Card Prices

[Flavzz]

The following is just a bit of me bitching about stuff about the hobby i find frustrating and if you want to read it then go for it!!

Is it just me or is buying boxes ridiculously expensive these days? The reason I say this is more directed at top end products such as UD trilogy and above where you are paying $300 or more a box. Saying that though it does apply to lower and mid end sets also.

People that have even a chance of getting their money back on these products would have to fall in the 5-10% and under mark. In reality only the star player autos and limited patches are worth money in resale and the price of a box for what you get isnt even close to a resale of the cards it contains on average.

Let me state also that the reason for collecting(or at least mine) is not all about the money. But the point im trying to make is that UD, Topps etc are supposedly providing us with products that are value for money and besides a small minority of hot boxes I dont believe they are doing this.

Just for example on average for a low-mid end box containing an auto (and I use the term autos loosely considering the players you get in lower end sets in majority) are $70-$100 for per box. You get maybe 3-5 GU depending on the set and then 100-150 base cards which can be had for 10-30 cents each. Obviously you dont expect to get your money back but you do want VALUE in terms of the better players in the NBA.

Reading through the live box breaks and through my personal experiences the majority of breaks end in failure and the only reason for continuing to buy boxes is for the glimmer of hope that always seems to exist in the next box coming from the postman..

If i had to sum it up in a sentance. UD exquisite 05/06 @$1049.95. For five pieces of cardboard!! Thats $200 a card!! one of which probably a base card worth maybe $10-$20

Just my 2 cents worth but I just dont think the value is there any more. PS I still love the hobby and I continue to buy boxes and cant get enough!!

Let me know your thoughts, cheers guys,

Flavzz

 

[chadjaja]

Welcome to the boards mate.

Busting boxes is more about the gamble and potential of what you can actually pull rather than breaking even in every box. Someone out there has to pull the Jordan or Bron auto. Those guys aren't complaining. With some like SP just the amount of guys in the auto and gu subsets works against you. For the most part you will get the stuff you have the right to pull but player selection on box pulls counts now for more than any other time in the hobby.

If no one busted boxes there wouldn't be any singles ;-)

Unfortunately the lower end of the market or retail versions arn't worth picking up either for the most part. Great to bust but even worse bang for the buck really.

Some hit the jackpot. Others don't. But they will keep coming back.

 

[Flavzz]

true man but how many people pull bron or MJ autos.. I work in a casino and I know all about gambling and getting good value cards from boxes is almost worse than spending 5 minutes on a blackjack table

I do agree with you though about the amount of players in the auto sets and someone has to pull the 'average' players

I guess what im trying to say is that 80-90% of the time you dont always feel satisfied with the break and value for money should leave you satisfied dont you think?

 

[JZA]

Let me state also that the reason for collecting(or at least mine) is not all about the money. But the point im trying to make is that UD, Topps etc are supposedly providing us with products that are value for money and besides a small minority of hot boxes I dont believe they are doing this.

where did you get that crazy notion?

if they gave us value for money, they wouldnt be making the huge profits that they are. i agree that value for money boxes are getting very few and far between these days, i stay the hell away from new products like trilogy... even if you pull a bron auto (ie. 1:10,000 shot) its only making you a tiny profit on the box, so whats the attraction when the big pulls arent that big anymore. about $80 should be the price of trilogy, $120 for ultimate, maybe $500 for exquisite...but UD sets the prices ridiculously high cos they know demand is high...schmucks will eagerly pay thousands for 5 bits of cardboard.

 

[justdabestcards]

Re a majority of boxes yielding poor prices -
I think you have to blame the masses of people who break these expensive boxes and then list the autos on ebay for 0.99c with no reserve, which sees many sell for $5 or less. This can be devastating if you've just spent $100 on a box to get an auto which sold for $5.
That said I also love breaking a box and have busted a few 05-06 products with the hope of pulling a Bogut autograph, but never have. Thats why I'm not complaining about the buying the $10-$20 Bogut autos available on ebay!

It's definatley a buyers market on singles, so take advantage I say

 

[graham]

Exactly what all the guys have said - if you feel like taking a gamble in the hope of flipping any good pulls for a profit, then buy boxes. If you want to collect a player or certain cards, buy singles.

Welcome to the boards

 

[Flavzz]

the problem is that its great fun busting boxes, I just wish they werent so expensive.. And people shouldnt be massively dissapointed with crap pulls from expensive boxes.

thanks for all the comments

 

[jimboiitmac]

I think bball cards are all rip offs, every single bit of it. But it's fun for me, as long as I stay within MY personal limits of finances, so it's all gud!

 

[chadjaja]

the problem is that its great fun busting boxes, I just wish they werent so expensive.. And people shouldnt be massively dissapointed with crap pulls from expensive boxes.

thanks for all the comments

Well whats crap and whats good shouldn't be dictated by price or beckett value [-X

One mans trash is another mans treasure

 

[oz-antoine]

This is why I havnt busted a box in probably 5 years and havn't even opened a pack in a year. With the price of a box I could get all the available Walker cards from that product off eBay and still have change. Also when it comes to packs I think should I spend $10 on a pack when I could just buy a Walker GU or Auto and be gauranteed to be happy with my purchase. Sure if I had bagloads of money I'd buy packs and boxes as it is fun, but its much more satisfying for me buying the singles I need. I'll leave the busting to the big money guys.

 

[WoobieZarz]

Mixed emotions I think...

Sure everyone loves to bust wax, but often feel hard done by when they pull a Battier Auto or something of similar sort.

As Chad said, someone has to pull the MJs & the Brons, etc. If no one busted boxes, you wouldnt find much on Ebay at all.

I love to rip the packs open, and find the "good cards". There are boxes that are value for money, I think that the 04-05 Finest, 04-05 Throwbacks, 04-05 SPx are value for money. Boxes where there's 6 packs, etc are really not that exciting to bust, but I'd love to get my hands on the 1-pack box Exquisite Collection. Just once.

As a Player Collector, it's always easier to jump online and buy say 5 cards for $100 than it is to fork out the $150 (average) for a box and not get anything you can use.

 

[jimboiitmac]

I love to rip the packs open, and find the "good cards". There are boxes that are value for money, I think that the 04-05 Finest, 04-05 Throwbacks, 04-05 SPx are value for money. Boxes where there's 6 packs, etc are really not that exciting to bust, but I'd love to get my hands on the 1-pack box Exquisite Collection. Just once.

As a Player Collector, it's always easier to jump online and buy say 5 cards for $100 than it is to fork out the $150 (average) for a box and not get anything you can use.

Right on the ball there Scott, I'm sure everyone loves the feeling and excitement of opening boxes and packs but I think everyone has their own limit. Like you said, if I was after a pretty good quality box that sold for say, $250, I could get that, maybe get an average auto and 2 good game used.

But recently, it only cost me $210 to get a Marion Exquisite Auto/Patch #ed /75 and a Marion 1/1 Auto/Jersey. Imagine how much better it would be for my collection to spend all $250 on personally picked Marion items.

 

[Flavzz]

yeah nicely put mate, maybe just buy singles and a couple boxes a year of a set that you fancy.... and hope for the best

 

[Frol77]

I've got to agree with you Mavsman I love busting boxes but I just can't justify spending the $$$ on high end boxes, but the anticipation of pulling a miracle card still keeps me busting whatever bargain (ie. low end) I can pick up.
Great thread, I'd like to see more opionions on this.