[thestyleLIV]

I'm sure this is a very common question, but a half-assed search attempt didn't turn up much.

Topps and Upper Deck were still making football cards when I was collecting, so I don't really know the state of the hobby these days. Does anyone have any suggestions on a box to break to get started again? Something in the $100-250 range. What are the more prestigious Topps Chrome, SP Authentic-esque base rookie sets? 

Things I Like: professional uniforms, on-card autos, popular base rookie sets, kool inserts, classic looking designs
Things I Don't Like: college uniforms, jersey cards, insane amounts of serial numbered parallels (gold /100!, silver /200!, platinum /500! platinum bronze xfractor /25!, etc!)

Thank you for any help.

[rjcj2017]

Welcome back!

At the moment, unfortunately, your only option for NFL licensed cards is Panini.

I say "unfortunately" because many of the things you like (jersey/auto cards) are issued as redemptions in their very, very overpriced boxes.

Their redemption process is a mess, sometimes taking YEARS to receive the cards, and their customer service department almost never responds to phone calls, emails or even automated/submitted requests on their own website.

You're probably much better off just buying the single cards you like on eBay or other auction sites.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[thestyleLIV]

Welcome back!

At the moment, unfortunately, your only option for NFL licensed cards is Panini.

I say "unfortunately" because many of the things you like (jersey/auto cards) are issued as redemptions in their very, very overpriced boxes.

Their redemption process is a mess, sometimes taking YEARS to receive the cards, and their customer service department almost never responds to phone calls, emails or even automated/submitted requests on their own website.

You're probably much better off just buying the single cards you like on eBay or other auction sites.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Well that sure stinks out loud. Thank you for the reply though!

[rjcj2017]

And I'm honestly not being sarcastic ... they are really lame ... too many numbered parallels (like 20+ per set) and I'm not aware of any hobby box of theirs that would fit your price range.

(Mine either. The days of the $100 hobby box are loooooooong gone.)

I'm primarily a football and basketball collector and am completely at their mercy if I want licensed cards in those sports.

Example ... NBA Hoops just went live a couple of weeks ago, with retail (online only) just coming in last week.

It's basically like Topps' flagship baseball set, as it is the first product of the season to show the rookies in their NBA uniforms.

Trouble is, they didn't release it until halfway through the season.

Halfway.

That would be like Topps Baseball Series 1 not coming out until the end of June ... could you imagine the uproar among baseball collectors?

It's too bad, because at one time, when they first came out, they were really, really good as far as affordable cards and great customer service.

Case in point - there used to be these "mixers" of random basketball packs at Target way back in the day, I bought them all the time.

One had a single pack of 2010-11 Donruss basketball, and inside the pack there was a redemption card for a Kobe Bryant auto.

As awesome as that was, I was bummed because the redemption had expired according to the listed date range on the card.

Still, I contacted Panini just to see if there was anything they could do, and not only did they honor the redemption, I had the actual card in my possession a week later!

Original thread ...

https://www.beckett.com/forums/thread-1530877.html

But then something shifted over the winter of 2019 and the advent of COVID in 2020 ... the Doosh Bag Network started buying up pretty much all retail cards for some reason, harassing and stalking card vendors and selling them online for vastly marked-up prices.

Panini followed suit, listing its hobby boxes on its own website for astronomical prices, while simultaneously dive-bombing its own efforts at customer service.

It's been that way ever since, sadly.

[ZSDOne]

The only boxes you can buy that guarantees on card autos in that price range come from Leaf and Sage - they are player licensed cards, so no logos. But they have a large number of autos per box and you can get their boxes around $100.

Another great option for on card autos at a good price (well under $100 a box) is Onyx - again, they are player licensed, so no logos - but they have some nice looking on card autos and you can get multiple boxes with multiple autos for $250.

I don't think Panini has a single product that has on card autos (and isn't loaded with parallels) at under $250. Legacy is pretty decent from them, but it's sticker autos and the rookies are college uniform. Base Score is also able to be had at under $200, but again, the rookies are in college uniform. Actually, Chronicles Draft Picks does have a chance at On Card Autos at under $250 - but its Draft Picks so college uniform - and it's by no means a guarantee you get an on card auto

[Speak917]

Base Score is also able to be had at under $200, but again, the rookies are in college uniform.

Not entirely true about Score.  They have rookies in their pro uni's and college uni's (draft inserts).  I got Paninied with my box of only getting 3 autos out of the 4 that were supposed to be in there.  

I did get a Jeremy Ruckert auto out of score, and he was in his Jets uni.

   

[rjcj2017]

Not entirely true about Score.  They have rookies in their pro uni's and college uni's (draft inserts).  I got Paninied with my box of only getting 3 autos out of the 4 that were supposed to be in there.  

I did get a Jeremy Ruckert auto out of score, and he was in his Jets uni.

"I got Paninied"

LOL

I remember back in the day, I could find retail rookie cards from Topps, Topps Chrome, Topps Platinum, Bowman, Upper Deck, Upper Deck MVP, Fleer, Fleer Ultra, and Score, to name just some off the top of my head.

This year I've found two affordable options - Score and Absolute.

The prices versus the odds for Elite make it very difficult to buy in any decent quantity, and I just assume the DBN have gobbled up anything else (Mosaic? Is that out yet?)