The problem is everyone wants an auto checklist with veterans and stars, but then complain when it costs a lot. It is a lot more expensive to get a veteran/star to sign than rookies. That's why products like National Treasures/Five Star/Exquisite have the veterans and stars in their checklist.
The price difference in cards is from the content. Cardboard is cardboard, you're paying for the checklist.
Having said that, this year's crop has indeed been disappointing. But all the products I look forward to every year (except for Elite) haven't come out yet. I have to wait until Contenders, Certified, Five Star, Supreme, Limited, Topps Chrome, and a few others come out. Those are some of the ones I like every year, and I am pretty excited about Topps Strata as well.
The price difference in cards is from the content. Cardboard is cardboard, you're paying for the checklist.
Having said that, this year's crop has indeed been disappointing. But all the products I look forward to every year (except for Elite) haven't come out yet. I have to wait until Contenders, Certified, Five Star, Supreme, Limited, Topps Chrome, and a few others come out. Those are some of the ones I like every year, and I am pretty excited about Topps Strata as well.