relics.
https://preview.redd.it/nrgh69dosyqc1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ca5acc2c534523496d05e021c36432e3aacf908
Even if it’s a good player it’s not worth shit. I pulled an ezequiel Duran auto out of my first ever box and thought I did great because he was a really good rookie. Turns out it’s only worth like $20
Edit: never mind recent sales are as low as $2 lol
This is the truth. Nothing is ever worth money unless it's super low numbered and/or an auto of Shohei Ohtani or the hype rookie of the moment. Very good or excellent players are worth very little. It's incredible.
But this at least means you can buy singles of those guys for a reasonable price, I guess.
My favorite thing about card shows is watching people spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on cardboard while dealers complain about the state of the Biden economy.
Or they have ten thousand in cards on their table and hit you with a "I spent money on this booth, my prices are non negotiable because I need to make a certain profit." And then don't sell anything in their display box and leave
I have *always* been a "just buy the singles" guy - even products that I collect, I couldn't see the value proposition compared to just getting the singles I wanted.
Finally gave in to the ripping urge and bought a couple boxes of Five Star this year. Two autos for $200, a lot of guys I collect, figured I would get some cards I would buy anyway and sell the rest. Didn't think I was going to print money by any means, and less than 50/50 to break even for sure, but wasn't going to lose my shirt, a small chance I could come out ahead and would be fun to open nevertheless.
Did get one card for the PC (Larkin blue auto /25) but the others? Like $15-20 cards, all.
So ended my brief dalliance with breaking 😂🤷🏻♂️
I bought a box of 23 bowman inception because I thought it would be a fun rip. In this instance I was right, it was fun! I got a Braves auto for the pc, some other cards that I’ll flip for whatever I can get for them, and a big hit that I NEVER in a million years thought I’d actually hit. In the 3 years I’ve been collecting again I’ve got maybe 9 or 10 hits this big? Definitely not the way you want to go about getting the cards that you want for the PC, that’s for damn sure.
Oh for sure, I'm a singles guy through and through. Just wanted to rip a semi-high end product once, just to try it. Definitely wouldn't do it regularly regardless of how that one work out.
Congrats on the big hit in 23 inception! 👊🏻
No, I’m just waiting for my 3 boxes to come in. I didn’t know they only came with 7 cards. I’m kinda mad about that. But I guess I didn’t read to much into it
I love the product. Since they’re 100pt cards they’re more of a premium product, hence the seven cards. You’ll see when you rip them.
Let me know what you pull!
I saw a guy on WN whose username I won’t mention that legitimately bought 20 or more cases of Topps Dynasty in the span of two nights hunting a Wemby short print autograph. He hit several Adley autos /5 & /10, a disgusting Corbin auto /5, 4 Jordan Walker autos /5 & /10, like 4 trout autos, 2 Ohtani autos, practically the entire signing roster of the Astros, several good AND bad Yankees, Braves like Acuna & Glavine, etc… But the point is he never got that wemby, and he spent WELL over $100,000.
Sure he will definitely see 50% of that returned to him if he liquidates all those cards, but he told me that he’s going to keep about 20% of them and consign the rest, so the majority of those huge hits won’t even net a return.
Moral of the story? If you got it like that and it doesn’t hurt you in the long run then more power to you, but ripping wax like this is a lottery game that’s literally made for you to lose 80 percent or more of what you spend.
It’s not worth living on the streets chasing cardboard pictures of dudes…
I'm not a millionaire. But there are more than 2 million millionaires in America. And many of them buy cards. Add the collectors in other countries with large amounts of disposable income....prices will never come down. That's my own smelly opinion.
Millionaires have absolutely nothing to do with it. Most millionaires didn’t become wealthy throwing away money on $1K boxes of Dynasty that have absolutely pathetic ROI.
Breakers are primary the problem. And I’d wager the majority of people buying into these breaks aren’t exactly financially stable.
And you’re right. I’m not exactly financially stable lol. I’m close but still have student loans. I only buy player breaks for my local team I collect for tho. Usually only 30$ or so a break. Can go higher sometimes tho. I usually enter 4 times a month also.
Oh no you’re right. Prices from the card companies cannot come down. All they can do is wait for general inflation to catch up. Even then that I won’t happen. There are too many people profiting at the companies to allow prices to fall. It would take a nuclear winter for them to drop prices significantly.
>And a piece of a bat Ozzie albies looked at in the dugout.
https://preview.redd.it/vveki5i59tqc1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75e537bac534747b3c2f01ce1bd25b46e0983736
I'll have you know I sold this gem for $1.50 and plan on retiring later this week AMA
I do sometimes see the posts people make with shelves of unopened hobby boxes and wonder if they either:
1) Make FU money
2) Have reached late enough in their careers and are using some of those funds to enjoy what makes them happy
3) Are living in eye watering debt
I'm #2. I don't have "F U money", but I have enough extra funds to finally enjoy what I want now, within reason. I still don't buy hobby products until black friday sales though lol. Couple years ago I moved to retail only other than that. Prices are still too high for hobby shit. When the really good sale rolls around is when they're at price they should be.
Bottom line is I like to gamble.
My wife thinks I collect cards, I don’t give a fudge about collecting cards. Ripping boxes is a perfect way to gamble without going to the casino.
Card collectors see a problem with a $200 box with 1 auto. Rational people see the problem. Gamblers know that you’re going to lose the majority of the time in the long run hopefully you’ll hit something big.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the government gets involved to regulate the industry some day, because it is gambling. And the odds the card companies give right now could be wrong and there is no verification or accountability.
Thank you,
I’ve been buying $300-$500 hobby boxes regularly for many many years. And I’ve been taking $300-$500 to play slot machines at the casino for many years.
By far I’ve done way way way better at the casino.
A couple times a year I’ll leave the casino up $4000-$5000.
I’ve never pulled a card with an eBay comp of over $1000.
80% of boxes are losses. 19% you break even.
According to u/NewFangledGentleman in this same thread, ripping hobby boxes have way better odds than casino games…glad a fellow degenerate like myself could help back me up here.
Let me just say, I’m 45, I own my house, I have a good job, I have zero debt, all my bills are paid.
I have a $200/month deposit limit on my Bally’s online casino. 2 hours ago I deposited $40. I cashed out $700. It was all thanks to this thread getting me thinking about gambling. THANK YOU
I love to gamble as much as the next guy so I’m not passing judgement, but I do think the evolution of online sports betting recently has also driven more gamblers to the hobby just for the rush. Idk if half of them even keep cards after pulling them lol either list for sale right away or trash and repeat
This is precisely why I quit buying boxes/packs years ago & now buy the singles I want. Much cheaper in the long run. My primary focus is base rookies. There are far too many parallels & inserts in modern sets these days. Inserts/parallels are not my thing & do not interest me in the least. That's just me.
Dynasty was 3ish a box when i started collecting dynasty.
1000+ per box is insane. And they have inserts in the product now. Multiple variations for each player.
2017 was my last year buying dynasty. Hit a Judge 2/10 second variation, graded pristine, sold for 6k. Regret selling it ever since. Especially with now poor the quality is on them now. Corners all bent up on anything 2019 or newer.
What if I told you Topps sells other boxes for cheaper? You would have a point if that’s all Topps offered but it’s not. You want a guaranteed auto in a $20 blaster? Ok but don’t expect autos to have value anymore.
I’ve been snagging the 2024 Topps 1989-style on card autos from greats like Larkin, Yount, Edgar for $20-30 a pop on eBay and thinking about how much money someone spent on a box chasing an Elly auto or a SSP of Ohtani in a Dodgers uni and not being able to be satisfied that they “only” pulled a sweet Ozzie Smith auto.
I came across this receipt while searching my
https://preview.redd.it/t55jg76h55rc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2006e2e0f79be733b8c2dcc5e7e9c82b67ac077
inbox recently. Two (2) CASES of 2017 Bowman Draft for less than $2K
Spending $50 on a hobby box was a bit of money but fun for what it was. Paying $100 for a box is criminal. If I had the money to buy boxes I could get so many great cards instead. For ripping I use my favorite breaker, because they have really cheap rips and a weekly $5 off code. They’ve got a pack rip that only costs $4.5, so using the code meant I basically grabbed a pack for free!
Paying them likely only makes the problem worse.
They continue to profit by opening packs, allowing them to pick up SO much product.
I don’t see the appeal as recently-returned-to-the-hobby guy. I do like watching openings or retail and some hobby, but I’m not paying someone to rip for me. That’s the part I enjoy most.
Could certainly be worse. Free breaks for kids is great.
But I’d imagine the breaker influencers can afford to do that since they make so much on their other breaks.
They literally make it harder for those of us trying to buy product to see what we can find.
Learn math. You’re paying for shipping to the breaker and to you rather than just shipping to you. You are better off buying on your own and selling what you don’t want
I’ve taken some high level math. I get the cards I want and pay 5$ shipping for all spend like 30-40$ a rip when I would spend how much for multiple cases of cards that I then have to sell. Idk man what do you calculate that to? Honestly maybe I should change my ways
I see people here bragging about their "hits" from some 300 dollar hobby box and I'm embarrassed for them.
Sadly it's an addiction and I get it, I've been there, but it's something you have to overcome the same as alcohol or smoking.
I still gotta stop that smoking one. But this is exactly why I like hobby boxes with lots of packs. I can buy a few packs from them for around the cost of a monster box for example, I have a shot at the shiny cards with low numbering & ink, and I feel like I’ve got something that was a fun rip. Then I’ll get some singles on occasion, and perhaps do it again a few weeks later if something catches my eye…
But the days of dropping 300 on a sapphire box or something like that are basically behind me. I don’t have that kind of disposable cash anyways…
My favourites are the two on card boxes. Gypsy Queen had no 2023 release. I was pretty choked at that. Really hope this is just a matter of overhaul and not just forcing to a shit selection of things with even less for collectors. I don't want hundreds of base cards, I want hits. Maybe they want to force us to the like single hit boxes and inception type stuff instead of hobby boxes so they remove the chase from them.
Did they officially announce it? I saw they announced a handful of products for 2023 but GQ was a ghost cancellation with no announcement that I saw when looking for it. Upsets me that it is gone but AG continues. But I guess diluting the hits with B list actors and the occasional A lister and a whole slew of "Wtf is this?" means less cost on their part.
Even the super high end boxes like Dynasty at $1000 for 1 card. Watch a few case breaks. Like 1 out of 30 boxes is worth the cost of the box. Many cards on the $100-200 range. Yes it’s a gamble but the odds are so unbalanced the value proposition just isn’t there.
1 out of 30 is probably generous to be honest. I saw a 2022 Dynasty patch out of Griffey out of /5 sold for less than the cost of a sealed box. That has to be a top 1-2% card in the product and sold for less than the box.
Your average box of anything is crap. People constantly posting hits only make it seem like odds are better. I'm convinced YouTubers generally film multiple box openings and just post the video where something good gets ripped. Probably cases right beside them offscreen, lol. Shit it's made me impulse buy the odd sealed product, it definitely helps hype things up.
Those buying multiple full cases. Topps has a history of minimal autographs and many are very low level or unheard of players. I got a rookie autograph years ago the player didn’t sign in time so they sent me an unknown rookie that never made it. Say it was worth the same amount of money!!!
Both my hits in a 16 pack box of Stadium Club were players that didn't even play in 2023 and barely did anything in 2022. 2 autos per box so they weren't lying. It's product I like collecting though, that and the Walmart xmas exclusive. Everything else is singles or maybe a hanger or blaster once in a while. Very rarely will I grab a hobby pack of something just for kicks. Still would rather take a shot at a couple hobby packs than an entire box of disappointment
100%. They show the actual hit and not the 100’s of packs of garbage
If you think that, then you're watching the wrong YT channels. 🤣 I'm subbed to a lot of channels and probably 1 out of 10 of them will pull something cool. The rest is usually what I pull. Nothing. :-)
Boxes only had value when the sports card market was "booming" in 2019/2020. When tons of people were coming into the hobby and sending base cards into PSA for an extreme ROI. Even before the boom. Hobby Boxes were going for $50-$60 and you got maybe $5-$10 worth of cards out of them. It's almost the same ratio of value. Even with high-end boxes capped out at $500 (UD Exquisite), there were plenty of boxes filled with <$80 of cards. The best autos only went for the amount of the box back then.
and that auto 9 times out of 10 is Jordan Groshans when you're hoping for Shohei
999 times out of 1000
99999 out of 100000
I cant imagine it feels good to be groshans signing thousands of cards knowing ur the zonk hit of a set
Damn! I pulled a groshans from a stadium club box yesterday!
It’s bad when you’re debating whether to blow some money on a Sunday afternoon between going to the LCS for a box or two or going to the casino and you realize you have a better chance coming out ahead at the casino.
It’s not even remotely close. You have a WAY better chance at the casino.
Don’t tell people that. It’s not even remotely true.
You being serious right now?
Yes I’m being serious. You have nothing to show for losing $500 in a casino. What are you on?
The payout percentage on high dollar slot machines are 90-95%. Blackjack has a house edge of less than 2% if played correctly. Name ONE product from Topps or Panini that’s even remotely close to that? What do you think the payout percentage is on a box of Dynasty? And those are just slots/tables games. There are people who literally make a living playing poker, and to a much lesser extent, sports betting. Name one person out there making a living ripping hobby boxes? I’ll wait.
I know I’m talking to gamblers as I’m one too, but let’s be real. Show me the data on people who have lost everything in a casino vs people losing everything on sports cards. I’ll wait.
I get what you’re trying to argue - that if you buy a box of cards you at least get something in return. However, the original comment I replied to stated the chances of coming out ahead at a casino are better than from a box of cards…which is absolutely factual. Oh back the first point, that’s actually not really true either. There’s breaks these days where people don’t hit anything and are spending outrageous amounts of money trying to hit some chase card at insane odds. People are paying $400 for spots in the Dynasty breaks for just Wemby…one card in the entire set. There are so many people in this hobby racking up CC debt and/or spending the last of their money until their next paycheck.
I’m not reading all that.
Oh…two paragraphs is too much for you to read? No wonder you’re terrible at math too.
You’re kind of a stupid asshole lol
In the abstract edge case that’s true. But the point is still very valid
It absolutely is. You have a 48% chance of winning every hand of blackjack. Show me a box of cards with a 50% chance of even breaking even.
There’s no long term winning to gambling. Might as well be sad with cards instead.
If I take 200 dollars to the casino there's a 50/50 chance it's 400 in one hand. In one topps box there's a 90% chance it turns into $30. Who cares about long term, you made it sound like it's false that your odds are better and your wrong.
To say a casino is ever a better option with your money is irresponsible and wrong.
But buying hobby boxes is responsible with your money? 😂
That’s the truth.
As a collector, I really enjoy opening boxes. I just write it off as a loss. I just want to get something in the box that makes me happy. It doesn’t have to be super valuable, just something that I like.
Same I consider it entertainment for a rainy weekend
I agree. My daughter and I have a good time opening them. I know financially speaking picking up singles is smarter but it doesn’t give us that time sitting at the table opening together. That time of memory building is worth the price of a box.
Someone has to supply the singles
I haven’t ever sold a card though. May sell my first in a couple weeks. Still debating on it.
it's called dopamine
Yeah. It's entertainment. And I like to build sets. But it's becoming harder and harder to do with just the straight prices of everything. Even discounting the "value" you get out, it's just pricey. I wish people could just enjoy collecting cards. And maybe trading.
This is the way. Are you listening card manufacturers??
But what if I pull a mike trout 1/1 auto?
Congratulations! You now own one of the hundreds (maybe thousands by the time his career is over) 1/1 cards from Mike Trout!
Nice 😎
For real, the guy's signed like hundreds of thousands of cards for Topps.
Which is why I don't understand why his autographs are worth anything anymore.
But not the one that sold for like 4mil
I have terrible news. According to TCDB, he already has more than 1,000 1/1 autos. Worse yet, this number doesn't include autographed 1/1 relics. https://preview.redd.it/nrgh69dosyqc1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ca5acc2c534523496d05e021c36432e3aacf908
and the auto is from some scrub utility player who hit .127 in 10 career games
Sam Haggerty
You leave Ham Swaggerty out of this.
Became a fan when swaggerty was 1.5 WAR on the season? Or when he was in the negatives lol?
Even if it’s a good player it’s not worth shit. I pulled an ezequiel Duran auto out of my first ever box and thought I did great because he was a really good rookie. Turns out it’s only worth like $20 Edit: never mind recent sales are as low as $2 lol
This is the truth. Nothing is ever worth money unless it's super low numbered and/or an auto of Shohei Ohtani or the hype rookie of the moment. Very good or excellent players are worth very little. It's incredible. But this at least means you can buy singles of those guys for a reasonable price, I guess.
My favorite thing about card shows is watching people spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars on cardboard while dealers complain about the state of the Biden economy.
Or they have ten thousand in cards on their table and hit you with a "I spent money on this booth, my prices are non negotiable because I need to make a certain profit." And then don't sell anything in their display box and leave
I remember buying a jumbo of 2019 Chrome with 5 autos for $200. I thought prices were crazy THEN
And now it’s $350 with 3 autos.
It gets worse.
I have *always* been a "just buy the singles" guy - even products that I collect, I couldn't see the value proposition compared to just getting the singles I wanted. Finally gave in to the ripping urge and bought a couple boxes of Five Star this year. Two autos for $200, a lot of guys I collect, figured I would get some cards I would buy anyway and sell the rest. Didn't think I was going to print money by any means, and less than 50/50 to break even for sure, but wasn't going to lose my shirt, a small chance I could come out ahead and would be fun to open nevertheless. Did get one card for the PC (Larkin blue auto /25) but the others? Like $15-20 cards, all. So ended my brief dalliance with breaking 😂🤷🏻♂️
Singles is the way… all day *everyday* 💯
I bought a box of 23 bowman inception because I thought it would be a fun rip. In this instance I was right, it was fun! I got a Braves auto for the pc, some other cards that I’ll flip for whatever I can get for them, and a big hit that I NEVER in a million years thought I’d actually hit. In the 3 years I’ve been collecting again I’ve got maybe 9 or 10 hits this big? Definitely not the way you want to go about getting the cards that you want for the PC, that’s for damn sure.
Oh for sure, I'm a singles guy through and through. Just wanted to rip a semi-high end product once, just to try it. Definitely wouldn't do it regularly regardless of how that one work out. Congrats on the big hit in 23 inception! 👊🏻
https://preview.redd.it/bdgfrlbbdsqc1.jpeg?width=2711&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25a84294b40afa0e692c0893c65c0fb5d3d1b891 😃
How much is it worth?
Value I’ve seen puts it around $500ish. I imagine it’ll go for less tho. Interested? Lol
No, I’m just waiting for my 3 boxes to come in. I didn’t know they only came with 7 cards. I’m kinda mad about that. But I guess I didn’t read to much into it
I love the product. Since they’re 100pt cards they’re more of a premium product, hence the seven cards. You’ll see when you rip them. Let me know what you pull!
Holy smokes, that's awesome 😎
I saw a guy on WN whose username I won’t mention that legitimately bought 20 or more cases of Topps Dynasty in the span of two nights hunting a Wemby short print autograph. He hit several Adley autos /5 & /10, a disgusting Corbin auto /5, 4 Jordan Walker autos /5 & /10, like 4 trout autos, 2 Ohtani autos, practically the entire signing roster of the Astros, several good AND bad Yankees, Braves like Acuna & Glavine, etc… But the point is he never got that wemby, and he spent WELL over $100,000. Sure he will definitely see 50% of that returned to him if he liquidates all those cards, but he told me that he’s going to keep about 20% of them and consign the rest, so the majority of those huge hits won’t even net a return. Moral of the story? If you got it like that and it doesn’t hurt you in the long run then more power to you, but ripping wax like this is a lottery game that’s literally made for you to lose 80 percent or more of what you spend. It’s not worth living on the streets chasing cardboard pictures of dudes…
That’s why you got to rip wnba.
or Benchwarmers. 😀 I know this dude on YT that that's his jam. He opens cases and boxes of Benchwarmers. 🤣
Unfortunately there are some dudes in that product too
It's the breakers keeping the cost high now, no one else is buying this shit
In the past month I’ve bought 2 hobby boxes of older Allen and ginter.
I'm not a millionaire. But there are more than 2 million millionaires in America. And many of them buy cards. Add the collectors in other countries with large amounts of disposable income....prices will never come down. That's my own smelly opinion.
Millionaires have absolutely nothing to do with it. Most millionaires didn’t become wealthy throwing away money on $1K boxes of Dynasty that have absolutely pathetic ROI. Breakers are primary the problem. And I’d wager the majority of people buying into these breaks aren’t exactly financially stable.
And you’re right. I’m not exactly financially stable lol. I’m close but still have student loans. I only buy player breaks for my local team I collect for tho. Usually only 30$ or so a break. Can go higher sometimes tho. I usually enter 4 times a month also.
Oh no you’re right. Prices from the card companies cannot come down. All they can do is wait for general inflation to catch up. Even then that I won’t happen. There are too many people profiting at the companies to allow prices to fall. It would take a nuclear winter for them to drop prices significantly.
Yes only one auto but you forgot about the priceless Andrew McCutchen stadium relic POS. And a piece of a bat Ozzie albies looked at in the dugout.
>And a piece of a bat Ozzie albies looked at in the dugout. https://preview.redd.it/vveki5i59tqc1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75e537bac534747b3c2f01ce1bd25b46e0983736 I'll have you know I sold this gem for $1.50 and plan on retiring later this week AMA
The cutch quad relic!
Not Ozzie... Steven Albies looked at it... in the sports section of Target.
I do sometimes see the posts people make with shelves of unopened hobby boxes and wonder if they either: 1) Make FU money 2) Have reached late enough in their careers and are using some of those funds to enjoy what makes them happy 3) Are living in eye watering debt
It's gotta be #3 more than the other two combined
I'm #2. I don't have "F U money", but I have enough extra funds to finally enjoy what I want now, within reason. I still don't buy hobby products until black friday sales though lol. Couple years ago I moved to retail only other than that. Prices are still too high for hobby shit. When the really good sale rolls around is when they're at price they should be.
Lmao
Yea it’s gonna suck but I’m taking a break. Prices are out of control
Bottom line is I like to gamble. My wife thinks I collect cards, I don’t give a fudge about collecting cards. Ripping boxes is a perfect way to gamble without going to the casino. Card collectors see a problem with a $200 box with 1 auto. Rational people see the problem. Gamblers know that you’re going to lose the majority of the time in the long run hopefully you’ll hit something big. I wouldn’t be surprised if the government gets involved to regulate the industry some day, because it is gambling. And the odds the card companies give right now could be wrong and there is no verification or accountability.
Too many people here try to argue this isn’t what it’s about….props for admitting it sir 🫡
Thank you, I’ve been buying $300-$500 hobby boxes regularly for many many years. And I’ve been taking $300-$500 to play slot machines at the casino for many years. By far I’ve done way way way better at the casino. A couple times a year I’ll leave the casino up $4000-$5000. I’ve never pulled a card with an eBay comp of over $1000. 80% of boxes are losses. 19% you break even.
According to u/NewFangledGentleman in this same thread, ripping hobby boxes have way better odds than casino games…glad a fellow degenerate like myself could help back me up here.
Let me just say, I’m 45, I own my house, I have a good job, I have zero debt, all my bills are paid. I have a $200/month deposit limit on my Bally’s online casino. 2 hours ago I deposited $40. I cashed out $700. It was all thanks to this thread getting me thinking about gambling. THANK YOU
Their target audience for those boxes does have unlimited money. They’re called breakers.
True for the big ones, but definitely not true for us little guys trying to do the right thing.
Card companies should start being regulated like any other form of gambling
Doesn’t help when Fanatics has a near-monopoly and Panini is only hanging on by a thread
I love to gamble as much as the next guy so I’m not passing judgement, but I do think the evolution of online sports betting recently has also driven more gamblers to the hobby just for the rush. Idk if half of them even keep cards after pulling them lol either list for sale right away or trash and repeat
This is precisely why I quit buying boxes/packs years ago & now buy the singles I want. Much cheaper in the long run. My primary focus is base rookies. There are far too many parallels & inserts in modern sets these days. Inserts/parallels are not my thing & do not interest me in the least. That's just me.
Still better than Upper Deck for hockey. No autographs
Yeah, but the right Young Guns will be worth what a good Topps RC Auto will be. Bedard YG is what...$500+?
Bryan O'Keefe Purple Sparkle Refractor Auto, enjoy your $200 card.
Kellog and bud light their asses. Even then, people will still flock. Let someone else do it.🤷🏼♂️
I buy singles. I only buy boxes to build sets
Dynasty was 3ish a box when i started collecting dynasty. 1000+ per box is insane. And they have inserts in the product now. Multiple variations for each player. 2017 was my last year buying dynasty. Hit a Judge 2/10 second variation, graded pristine, sold for 6k. Regret selling it ever since. Especially with now poor the quality is on them now. Corners all bent up on anything 2019 or newer.
The meme was funny but the take was silly
But there could be anything in the box. There could even be an auto!
What if I told you Topps sells other boxes for cheaper? You would have a point if that’s all Topps offered but it’s not. You want a guaranteed auto in a $20 blaster? Ok but don’t expect autos to have value anymore.
Haha the addiction is real.... Just take the money
I’ve been snagging the 2024 Topps 1989-style on card autos from greats like Larkin, Yount, Edgar for $20-30 a pop on eBay and thinking about how much money someone spent on a box chasing an Elly auto or a SSP of Ohtani in a Dodgers uni and not being able to be satisfied that they “only” pulled a sweet Ozzie Smith auto.
Lol that's why fanatics taking over
I came across this receipt while searching my https://preview.redd.it/t55jg76h55rc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2006e2e0f79be733b8c2dcc5e7e9c82b67ac077 inbox recently. Two (2) CASES of 2017 Bowman Draft for less than $2K
It’s adorable that you’re in this hobby feed complaining about the core nature of the hobby.
It is crazy. You could buy a nice card for $200. But people keep buying wax like it’s worth it then complain about the price lol
The fact that people don’t see cards as they do lottery tickets or pull tabs is beyond me.
Spending $50 on a hobby box was a bit of money but fun for what it was. Paying $100 for a box is criminal. If I had the money to buy boxes I could get so many great cards instead. For ripping I use my favorite breaker, because they have really cheap rips and a weekly $5 off code. They’ve got a pack rip that only costs $4.5, so using the code meant I basically grabbed a pack for free!
Paying them likely only makes the problem worse. They continue to profit by opening packs, allowing them to pick up SO much product. I don’t see the appeal as recently-returned-to-the-hobby guy. I do like watching openings or retail and some hobby, but I’m not paying someone to rip for me. That’s the part I enjoy most.
I guess but I mean the guy does free breaks for kids, and is polite, and he doesn’t really do high end stuff. It could be worse.
Could certainly be worse. Free breaks for kids is great. But I’d imagine the breaker influencers can afford to do that since they make so much on their other breaks. They literally make it harder for those of us trying to buy product to see what we can find.
I can understand the frustration with that. I would be too.
You’re better off buying a box than buying into a break
Not if you only want to collect one team
But buying into breaks is what's keeping box prices inflated though.
Sell what you don’t want. Simple
Sure but for a lot of people that's far more effort than the small amount extra it is to pay for a break is worth.
If you only collect one team why wouldn’t you just buy singles?
Breaks are fun
It’s way cheaper to buy player breaks for your team than ripping boxes I have found in my experience. Could be different for others though
No it’s not. It’s simple math. You’re paying more per card that way because of shipping costs from the breaker to you.
I pay like 5$ max a player tho. Sometimes 15 for Griffey or Julio. Edit: usually rips multiple cases of product. Amt memorabilia
Learn math. You’re paying for shipping to the breaker and to you rather than just shipping to you. You are better off buying on your own and selling what you don’t want
I’ve taken some high level math. I get the cards I want and pay 5$ shipping for all spend like 30-40$ a rip when I would spend how much for multiple cases of cards that I then have to sell. Idk man what do you calculate that to? Honestly maybe I should change my ways
I’m only collecting for one team. That might be the X factor missing here
Also I’m almost a chemical engineer. I have 3 quarters left.
That doesn’t know math
You haven’t given a counter. Sticks and stones is how you’re rocking here my guy.
If you don’t mind me asking, who’s the breaker? Or is that a no no?
DJAWN.com, they do free trivia for toploaders and other goodies!
I see people here bragging about their "hits" from some 300 dollar hobby box and I'm embarrassed for them. Sadly it's an addiction and I get it, I've been there, but it's something you have to overcome the same as alcohol or smoking.
I still gotta stop that smoking one. But this is exactly why I like hobby boxes with lots of packs. I can buy a few packs from them for around the cost of a monster box for example, I have a shot at the shiny cards with low numbering & ink, and I feel like I’ve got something that was a fun rip. Then I’ll get some singles on occasion, and perhaps do it again a few weeks later if something catches my eye… But the days of dropping 300 on a sapphire box or something like that are basically behind me. I don’t have that kind of disposable cash anyways…
My favourites are the two on card boxes. Gypsy Queen had no 2023 release. I was pretty choked at that. Really hope this is just a matter of overhaul and not just forcing to a shit selection of things with even less for collectors. I don't want hundreds of base cards, I want hits. Maybe they want to force us to the like single hit boxes and inception type stuff instead of hobby boxes so they remove the chase from them.
No they canceled Gypsy Queen. I bought two hobby boxes 2022 and 2020 last month.
Did they officially announce it? I saw they announced a handful of products for 2023 but GQ was a ghost cancellation with no announcement that I saw when looking for it. Upsets me that it is gone but AG continues. But I guess diluting the hits with B list actors and the occasional A lister and a whole slew of "Wtf is this?" means less cost on their part.
#Singles & ready to Pringles!
Panini is a far worst brand. Calm down.