[osujeffrey]

Thanks for taking the time to read:

Recently I started delving into vintage baseball collecting. In conjunction I have started watching Baseball again for the first time since 1999.

I have been following the prices of modern hobby products (focusing on tier 1) and I am amazed at the amount of Amazing high Quality Items that end up on sale days after the product is released.
For example the Topps Tier One has been mind blowing.
- Bat Barrels
- Mantle Cut Autos

I guess my questions are:

- Why buy a box just to sell it? It does not seem to make business sense compared to the ability to either trade for it, buy online, or pick up at LCS or local card show.

- is busting boxes/cases really profitable? It seems like for every Harper/Darvish/or Bat Barrell.. There has to be 50 X that amount of boxes that do not provide hits to recoup money on the open market?

In staring to collect again I bought some great mid range products. I was lucky enough to pull a sweet Mike Trout Auto #d to 50. That said, I did not immediately think resell and turn a profit. Instead, I thought if I pulled a Trout card lets learn about him. So I followed the Spring flop and tenure with the Salt Lake Bee's and now Cheer the Millville sensation every day as he grows in fame.

It seems like the modern hobby is focused on scoring the big jackpot (even if you don't collect him) in order to score a profit?

I just do not see the fun in such a high risk gamble?

Thanks in advance for your input, I am very curious about this.
Respectfully,
Jeff

[magneto2]

Okay a few answers for you. These are based solely on opinion and my own experience. Buying boxes is just like going to a casino. But when you hit a big one at least you have something cool to show for it. I have never bought a full case of anything new. I have sets I put together in the 80's. When I put together those sets I did buy cases. Nowadays I just can't spend 1000 at a time. But I have bought a lot of boxes and pulled some amazing hits. I guess I buy more packs these days and today I was rewarded. I am mostly a prospect collector these days with a smattering of hall of famers for good measure. The set I like most is Bowman Chrome. Love the colors and love seeing all the prospects. Hope that helps.

[osujeffrey]

Actually it does.
And I agree, Bowman Chrome is an amazing product, I bought some as well and feel like I got more bang for my buck getting a variety of cards.
I guess to me collecting is more about reading the back of the card and following careers or researching history.
I have loved starting my Mantle PC, have read two books on him, and appreciate the history of the game more then ever.
Thanks

[magneto2]

Honestly with Bowman Chrome you get stats on the back. Plus alot of cards they put out are first cards of those minor leaguers. I pulled a gold refractor of Albert Almora this year in Bowman Draft of 2010 and he is now a Chicago Cub. Lately I have been slowing down my buying a bit but today I bought a box of Archives and got two on card autos and some nice rookie reprint cards. I also opened a pack of Bowman Jumbo and pulled an auto of Brandon Jacobs. Plus two autos out of 5 packs of football cards! Mind you two different ones. This hobby is not for kids anymore but there is room for them too and I am teaching my 4 yr old son about it everyday.

[rjcj2017]

Whenever someone mentions the magic words "Bowman Chrome," it forces me to bust out this beauty I pulled out of a blaster at Target (!) last November. Enjoy!





It's a refractor, numbered 341/500.

[petillo64]

Nice Target Pull!