Lets Open a Few Packs
I had the itch to open some wax today but we don’t have a card shop in town. So I drove by Target on my way to lunch to see what they had on the shelf. They didn’t have anything new in the blaster box section. So that left me with in a quandary because I do not like to buy loose packs at retail because of pack searchers. If you would like to read a previous post on that subject just click here.
Anyway, I decided on two packs of 2006/07 Fleer Basketball and two packs of 2007 Topps Series One Baseball. I opened the basketball packs first. The top card in the first pack was a LeBron James base card. That first pack also yielded a common 86/87 Fleer Anniversary insert card of Zach Randolph. The second pack contained a Kobe Bryant base and a Rookie Sensations insert card of Adam Morrison. Not bad for two random retail packs.
The first pack of the baseball cards I opened was pretty average with Cole Hamels and a Mantle Home Run History insert. I did like the Jason Michaels so I used it for the pic for this post. That was a nice shot of a bunt. It left me wondering was it a squeeze play or not. The second pack contained the famous Derek Jeter #40 with President Bush and Mickey Mantle in the background. I think I will keep this one since they are bringing less than five dollars on Ebay today.
Not bad for four random packs of cards. I’ll keep the Jeter and the rest will go on Sportlots. I would keep the Kinsler and Mantle cards but I already have them.
The good news for me is that Red Zone Collectibles is re-opening in my home town. I hope real soon. I would really like to be able to go to a shop to cuss and discuss cards frequently. I drove by the store last Sunday and it just said coming soon. I assume it is the same owner as the last time. I’ll let you know when they open. I will have to buy some wax.
June 7th, 2007 at 8:38 am
I live not too far from you (about an hour east of Waco)…the big problem I have is that the shop in Waco tends to be somewhat over-priced on their packs. Which is hopefully just an issue with their distributer, but it’s still frustrating to see the MSRP on a pack at $8.99 and find it there for $10 + tax.
I’ve been buying from a guy on Sports Cards Forum who is going to be bringing pack sales online on his website soon. I’ve had some /great/ hits from him in the past six months, including a 1/1, a RC redemption from Finest that sold for $70, a Frank Gore AU #’d to 25….
I’ve been quite happy, although I’ve still been buying in Waco
June 7th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Hey joey, just wanted to let you know i made a profile with sportlots. my ID is shueman1. how do i see what items you have listed? thanks for the info.
June 7th, 2007 at 10:51 am
Jason,
Sometimes the pack prices at shops are based on the current sales on the secondary market. Especially if the dealer gets his boxes from wholesale distributors. You have some good pulls there. Let me know when he gets his online store up and I’ll check him out. You said you sold the RC Redemption from Finest for $70, was that on Ebay or direct to someone?
Mike,
I’m glad you asked. I have a post almost finished that will have the links to my Sportlots page. I have bought cards from a few different sellers on the site and have been happy. I even bought some cards that I flipped on Ebay for a profit.
June 7th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Joey:
I know that, but it just seems like everything the guy carries is high.
Anyway, I sold it on Ebay for $71 after shipping ($68 before). I’ve had some pretty amazing pulls this year and last including Topps 06 Alex Gordon AU and 1992 Score Joe Dimaggio AU. The Gordon was actually from a retail pack, believe it or not.
But you think you’ve got it bad with retail? The only place in town (Mexia) is Wal-Mart. We’re supplied by Beckett (or an arm of them), and they’re always late with product.
For example: Last week we got our blasters of 07 Prestige in, this week we’ll get blasters of 07 DP&P. We’ve yet to see single packs of any of those, or Aspire or HIT. No Bowman baseball or Topps series 2 either.
And of course, we rarely get blister packs of hobby stuff.
So I have 40 miles to my nearest shop…and only one retail outlet which sucks most of the time.
June 7th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Yep, its tough shopping for cards at WalMart. I guess you probably don’t have a Toys R Us in Mexia.
It sounds like you may have the touch for picking good packs. I had a friend that for about two years had a real hot streak picking packs.
June 8th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Mexia is a town of about 4,000 people about 40 miles east of Waco down Hwy 84.
So no, no TRU. And the one in Waco isn’t that great, either.
But….just got 2 packs of 06 Artifacts and 1 pack of SPX from Cards by the Box.
Total price…$34 ($7 each for Artifacts, $20 for SPx)
Pack 1 of Artifacts yielded 2 base and a Matt Cain GU 119/325 (which is the 2nd Matt Cain ‘hit’ from Artifacts from this guy, the last time was an AU)
Second pack was 3 base and a Josh Rupe RC for the Rangers (who???)
Not expecting much from the SPx as someone else from the same box pulled a 1/1 Cal Ripken….lucky so and so
So got 3 (very pretty) base and another single GU, which is really annoying me with SPx. At $20 a pack, and with GU #’d no more than 199, you’d expect better than single white swatches.
Victor Martinez Winning Materials 22/175.
June 8th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I have a new series I am going to be putting together centered around buying packs weekly. I am waiting on the new card shop to open near me so I will have another source besides WalMart, Target and ToysRUs.
I think it will be fun and I am going to encourage the readers to help my pick packs.
Did you happen to pull a Pudge Rodriguez yet from Artifacts or SPX?
June 12th, 2007 at 7:58 am
No, I haven’t.
Next packs I’m getting are $35 worth of 07 Donruss Elite, and then after that, I think I’m going to save up for a HTA box of 07 Topps Series 2.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:12 am
I am looking forward to buying a few of the Elite also. I would love for you to write up a pack break of the Elite and I’ll post it on my blog. Just use my contact form to let me know.
Happy pack busting.
June 13th, 2007 at 10:39 am
Dont have a problem with that