[kcmabe123]

Hello everyone! I am trying to get back into the baseball card hobby I once had as a kid. I would like to purchase some hobby boxes and I am willing to spend $100-$200. Does anyone have any advice?

[ricelynnevans75]

Check out Blowout Cards, Dave and Adams, Atlanta Sportscards, Charm City Cards. I'm sure other people could give some other ideas as well. Shop around and compare prices as well as make sure you actually know what you're buying, don't just buy something because someone says it's a good idea.

[kcmabe123]

Check out Blowout Cards, Dave and Adams, Atlanta Sportscards, Charm City Cards. I'm sure other people could give some other ideas as well. Shop around and compare prices as well as make sure you actually know what you're buying, don't just buy something because someone says it's a good idea.

Thanks! I was also wondering what type of hobby box I should buy..

[ricelynnevans75]

Again, that's up to you and your preferences. What are you looking for out of a box? Are you a set builder, "hit" chaser, prospector, or someone who just likes to open packs and have a good time with it?

[aktlingit]

Thanks! I was also wondering what type of hobby box I should buy..

Depends on what you're after. Collecting has changed so much since you were a kid (unless that was only like 3 years ago lol)

Do you want to collect specific players/teams? Go prospecting for big hits and eBay material? Complete sets? Everyone's wants and opinions vary but here are my thoughts on some of the sets to get you going:

• Low End Sets
  
  • Bowman & Bowman Chrome - current players and rookies, nice autos. Lots of good hits that sell well.
    
  • Bowman Draft - rookies, prospects, and draft picks. Also a lot of nice autos but sometimes the payoff, if you're looking for stuff to sell, is a couple years later.
    
  • Topps - the standard, base series with lots of inserts. Hits are so-so. This is the earliest set released each year so it gets the blood flowing and addiction growing per se
    
  • Topps Chrome - nice rendition of the base series. Ooh shiny.
    
  • Donruss Elite Extra Edition - non licensed so if you're a stickler for uniforms having team logos no joy. But lots of autos and a good collection of prospects.
    
• Mid Range Sets
  
  • Bowman Platinum - Usually nice looking, some good hits, lots of parallels.
    
  • Topps Heritage - Current players on old style card designs. I haven't been a big fan but a lot of collectors really like it.
    
  • Allen and Ginter - Not a traditional baseball card set as the inserts are things like minis of dog breeds, battleships, etc. Base set also includes non baseball players, sometimes golfers, wrestlers, announcers.
    
• High End - in general more risk, but you can score some great hits
  
  • Bowman Sterling - Usually very pretty cards, good hits. This years set I got gipped big time but the cards are still very nice lol
    
  • Topps Tribute - Similar to Sterling, some people have great luck, some people always get gipped. I did well last year.
    
  • Prizm - this will be the first year, coming out in like a month I believe it is. The basketball and football cards are nice and are doing very well on eBay.
    

[kcmabe123]

More so after hits, but opening up a pack and having fun with it to! Thanks everyone, this is all great advice.

[friedmana27]

i like 2007 bowmans best its kindov a hit and miss box but you get 12 autos plus rookies and inserts. on big ts sports cards you can get it for about $130

[uvaspina]

Depends on what you're after. Collecting has changed so much since you were a kid (unless that was only like 3 years ago lol)

Do you want to collect specific players/teams? Go prospecting for big hits and eBay material? Complete sets? Everyone's wants and opinions vary but here are my thoughts on some of the sets to get you going:

• Low End Sets
  
  • Bowman & Bowman Chrome - current players and rookies, nice autos. Lots of good hits that sell well.
    
  • Bowman Draft - rookies, prospects, and draft picks. Also a lot of nice autos but sometimes the payoff, if you're looking for stuff to sell, is a couple years later.
    
  • Topps - the standard, base series with lots of inserts. Hits are so-so. This is the earliest set released each year so it gets the blood flowing and addiction growing per se
    
  • Topps Chrome - nice rendition of the base series. Ooh shiny.
    
  • Donruss Elite Extra Edition - non licensed so if you're a stickler for uniforms having team logos no joy. But lots of autos and a good collection of prospects.
    
• Mid Range Sets
  
  • Bowman Platinum - Usually nice looking, some good hits, lots of parallels.
    
  • Topps Heritage - Current players on old style card designs. I haven't been a big fan but a lot of collectors really like it.
    
  • Allen and Ginter - Not a traditional baseball card set as the inserts are things like minis of dog breeds, battleships, etc. Base set also includes non baseball players, sometimes golfers, wrestlers, announcers.
    
• High End - in general more risk, but you can score some great hits
  
  • Bowman Sterling - Usually very pretty cards, good hits. This years set I got gipped big time but the cards are still very nice lol
    
  • Topps Tribute - Similar to Sterling, some people have great luck, some people always get gipped. I did well last year.
    
  • Prizm - this will be the first year, coming out in like a month I believe it is. The basketball and football cards are nice and are doing very well on eBay.
    

This is a great overview. There are a couple other mid/high-end products to consider, like Gypsy Queen, Archives, Triple Threads and 5-Star (ultra-high-end).

I was in your position a couple years ago. It sounds like you want to bust some new boxes to get back in to collecting. From there, I'm sure you'll figure out some collecting goals/preferences. For starters, I'd recommend buying a Jumbo box of 2013 Topps (flagship) or Bowman (which will be released soon). After that, maybe get some 2012 Topps Chrome or 2012 A&G. Both are popular sets, as is Heritage. (Heritage is a favorite of set-builders because there's a decent sized base collection, plus attainable short-print cards, and a lot of inserts).

[nyyankeesfan28]

This is a great overview. There are a couple other mid/high-end products to consider, like Gypsy Queen, Archives, Triple Threads and 5-Star (ultra-high-end).

I was in your position a couple years ago. It sounds like you want to bust some new boxes to get back in to collecting. From there, I'm sure you'll figure out some collecting goals/preferences. For starters, I'd recommend buying a Jumbo box of 2013 Topps (flagship) or Bowman (which will be released soon). After that, maybe get some 2012 Topps Chrome or 2012 A&G. Both are popular sets, as is Heritage. (Heritage is a favorite of set-builders because there's a decent sized base collection, plus attainable short-print cards, and a lot of inserts).

Agreed.