If so... you're in luck. Because today I'm going to show off the goodies I pulled out of a $149.99 box of cards that turned out to be about sixty seconds worth of entertainment... and a very important lesson.
The Product: 2020 Topps Black Chrome
One box. Four cards. One guaranteed autograph.
The Actual Price: $149.99 + $7.50 Shipping + $10.87 Tax = $168.36
The Contents: Sixty Seconds of Entertainment
When you open up the box, this is what you see...
Lift up the foam padding, and you'll see this...
A single pack with three cards inside. Before we look at the contents, here's a peek at the back for those who enjoy that kind of stuff...
Okay. I've stalled enough. Here's what I pulled out of my pack:
A gold parallel of Scherzer (#'d 35/50) is cool... but unless Hoerner becomes the next Ryne Sandberg... I'd call this pack below average.
Maybe not a swinging strikeout... but a slow rolling grounder to the pitcher or second basemen.
The Hit: A Damn Yankee
2020 Black Chrome Autograph #CBA-GT
The problem is... I feel like I've been in this situation before. And as soon as I saw this box over on Topps.com, I took a peek at the checklist and knew the risk. Yet... I still added it to my cart and purchased it.
But let's look at the bright side. Everyone who reads this blog can bookmark this post... and the next time you do something silly... you can come back here, watch me throw $168.36 down the drain, and remember that we're only human and bound to make mistakes.
Let's just hope that your mistake doesn't set you back $168.36. I feel like I have to keep pointing out that dollar amount to remind myself how foolish this decision was.
Okay... let's wrap things up with something to turn my frown upside down. A few weeks ago, I received a care package from The Diamond King which contained two new additions to my Graded Card Gallery.
#1: Global Authority
2000 Pacific Revolution #135
The Cardboard Connection wrote a summary on this grading company. If you're interested... click here. But if you want the Cliffs Notes version... due to financial problems, GAI (Global Authentication) was force to sell off the grading part of their company and Global Authority was born.
Sadly... the website listed on the back of this holder is no longer around.
#2: PGS (Professional Grading Service)
1990 Score Traded #86T
Based on my research... the grading card boom hit back in the early 2000's. That's when a ton of grading companies opened their doors including PGS.
The Diamond King also threw in this very cool card of Koji Uehara:
This card fits into two different collections: Japanese Athlete PC & Prime Numbers PC.
2015 Topps Framed #371 (#'d 01/20)
Plus he included these two hits:
2013 Topps Chasing the Dream Autograph #CDA-JP
2002-03 Topps Pristine Rookie Club #PRC-MD
Rounding out the care package are a bunch of singles for a variety of player collections:
I've been planning a new series on this blog... and two of these cards will likely kick that series off in a future post.
Until then... a huge thank you to Kevin (The Diamond King) for this very generous care package that provided me with way more than sixty seconds of entertainment.
And I appreciate everyone who took the time to check out the lovely contents of my 2020 Topps Black Chrome box break.
Happy Monday and sayonara!
29 comments:
Gleyber Torres is one of the most popular young Yankees, you should likely make your money back on the autograph. Just wait for him to get on a hot streak - mark your calendar for whenever the Yankees play the Orioles in 2021 . . .
Yeah, I'd be disappointed with that box as well though like Bo said, you might be able to flip the Gleyber to make most (all?) of your money back.
Yeah Gleyber is popular and should be able to return decent value. Also Hoerner fits into your Stanford collection if you want to expland it beyong autos/relics into premium cards in general.
I didn't even know Black Chrome was a product. (Or is it Chrome Black?) Either way, keep us all posted on what kind of return you get on that Torres autograph, if you choose to sell it. Maybe a good price will take some of the sting out of that $168.36 number.
LOL, are you pranking us Fuji? That's a good hit! I've been keeping an eye on autos from this set on ebay, listed cheapest first, and yeah, Gleyber isn't anywhere near the bottom of the barrel, so you actually lucked out. Sure, you didn't hit the lottery with with a HOF A-lister, but I bet many folks who bought a box of this stuff envy your pull.
I agree with Gavin, that Torres hit is fantastic and it's a beautiful card...but i guess if you don't like the Yankees...you don't like the Yankees. :)
I've been dragged into expensive boxes as well in search of the great hit that i never get. I think we all do it at times, just part of our collection DNA i guess.
i see a PGS or Global Authority graded card in the under $5 boxes quite a bit at one of my LCS's. Funny to see them in person.
Oh man, it happens Fuji! I agree with others that it could have been worse at least. I was tempted by this too but backed off, but did make a couple of direct purchases from Topps recently of a cheaper nature that I'm waiting to arrive here...
Its 2020 - When you look back at this year, it will appear that it was almost like it never happened.
I wouldn’t think a Torres is too bad of a pull. He was Topps’ Golden boy in 2018, along with Acuna. I have a feeling if you are patient you could make something off of it. If you can afford it, it’s probably worth a gamble, maybe just once, but worth a gamble. I can’t tell you how many boxes I purchased hoping to pull something good back in the day and then failed on...2003 Finest, 2010 Topps Chrome x2, 2011 Topps Chrome x2, 2011 Allen Ginter x3, 2003 Topps Gallery, 2002 Bowman....As long as you had some fun out of the box, and I’m sure you can send the cards out in trades, so I hope we see a post in the future about what you turned the 4 cards into.
I loved the PC cards you got! That Maddux Bronxe TSC card would’ve been a good pull back in ‘96.
Glad there were some cards in there you liked! Like everyone else, I think that Gleyber could get you some money back if that's the route you are going. I don't really buy anything along those lines and this post won't probably make me change my mind!
a couple of years ago, i celebrated a work milestone with a box/pack of topps clearly authentic and one of topps five star. bad idea!
i did buy a miggy auto from the chrome black set on ebay a few weeks ago - i think i got a good deal!
I was all set to cringe at your auto of a 27 year-old Diamondbacks middle relief "prospect".. but like others have said, that's a great Gleyber pull! I totally understand why you'd feel disappointed because 1) Yankees eeww. and 2) $168 is a lot for four cards with just one hit. For that price you ought to get Hall of Famers (although, maybe someday Gleyber will get there?)
I've been watching for cheap singles. Sorry you got burned, Fuj! I'd flip Gleyber on his first hot streak. Nice looking cards but what a freaking scam. I'm quite tired of the crap Topps is pushing. I'm sticking it out for Heritage 2021 then calling off on any future box OR pack purchases. Gifts will still be accepted however. lol.
Oh man. A damn Yankee. Win some, lose some. I do hope that you can exchange it for something you want in the future. And the other cards, too.
Yikes, that was a big burn. Feel ill for you man. Way sucks! But cool to add a few interesting obscure graded card companies to your repertoire.
Wow, 168$ for a pack that only has 4 cards in it?
I.....have been out of the loop on whats going on in the North American collecting market for too long.
Glad to read from the above comments that you have a good shot at recovering that by selling that Yankee auto though!
Sixty seconds of entertainment plus a blog post. Not a total loss!
I admit, it's hard for me to stomach the idea of paying that much for a four-card pack. Seems like the prices are going up, and the number of cards per pack are going down these days.
The price is outrageous. But the Gleyber certainly could have been worse!
Sometimes it's really nice not having the money to be tempted by expensive things :)
I had to come back here after reading Nick's blog. If he could flip a AA Rays prospect into a '53 Pee Wee Reese, you should be able to flip that Gleyber for an even better card. Maybe a Mantle?
Yikes. Definitely not worth the money. I didnt know this product only had 4 cards in it. I would never pay that foe a box at least that only has 4 cards and one hit.y boxes have to have 4 or more hits
I gave up opening high end wax long ago, but I know the temptation. I think the last time I opened a per pack/per box autograph was the first year Topps put out Archives Signature boxes. I pulled Andruw Jones. It was a Dodgers Andruw Jones autograph. Lesson re-learned.
Thanks for taking the bullet Fuji! No way I'd pay that much for a pack of cards. I probably would have felt better about it since I'd be fine with 3 out of the 4 cards you pulled (sorry Twins player). Maybe you can sell the Max and Glyber auto and try to salvage your purchase?
never thought i'd get a 20+ comments on a box break post, but i'm not complaining. thanks to everyone who took the time to stop by and comment.
bo - i know he's popular... and i sure do hope he becomes the next yankee legend. that'll make me happier with my decision to buy this box.
nachos grande - sadly, i never flip anything. the gleyber will stay with me. let's just hope his career turns out to be better than kevin maas ;D
nick vossbrink - i think i've seen you mention that about hoerner before. my stanford pc doesn't receive a lot of love. actually a lot of my collections have been hit hard by budget cuts
gregory - lol. it's probably better off that you didn't know. as for flipping the torres, it won't happen. i don't sell cards. maybe one day though when i decide to sell my brien taylor autograph
defgav - i know it could have been a lot worse, but it's still less than 40% return on my purchase... which i consider to be a bust. i think the key is that it was only one pack and the thrill lasted about a minute. but it is what it is. no more box breaks like these anytime soon
cardboard hogs - can't stand the yankees. but i would have loved to pull a jeter autograph ;D it's definitely part of my dna. just like collecting different graded card companies
shoeboxlegends - you were smart to back off. can't wait to see what you picked up.
john bateman - lol. i sure hope so. it's true though. this box break is one of the least memorable things to happen in 2020
jeremya1um - the scherzer has been put into the scherzer section of my binder. i collect autographs... so i'll hold onto torres (with no intention of selling it). the rookie gets tossed into my rookie card box. not sure what i'll do with the twins guy. is there a twins blogger out there? that bronze maddux is one of the cards i'll be featuring in a future post
the diamond king - thanks for the care package. i don't sell cards, so the torres will just get added to my autograph collection. and the next time i think about dropping this kind of money on a one pack box, i'll come back to this post
gcrl - hope you show off that cabrera. i would have celebrated had i pulled him. i love five star... but i think i'm probably better suited to do a reverse box break of those kinds of products
chris - sure hope gleyber does. and even then... not sure it'll save this box. even with the torres auto... it's just sad that the box only provided a minute or so worth of entertainment.
acrackedbat - i'm excited for 2021 heritage too. i'm gonna just try and buy a master set though on ebay.
peter k steinberg - lol. i've already added it to my stack of autographs. maybe one day he'll be a future hall of famer ;D
sumomenkoman - yeah... i love how that collection is slowly growing. one of the things i miss about not having local card shows is finding those vendors with $1 graded cards. i'm sure i can find some obscure graded companies sitting in those boxes
sean - i won't be recovering anything... since i don't sell my cards. but after reading all of these comments, maybe i should start flipping stuff
adam kaningher - and some fantastic interaction with all of you. i love it. best thing to come from this box
nick - it's just dumb. and it doesn't help that people like me feed into these crazy products. but i learned my lesson.
bo - i've gotta start taking notes on all of these awesome flips. haven't sold a card in years, so i'm kind of out of the loop
the lost collector - i know right. it's even more outrageous that i bought a box. lol
jon - very true. the good news is after this break, any temptation i had is officially gone
matt - lol. yeah. i'm not sure what's sillier... the idea that topps is selling four card boxes for this price or the fact that i bought a box ;D
the snorting bull - i would have been better off just buying four or five of those archives boxes. at least i'd have three or four extra autographs
jafronius - no problem. i'm happy to take one for the team. as for selling them... that's not my style. it's already been added to my autograph collection.
I haven't dropped that much on a box but I have picked up various boxes with dreams of pulling a big one even though I know the odds. Like you said it is fun while you're opening them then it tends to sink in when you finally see the "hit". But it's part of the deal. We're just betting on it like they do in Vegas. Always fun though and exciting as you open the packs.
Don't be too hard on yourself Fuji. If I had bought that box the auto would have been Freddie Freeman...doesn't matter that he's not on the checklist.
bulldog - yup... it's definitely a gamble. kinda wish for that kind of money there was more than one pack... and thus more entertainment. but i knew that going into the purchase, so that's my bad
swing and a pop-up - lol. at leas freddie freeman is an mvp and has had a solid career ;D
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