DadManTrading
OZCT Supporter
After recently getting back into the game in relation to Trading Cards, after not even realistically looking at one since the late 90's, through a friends breaking group I found these OZCT Forums and from there a host of places I could buy whole boxes - and bonus if they had a payment system where we could order the whole box and pay it off in instalments that were still smaller than buying into the box breaks with the added bonus of being able to keep ALL the cards.
The box was purchased from EJ Cards - and despite it being the week before Christmas remarkably it all came the next business day, so awesome work (and prices) to the team there.
I have to admit for a Christmas present the excitement was real when the wife finally allowed me to start slicing into it - 40 cards per pack / 10 packs in the box. 4 Guaranteed Autographs.
First Impressions
Knowing you are about to slice open 10-packs consisting of a massive 40 cards per pack you knew that you were going to get A LOT of base cards. Honestly not knowing a lot about American Sports - I was a sports journalist for a decade but was heavily invested in and around the Australian sporting landscape, you knew the names you knew the Big Stories, but really you kind of skimmed-thumbed through all of the Base cards looking to get into the Rookie/Inserts and discovering if this is one of the packs that contained an Auto.
This is not a blight on the packs or the cards themselves - I brought in understanding what I was getting into - I am being honest and putting things across from my point. In saying that obviously seeing Eli Manning, Tom Brady, Dan Marino - all players that at some point in my life I have played as/with on Madden brought a little bit of nostalgia to going through, unfortunately as I said not being too aware of the in's and out's of the NFL was my undoing here, my bad and made this part kind of a "whoever he is," type of repetitiveness.
Overall from the base cards throughout this entire box I have to say that remarkably I was lucky - absolutely ZERO doubles. Meaning although not obtaining the complete base there are few gaps.
Inserts Etc.
Obviously opening the entire box you are keen to see which inserts and special additional cards you get. My inexperience in cards comes into play here (as you will see) but I am learning and future box openings I promise I will be a little more knowledgeable with what I am talking about.
Through the Inserts I received:
- 5 x Breakthrough Cards (Cam Akers, Trey Lance, Travis Etienne Jr, Ja'marr Chase & Zach Wilson).
- 6 x Toe the Line (Davante Adams, Marquise Brown, Diontae Johnson, Ja'marr Chase, Stefon Diggs & CeeDee Lamb).
- 7 x Draft Rookie Cards (Matt Corral, Desmond Ridder, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Jahan Dotson, Kenneth Walker III, Isaiah Spiller & Jalen Tolbert).
- 7 x Scorecard Cards -- insert my cluelessness. Basically look Base card with silver/grey border.
- 5 x Hot Rookies (Sam Howell, Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, Treylon Burks &Jalen Wydermyer).
- 7 x Squad Cards (Packers,. Jaguars, Colts, Browns, Chiefs, Bills, & 49ers).
- 6 x Fantasy Stars Cards (Weeks 1, 2, 6, 14, 15 & 18)
Now lets get to the Hits of the Box.
Tip for Newbies if you come here in years to come... it says on the card Artist's Proof so if you take a moment to actually look at the card you will save yourself a lot of internet searches.
Which makes you think I'd learn my lesson. It was not until about two-hours later when I showed my wife she asked what the numbers were. I told her the stats - she then said she meant the other numbers. So once again any potential Newbies in the future pay attention to my previous tip - take a moment to actually look at the card.
This was my first ever numbered card, from a box, from a pack from breaks anywhere so was pretty exciting to see.
My other hits included
Melvin Gordon III Gold Zone #43/50
Now, just my personal opinion. To me if you cannot get an early/EARLY numbered card I prefer to get a late one. Kind of a 'You got the last one' type of thing and so receiving a 35/35 (Fantasy Stars) and 10/10 Drummond was okay since I missed early numbers. Each to their own really
The Autographs
I posted earlier my autographs I received, that was prior to this overall box break report. But will recap them here.
Charleston Rambo RC
Quandre Diggs
Brandon Smith RC
Kirk Cousins
Overall
Overall I am pretty happy with my haul. I don't know whether it is the excitement of having a hobby box and getting all of the cards from it? Unfortunately after discussions with the wife (cant afford to collect both apparently, I did offer to sell one of the kids) due to understanding, knowing more about the NBA all of these will eventually be sold/traded (hopefully) in an effort to fund NBA Boxes.
