Sports Cards Mania

JoePoulson · Feb 24, 2023

Just dropped off the shipment to PSA at the post office! Always tough handing over a box with $5K worth of cards, but that's what insurance is for I suppose. I'll post pics soon of what I sent so we can all play Guess the Grades. I've never sent anything to PSA before, so wanting to say I've done it, mixed with some speculation and wanting some personal items graded is what's fueling this venture.

NJ_Sox_Fan · Feb 24, 2023

Fishercat said:
Manny Ramirez Auto + Color Match + Jersey #, isn't gonna get much sweeter than that.

Yeah, now I need to buy myself one of these

DJnVa · Feb 24, 2023

Ordered some things from Topps. Man, they operate like a mom and pop shop sometimes.

First, it took like 3 weeks to get item shipped. Then they give me what they said was a UPS tracking number. No, it's USPS. Then, yesterday, the item makes it to my town (Virginia Beach) so I'm anticipating that sweet "out for delivery" update. Nope. Now it's in Charlotte.

I know the USPS delivery things aren't Topps, but still. Sheesh. This is the second order that just seems to have way too much drama.

Kenny F'ing Powers · Feb 24, 2023

Oh, Panini...

Why do we trust these fucking shitty companies?

Guy removed a Hopkins patch, back has the patch designated for some shitty WR the Cardinals drafted.

Petagine in a Bottle · Feb 24, 2023

“The enclosed officially licensed material is not associated with any specific player, game, or event”.

JoePoulson · Feb 24, 2023

Man. It sucks so bad reading these stories. I love this hobby but hate what its become sometimes.

Comfortably Lomb · Feb 24, 2023

That is a weird card. I'm not a football guy but I'm assuming the idea is Hopkins is a star who is fast relative to other WR. So they make this "burners" card with a speedometer in km/h for a game that famously measures things in yards. English units of length measurement. But alright, we're going with km/hr as if most football fans have an idea of what those are. And they use a speedometer that shows 0-80, which kind of makes him slow relative to the gauge. It's just not very good design.

Fishercat · Feb 24, 2023

Like...I get it. The odds of Panini producing any Andy Isabella cards ever again, nevermind with a jersey patch, is minimal. It's the same team jersey. But like, if you can't even put the right player relic in the jersey or get Hopkins to throw on a Cards jersey while picking up Starbucks, why even make the relic card?

I'm sure we all have cards of that provenance in our collection sadly.

JoePoulson · Feb 24, 2023

This could be super-cool, considering his photography skills:

Speaking of baseball card lines, has anyone opened any Ben Baller Topps? Some of those cards are pretty cool looking with nice on-card autos.

LoweTek · Feb 24, 2023

Wasn't RJ left handed? He sits in a glove for a right hander.. Details people!

staz · Feb 25, 2023

Signs of 2023 Heritage are showing up:

Edit: 'DL' is a pretty tough name for a pitcher

heavyde050 · Feb 25, 2023

I am looking to sell some of my cards. I would love to know the best way to go about this. I don't know if I really want to send them all in to PSA, but would appreciate any advice on getting started on the process. I have a RPA Herbert I would like to sell as well as a Bobby Witt Jr auto.

Kenny F'ing Powers · Feb 25, 2023

heavyde050 said:
I am looking to sell some of my cards. I would love to know the best way to go about this. I don't know if I really want to send them all in to PSA, but would appreciate any advice on getting started on the process. I have a RPA Herbert I would like to sell as well as a Bobby Witt Jr auto.

It's basically only ebay or sports cards facebook groups.

Oil Can Dan · Feb 25, 2023

The 80’s were the Junk Wax era. What’ll this one be called?

View: https://twitter.com/ericwhiteback/status/1629639516326592512?s=46&t=z8y5BuXEKTNz_xSsl7kfoQ

runnels3 · Feb 26, 2023

runnels3 · Feb 26, 2023

Fishercat · Feb 27, 2023

Chrome Sonic is killing me. OK, Topps Chrome as an overall product in 2022 was a disaster. The flagship Topps Chrome release had the missing SP disaster. Topps Chrome Update was brutal odds wise and in terms of subject hits. Now Sonic is out and I think this one hurts the most because it could be really neat. The new refractors look great to me - funky style, cool colors, etc. The Youthquake and Expose inserts are great 90s throwback style cards and while autos are nearly impossible to hit, they're cool enough to be nice chases - and with the Goldschmidt/Judge buybacks still alive it can actually make some decent immediate return if you have a store still giving credit. I'd love this as a low-end chrome product...if only they didn't print so much of it that the cool things they did will almost never be seen by the buyer. One numbered refractor per box and it's not even guaranteed to be a sonic, the short prints are still short prints so finding a Julio/Witt is hugely unlikely (I saw several cases opened without a sniff of their base cards - only the Youthquakes). Like double the serial numbers and guarantee a sonic refractor in each box at least. Topps can't get out of their way.

DanoooME · Feb 27, 2023

I don't understand why card companies don't short print the commons instead of stars. Then the set & team collectors get something to work for and everyone else is happy not getting a series of Jon Berti, Allan Robinson and Ricky Rubio cards. I realize it's a lot easier for the NBA or NHL to do this than MLB or NFL because of roster sizes but someone should at least try it.

JoePoulson · Feb 27, 2023

I think that's a cool idea and with eleventy billion sets out anyway, I'm surprised it's not something done more often (if at all).

(edited and started a new thread)

Fishercat · Feb 28, 2023

DanoooME said:
I don't understand why card companies don't short print the commons instead of stars. Then the set & team collectors get something to work for and everyone else is happy not getting a series of Jon Berti, Allan Robinson and Ricky Rubio cards. I realize it's a lot easier for the NBA or NHL to do this than MLB or NFL because of roster sizes but someone should at least try it.

I think Fanatics/Topps was testing this a tiny bit with Topps Series 1 with the SSPs for every player to see what the overall demand would be, and in some products (Heritage and A&G) they do this today with many of the shortprints being deep roster vets, retired players who aren't legends. With that said, I do feel like they might deliberately print less of the bigger names even if they're not official SPs, or put them in some formats more often than others.

Unrelated, I know 2023 Topps has taken over the narrative, and under no scenario should you buy wax of this at the insane re-sale prices it's at, but I'm super impressed with the Topps Gilded Collection cards I've seen. No/minimal QA issues, the base design looks really nice (if a bit same samey), and the framed legend autos are a bit like Transcendent - just really nice cards all the way around. I wish they could give that kind of treatment to the other sets.

And in other news...

View: https://twitter.com/SportsCollector/status/1630594799161024515?s=20

Sports Collectors Daily

@SportsCollector

From the Topps Industry Conference---Tom Brady will be featured this year on Bowman Baseball cards (Brady was a 1995 Expos draft pick out of HS)--and yes, there will be autographed versions. #ToppsConference

JoePoulson · Feb 28, 2023

Whelp I bet that one will be cheap! Is there a release date for that product yet? Certainly will be interested in that card like literally everyone else.

JoePoulson · Feb 28, 2023

Just saw that Topps will not be bringing these back in 2023:

Trimming product is good but I'm def disappointed about Clearly Authentic. Their 1956 tributes were presumably due up next and I was gonna be all over those. I'm like 10 away from the full set of the 1955s.

Petagine in a Bottle · Feb 28, 2023

Bummer on clearly authentic. Fire was absolute garbage, good riddance.

Fishercat · Mar 1, 2023

I think that's a reasonable sign at how Fanatics is looking at all of this - a hardish pivot towards the higher end buyer. At least six of the products represented a bit of an entry level for some form of colllector. Gallery and Fire were retail focused product (at the very least Fire sold way faster than most other options at my Target), Opening Day was the cheapest and most kid-friendly product they had, and Gold Label and Clearly Authentic represented the cheaper options for guaranteeing an autographed card in the hobby realm. First Edition and Chrome X are the main exceptions to this though maybe that's just trimming. But five unique sets going that served as that entry level tells me Fanatics is probably going to continue reducing the emphasis or importance of retail product. Also of note is that at least four of those aren't great breaking product, which also suggests a bit of a push that way, and Clearly Authentic is tough in that realm too.

I feel like we're going to get some major overhaul of retail as part of this between Topps Odds and this product reduction. I've always found it a bit weird that Topps put products like Heritage, Archives, and A&G at retail over other things, so maybe that will be a change.

Fishercat · Mar 1, 2023

Also, since I suck at images, I had a few recent pickups and pulls I really liked. It kills me that Sox color matches are out of /5 in a lot of Topps stuff so...base it is

View: https://imgur.com/gallery/4bZY0hI

JoePoulson · Mar 1, 2023

LOVE that Pedey! Eck has an awesome signature, too. I feel your pain on the Sox color match, I have purchased only a couple 2023 Topps Series 1 cards so far and the red border ones are perfect but yea.

Fishercat · Mar 1, 2023

JoePoulson said:
LOVE that Pedey! Eck has an awesome signature, too. I feel your pain on the Sox color match, I have purchased only a couple 2023 Topps Series 1 cards so far and the red border ones are perfect but yea.

The Sox have a couple great Finest autos in the Moments subseries this year.. The Carlton Fisk one is particularly great but the one seller of the /5 on Ebay has it at $250 or Best Offer and...well I find a suitable alternative for a price more in my world. When it gets here I'll post it and it's your fault for posting the Manny. I'm very glad Eck signs a ton because it keeps his prices reasonable, it's a beautiful autograph.

JoePoulson · Mar 1, 2023

I am glad to positively contribute to your habit! I can't wait to see all of those cards, post em as soon as you can.

Have you guys seen this beauty? This isn't my card unfortunately, but I am unsure there is any other Trout auto I'd want:

Tim Salmon · Mar 1, 2023

JoePoulson said:
I am glad to positively contribute to your habit! I can't wait to see all of those cards, post em as soon as you can.

Have you guys seen this beauty? This isn't my card unfortunately, but I am unsure there is any other Trout auto I'd want:

I just sold the blue-ink version of this card to subsidize my Archives habit. But I eventually hope to track down one of these red inks to keep and display.

YTF · Mar 1, 2023

I didn't want to post this in either of the card break threads as I didn't think it belonged. Inspired by them and need for some cheap nostalgia I picked up a 1988 Donruss, "junk era" wax box for the tidy some of $18.00 including postage. The very first pack brought a smile as I scored both Sam Horn AND Al Nipper.

JoePoulson · Mar 1, 2023

Haha that is brilliant!

Edited to say this got me thinking...I wonder how much a full PSA 10 set of 88 Donruss would cost? Basically the cost of grading the cards only??

Ale Xander · Mar 1, 2023

YTF said:
I didn't want to post this in either of the card break threads as I didn't think it belonged. Inspired by them and need for some cheap nostalgia I picked up a 1988 Donruss, "junk era" wax box for the tidy some of $18.00 including postage. The very first pack brought a smile as I scored both Sam Horn AND Al Nipper.

I got one of those at a show for $10 (so about what you paid since no shipping) 2 years ago and it was fun as hell but man are those centering issues plentiful so be forewarned on the next 35 packs.

Ale Xander · Mar 1, 2023

JoePoulson said:
Haha that is brilliant!

Edited to say this got me thinking...I wonder how much a full PSA 10 set of 88 Donruss would cost? Basically the cost of grading the cards only??

Odds of getting those centered to get a 10 would take probably 7-8 sets

djbayko · Mar 1, 2023

Ale Xander said:
I got one of those at a show for $10 (so about what you paid since no shipping) 2 years ago and it was fun as hell but man are those centering issues plentiful so be forewarned on the next 35 packs.

80s/90s Donruss always had the worst centering. Also, paper thin card stock and usually dark colored borders leading to lots of white chips around the edges. They put the junk in "junk era". We won't even get into how they purposely manufactured eleventy billion "error" cards at the height of the error card craze.

Fishercat · Mar 2, 2023

A&G Chrome is on the Topps site. I usually like the product - the autos being a case hit are rough but make them hold great value if they get lucky and usually the cards look very nice.

Bowman Inception also looks like its hitting shelves fairly shortly (my preferred breaker has a bunch up - someone got to the Sox before me so I'm sitting out) - great looking cards if a bit loud and it looks like two autos per box this year instead of one which makes it more palatable. Sox in the product are Binelas, Bello, Blaze, Mayer, and McDonough with Blaze and Mayer having insert hits. With that said, we shouldn't be too shocked if there's a lot more Binelas and McDonough than Bello and Mayer...and that would track for other teams.

JoePoulson · Mar 2, 2023

Wow that's a lot of Sox autos, can't wait to see some of them pop up.

I snagged this the other day, I had to. It makes me irrationally happy and he now watches over us at work and inspires us. It's actually a super-cool card that reflects all kinds of neat colors in the light:

JoePoulson · Mar 2, 2023

I just won the David Ortiz slot with a trusted breaker for two cases of Jumbo (18 boxes) 2023 Topps Series 1 for $5.50 or something. C'mon gimmie that black border auto!! Went ahead and bid on Nomar and Boggs too, see what happens.

Deathofthebambino · Mar 2, 2023

JoePoulson said:
I just won the David Ortiz slot with a trusted breaker for two cases of Jumbo (18 boxes) 2023 Topps Series 1 for $5.50 or something. C'mon gimmie that black border auto!! Went ahead and bid on Nomar and Boggs too, see what happens.

Good luck, post the link when that break goes live, I'll watch and root for you. Who is the breaker?

JoePoulson · Mar 3, 2023

Looks like the break will be at 12 PM Central on Friday. Their name is Chomps Live Breaks, they're a small operation out of Arkansas that I found a while back.II've gotten some decently priced break slots from them over the last couple years and they seem nice and reliable enough. Anyway here's the Papi auction I won:

2 cases 2023 Topps Jumbo Papi

Looks like it shows 1 hobby and one 1 jumbo on the picture but it's double jumbo. I also won the Papi slot for the previous break which was a 1 hobby/1 jumbo combo (that was today I believe, unsure of results but I had Papi, Boggs, Nomar). I also have Boggs for the double jumbo on Friday.

Ale Xander · Mar 3, 2023

Good god I don’t think I’ve wanted a common so much as that Papi 88 design on the 23

JoePoulson · Mar 3, 2023

Send me your address and I'll ship you some from my breaks.

JoePoulson · Mar 3, 2023

How much is Bowman Transcendent?? Crazy hits from this case:

Bowman Transcendent

Ruth 1/1 cut sig

JRod Superfractor

Fishercat · Mar 3, 2023

A Bowman Transcdendent Case is about a 20k-25k product I believe. Like, that stuffs in there and it makes sense but like we're talking new car cash here. Some incredible stuff can be in there though you need to hit BIG to really make it worth it.

Edit: Fun singles product to buy once they hit auction though. Framed autos on good designs, I think pretty much always on card, and honestly not at that much more of a premium than other similar autos for a player.

LogansDad · Mar 3, 2023

Oh my god. I would sell my kids for the J-Rod.

I want to say Transcendent is $10K+ a case. It's really, really high level stuff, and watching breaks on it is an absolute blast.

Fishercat · Mar 3, 2023

JoePoulson said:
Wow that's a lot of Sox autos, can't wait to see some of them pop up.

I snagged this the other day, I had to. It makes me irrationally happy and he now watches over us at work and inspires us. It's actually a super-cool card that reflects all kinds of neat colors in the light:

That Macho Man is sick.

I saw some of the Bowman today, it's loud but it has charm and a lot of good names in it.

I was kicking myself for missing the Sox in one that had a Meyer relic auto and Blaze auto in it (Got the first choice and tried to hit the big one) but I ended up getting the Sox in a drafted break and hit a Bello which I'm very excited to get in.

JoePoulson · Mar 4, 2023

Cool!! And yea too bad about the Meyer and Blaze. I am still looking for my first Meyer anything, but like usual I get so put off by the prices. I don't have any issuss blowing all my cash on David Ortiz (and boys, I have) but when it comes to prospects I struggle with all that.

Need to see that Bello once you get it!

JoePoulson · Mar 4, 2023

(apologizes for blowing up these threads lately, just been having a ton of fun and I don't have a lot of real-life folks to share it all with!)

I don't have many 2023 Topps Series 1 cards and don't plan on getting a whole lot, but this one was the first:

There's an autographed version, but unfortunately it's a sticker so I'll be passing. I also got this little photo box in a couple days ago and naturally used it first on that Pedro:

Was recommended on Reddit, and was only like $14 shipped. Pretty fun so far and will certainly help with card photography.

LogansDad · Mar 4, 2023

Fishercat said:
That Macho Man is sick.

I saw some of the Bowman today, it's loud but it has charm and a lot of good names in it.

I was kicking myself for missing the Sox in one that had a Meyer relic auto and Blaze auto in it (Got the first choice and tried to hit the big one) but I ended up getting the Sox in a drafted break and hit a Bello which I'm very excited to get in.

Ooh, looking forward to seeing the Bello. I hit on his 1st Bowman auto last season, it's a pretty nice card. His auto is... large.

runnels3 · Mar 5, 2023

Did a double take on that Pedro - looks like the flying hair under the cap look a la Manny/Eck.

opes · Mar 5, 2023

No, everybody keep en coming I want to see the sick ones

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