Baseball cards

[PhilliesFan13]

Re: Baseball cards

How much is a jumbo box? I usually wait for the factory sets, but that's not until around the all-star game.

What Chef Matt said...usually around $120. My local shop priced it at $119 and it came to about $126 after taxes. The 2007-2011 sets I did factory sets. Starting last year I decided to go the jumbo box route. It's a good way to go if you want guaranteed inserts, autographs, and relic cards. Of the 3 jumbo boxes I have gotten so far since last year I've gotten Jarrod Parker, Ralph Kiner, and Dwight Gooden autographs. Also scored a Cole Hamels 2008 World Series pin card, Mariano Rivera 2009 World Series pin card, Vernon Wells game worn jersey card, and a David Ortiz 2012 All-Star Game worn workout jersey card. So, as you can see, you can get some good finds in the jumbo boxes compared to hobby boxes, blaster boxes, or single packs. Another plus is that with the jumbo you are pretty much guaranteed to get the whole 331 base card set as well.

Is Topps still the best card to get?
I'd like to get my kids into collecting cards but unlike when I was younger, and only had Topps and O-pee-chee, it seems there's a million brands out there now.

It's all personal preference. Me personally, I love the Topps brand and it is all I get. It's a clean and simple card. Not a big fan of base cards with crazy designs and colors.

[matthewk]

Re: Baseball cards

I have a weird system for organizing the cards in the binders. I start with the American League and put the teams in alphabetical order with each player on those teams in alphabetical order as well. I do the same thing for the National League too. Helps make finding cards a lot easier.

I don't buy the update sets.

I've got complete Topps sets going back to 1974. I've used a variety of "systems" for organizing the cards in binders. I was using an approach similar to what you mentioned for a lot of recent sets, which was to group them by team, but then order the teams in the binder by performance that year. So if the Cardinals won the WS they would be the first team in the binder.

Topps of course, had to make that system a mess by releasing multiple base cards for a single player. So I'd have cards for Nyger Morgan as a National and a Brewer. I can't believe how sloppy they are with their sets. Players with incorrect pictures, numbering errors, etc. This isn't 1973. You have computers to keep track of this stuff prior to printing. Their carelessness has taken some of the fun out of it, but I still get a set each year. I don't care what they are worth (which isn't much other than the pre-1980 sets), I just love having them.

I also stopped getting the update sets. 330 more cards, most of which are players I already have, and most of the rest of which are players I'll never see in a major league game. I'm done getting these just for the few rookie cards that end up being solid MLB players.

[matthewk]

Re: Baseball cards

$120?!? Wow. That's a lot for 1/2 a set. Guess I'm an old cheap SOB. I don't really care for the special insert cards, unless it is certain players. In that case I may be better off just getting a jersey card or 2 on Ebay.

I think Topps is the only company that has the MLB license, so if you get Upper Deck now they have the players, but can't use the MLB team names or logos. I Like the base Topps because it is the biggest set and it's the standard across the years. Oh, and it's cheap, relatively speaking

[PhilliesFan13]

Re: Baseball cards

I've got complete Topps sets going back to 1974. I've used a variety of "systems" for organizing the cards in binders. I was using an approach similar to what you mentioned for a lot of recent sets, which was to group them by team, but then order the teams in the binder by performance that year. So if the Cardinals won the WS they would be the first team in the binder.

Topps of course, had to make that system a mess by releasing multiple base cards for a single player. So I'd have cards for Nyger Morgan as a National and a Brewer. I can't believe how sloppy they are with their sets. Players with incorrect pictures, numbering errors, etc. This isn't 1973. You have computers to keep track of this stuff prior to printing. Their carelessness has taken some of the fun out of it, but I still get a set each year. I don't care what they are worth (which isn't much other than the pre-1980 sets), I just love having them.

I also stopped getting the update sets. 330 more cards, most of which are players I already have, and most of the rest of which are players I'll never see in a major league game. I'm done getting these just for the few rookie cards that end up being solid MLB players.

I mentioned in a previous post last year that I don't get update sets, but I ended up getting the 2012 update set. Kind of wish I hadn't though. Haha. To include the update set with the 2012 cards in my binder wouldn't work because the binder won't hold the extra set. Oh well though. I've thought about going online and buying the update sets for 2007-2011.

I've got complete Topps sets going back to 1974. I've used a variety of "systems" for organizing the cards in binders. I was using an approach similar to what you mentioned for a lot of recent sets, which was to group them by team, but then order the teams in the binder by performance that year. So if the Cardinals won the WS they would be the first team in the binder.

That's actually a pretty cool way to organize them. Would have never thought about that.

[BDKiiing]

Re: Baseball cards

Is Topps still the best card to get?
I'd like to get my kids into collecting cards but unlike when I was younger, and only had Topps and O-pee-chee, it seems there's a million brands out there now.

I would say Bowman or Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects. Bowman Sterling is sweet, but a little more. Today a players "1st Bowman (chrome) card" are better to have than an RC.

I mainly buy bowman, but I do buy a lot of singles, I three, 2 column boxes of nothing but RCs and 1st bowmans of high up prospects now to guys who've been in the league for 3 or 4 years.

This is my Harper collection so far.

Spoiler

It is missing his first bowman chrome team usa card, but I'm not sure how much I want to spend on it yet.

I did recently pick this gem up though.

Spoiler

[seanjeezy]

Re: Baseball cards

My dad was/is a huge collector, he picks and chooses now and mostly sticks to boxed sets. He literally has two closets filled to the brim with boxes of baseball cards, and a few that are probably worth some money... I used to be a big collector myself, but cards are so expensive nowadays lol. My cousin gave me a set of cards from the 60's that he got off ebay and one of them was a 1961 Topps Hank Aaron all-star card in pretty good condition, if I were to sell all of my cards that's the only one I would keep.

[k_mac]

Re: Baseball cards

I ordered a hobby box a few days ago, should be here tomorrow. I can't wait to get it. If it's not here by tomorrow, I'll probably stop by Walmart and pick up a blaster or something.

[jth1331]

Re: Baseball cards

Well, for baseball, Topps brand is pretty much the only baseball cards you can buy these days as Upper Deck lost its MLB license as well as Panini(think Donruss).

Baseball collecting focuses primarily on "prospecting", getting autographed rookie cards of prospects hoping they pan out. You can buy autographed cards of some elite players fairly cheap(as long as they aren't rookie cards) as opposed to some prospects auto'd rookie cards.

Miguel Cabrera auto card sold for $17:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2004-MIGUEL-CABRERA-LEAF-CERTIFIED-CUTS-AUTO-REFRACTOR-50-/281056802454?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item41704a7696

Gerrit Cole auto refractor RC selling for $45:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2012-BOWMAN-CHROME-GERRIT-COLE-REFRACTOR-AUTO-207-500-/370749878545?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item56526a3111

If you just want to collect and just like the cards, then it doesn't matter what you get.
If you want to try to make money, which is incredibly difficult to do now a days, Bowman is the way to go, Bowman, Bowman Chrome, Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects.

[redsrule]

Re: Baseball cards

I haven't gotten any stuff this year b/c of lack of funds, but I love collecting cards.

My favorite card I have gotten lately is this:

[BDKiiing]

Re: Baseball cards

Well, for baseball, Topps brand is pretty much the only baseball cards you can buy these days as Upper Deck lost its MLB license as well as Panini(think Donruss).

Baseball collecting focuses primarily on "prospecting", getting autographed rookie cards of prospects hoping they pan out. You can buy autographed cards of some elite players fairly cheap(as long as they aren't rookie cards) as opposed to some prospects auto'd rookie cards.

Miguel Cabrera auto card sold for $17:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2004-MIGUEL-CABRERA-LEAF-CERTIFIED-CUTS-AUTO-REFRACTOR-50-/281056802454?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item41704a7696

Gerrit Cole auto refractor RC selling for $45:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2012-BOWMAN-CHROME-GERRIT-COLE-REFRACTOR-AUTO-207-500-/370749878545?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item56526a3111

If you just want to collect and just like the cards, then it doesn't matter what you get.
If you want to try to make money, which is incredibly difficult to do now a days, Bowman is the way to go, Bowman, Bowman Chrome, Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects.

I never really understood when, and why this concept started up, I've just followed along with it.

What really makes no sense is how some of these prospect cards are more valuable than rookie cards of (future) hall of famers like Cal Ripken Jr., Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Ken Griffey Jr. and so on.

[jth1331]

Re: Baseball cards

I never really understood when, and why this concept started up, I've just followed along with it.

What really makes no sense is how some of these prospect cards are more valuable than rookie cards of (future) hall of famers like Cal Ripken Jr., Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Ken Griffey Jr. and so on.

Well, the Ripken, Yount, Molitor, etc. cards were overproduced and made available like crazy. It was fairly easy to obtain one in one box of cards.
Now, you get a box of cards, where you only get say 2-3 autographed rookie cards, and the odds are low of getting a player with high value. Cards are produced in smaller supply, and the odds of getting these rarer cards is low. Thus, more demand, thus pricey cards. I do think its silly how I can go out and buy a Ripken RC cheaper than a Bryce Harper RC.

[BDKiiing]

Re: Baseball cards

Well, the Ripken, Yount, Molitor, etc. cards were overproduced and made available like crazy. It was fairly easy to obtain one in one box of cards.
Now, you get a box of cards, where you only get say 2-3 autographed rookie cards, and the odds are low of getting a player with high value. Cards are produced in smaller supply, and the odds of getting these rarer cards is low. Thus, more demand, thus pricey cards. I do think its silly how I can go out and buy a Ripken RC cheaper than a Bryce Harper RC.

I don't believe Ripken, Yount, and Molitors were like that, the mass production seemed to start mid-late 80's right when Griffey came out.

[CameRoN0407]

Re: Baseball cards

New to the thread, but have been collecting for years. My grandmother gave me 2 binders full of '80s cards. Haven't gotten to take a look at them yet. But what tempted me to post is, today I bought a box of Topps 2013 series 1 cards (the $10 one) and I was shifting thru. Out of the first 65 -70 cards, nothing. But on one of the last ones, I see a Manny Muchado Rookie Card. I hope he lives up to his potential!

[Chef Matt]

Re: Baseball cards

Plucked a few nice ones out of a Topps jumbo box I bought. Namely an Anthony Rizzo auto, Prince Feilder Silver Slugger trophy card, and an Even Longoria silk among numerous others. I'm pretty sure I got a complete base set but haven't had time to put it together yet. Afer I'm sure I've got the base set I'm thinking I'm going to move on to the topps heritage set.

[PhilliesFan13]

Re: Baseball cards

Plucked a few nice ones out of a Topps jumbo box I bought. Namely an Anthony Rizzo auto, Prince Feilder Silver Slugger trophy card, and an Even Longoria silk among numerous others. I'm pretty sure I got a complete base set but haven't had time to put it together yet. Afer I'm sure I've got the base set I'm thinking I'm going to move on to the topps heritage set.

If you bought a jumbo box, it's pretty much a guarantee you got the whole base set.