SI article on cards
 

Yes, I'm quoted in it. Yes, the primary focus is about modern "case breaking" which has as much relevance to this board as the possibility of me even meeting Gail Gadot. But, for those of us who do pay attention to new cards there are some lessons which can be drawn to our board including the surprising reasons why cards are selling even better during these tough times than we expected.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/05/04/br...6g3DS1XZPM_q-s

Regards
Rich

I'm surprised there was no mention of "base doesn't ship" or Upper Deck ePack/Panini blockchain. Those are definitely part of the resurgence/new platforms along with the sneakerheads and celebrity investment pumpers.

Case breaks? Uh, I'll take Gail Gadot. In a big way.

John:

FYI -- the reason this article even came about with the AT&T Stadium Case Break event mentioned was because Emma was going to be at Globe Life Park the next day for the new ballpark media sneak preview. Worked out well for her and SI to have two events on successive days within five minutes of each other.

I'm OK with the no blockchain information because the article was primarily Topps centric because of the major break of Topps series 1. I think Mike Sommer, a noted hobby blogger and podcaster, estimated the break may have been 2 percent or even slightly less of the total run. Because of how the event went she had easy access to each and every breaker. Heck, so did I but I was just there, well to be there -- LOL. I was lucky I knew some of the Topps people and had a hobby related column to qualify.

And yes the base don't ship for said break was an issue for those deep within the hobby and perhaps a follow up (Comments and discussions about this part of the break is/was important) but that was not the point of this specific article. If we don't have baseball soon, there might be time for a card collecting follow up article or two which touches on some of the issues we discuss regularly. But as a start and a net positive for the hobby, I'll take it as good news tonight.

Rich

Some people cant miss a chance for a negative comment.

Plenty of other hobbies lieu.


Glad to see some news

John is a good guy who is a bit frustrated with many aspects of the hobby. We talk when we can and I know he loves many things about collecting and that's why I responded directly to him so to speak. I have NO issues with him at all.

Rich

Thanks Rich. When I retire I can't wit to entertain the wanderings of a message board cop, and have them make excuses for me. I couldnt care less about your issues, some.of us have more then SI.

Adding another to the ignore list

ok, I’ll change the subject. I believe that it’s Gal Gadot, not Gail. Unless there’s somebody named Gail who’s also pretty attractive.

Interesting article, Rich. Thanks for sharing. I'm so out of what is happening in the hobby today. Interesting to see how it is in large part being approached by many.

Btw, I started collecting more or less at the same time you did. It was 1968, in the spring, and it was either just as the 3rd series was ending or the 4th series was beginning. I had just become a baseball fan and a Yankees fan at that. And I remember I was having a hard time getting a Mickey Mantle who was in the 3rd series. It was probably too late to get him at the candy stores. So a friend of mine gave me one at swim team practice. I put the brand new card in with my wet gear and by the time I left the YMCA the card was completely frayed and and dog-eared. Kept it for many years, but unfortunately I made a bad move and gave away most of my collection a while back, not realizing how important my cards would become to me later. I did keep a lot of really great ones though, thankfully. Anyway, I'm collecting again and having a ball.

thx rich

I’m so out of what is happening in modern day pop culture that I had to google Gal Gadot.

I posted about a break here recently in my BST listing for a Koufax Topps Transcendent auto. That product would not exist imo if breakers had not gained traction in the last decade. $20K on a single box has inherent marketing qualities and makes sense when you can break it down by the number of hits.

Upper Deck's early 2000s Ultimate Collection and the like set the stage for this and within 10 years of those products Youtube was established as a internet juggernaut and was heavily trafficked by children. Breaker videos are below the threshold of any parental filters so any kid could just search for the product they were interested in and watch it get opened. They're only one begging session away from mom and dad putting down a few bucks on a random pack from Layton's or the like; way cheaper than $100 or more that a Gypsy Queen hobby box would cost. There's a whole boatload of people across that spectrum to people like me who would consider $600 (think that's changed in 20!) for one pack of 86 Fleer basketball.

There's going to be a natural progression to vintage cards for newcomers. Anyone and everyone is looking for an escape right now. With top dollar seemingly focused on the Jordan rookie right now-which is directly tied to the Last Dance-vintage across the board should be getting new eyeballs.

I thought I was the only one who didn't know who she was.

Thanks for posting Rich

I’m still confused by “the base don’t ship” and “blockchain” stuff. Let alone who “Gal” is.

I knew you guys were old, but I didn't realize you were dead:D

Topps
 

Several of the breakers from that Topps event did not ship out base cards.

They advertised as such and it is quite common for breakers to just ship "the hits" to the customer. Its a much followed practice and always stated up front.

If the customer wanted to pay the extra shipping and a small fee, I'm sure some Breakers will send the base cards.

Somehere in America there are ALOT of base cards piling up! :)

The Blockchain refers to Panini:

This is from the Panini website: To carry forward the legacy of Panini Collectibles into the digital era, Panini is leveraging the innovative technology of Blockchain & providing users with

- Highest degree of legitimacy for the digital collectible they own and

- Proof of ownership

PT Barnum would be a good reminder here! :)

Peace, Mike

And...who is she? Lol

Unattainable.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/...9,1000_AL_.jpg
Gadot was in a couple of Fast and the Furious movies and then got her big break as Wonder Woman in the DC movies.

As said, the "base doesn't ship" refers to breakers only sending the insert and autographed cards, not the base cards that people used to make complete sets with. Just goes to the whole gambling aspect of case breaking, and I've been active in both vintage and modern breaking by buying spots.

Upper Deck ePack takes that even further letting you open up cases, boxes, or packs of cards online. The majority of the cards you're buying are digital pictures, but you get the inserts and autographed/memorabilia cards if you pay to have them shipped to you. Or you can trade them online or send them to COMC to sell without much of a cost.

The Panini Blockchain thing is even a bridge farther than that, where Panini is selling high end cards directly through their site (without being packed out) and giving the buyer a digital and physical copy of the card. The buyer can then sell the digital copy and keep the real one, or vice versa. The confusing part is that most buyers of the digital card probably think they're getting the real one as well. The site is not very clear that you're only buying pixels, and we all know that many eBay/online purchasers don't read the descriptions of what they're purchasing.

Personally breaking is just another form of gambling and if you don't know the breakers rep you can seriously get screwed. Many stories of breakers swapping out cards - yes live on video no less...non shippers and "lost packages."

On the positive side they bring new eyes to the hobby and keep the manufacturers producing new product..

On the negative side they do end up grabbing allocations away from LCS's and other buyers down the line. Thus making buying newer more desirable products more expensive for everyone...

The real winners are the manufacturers...

And for those who don't know who Gal Gadot is - shame! lol

I think her sub par acting (the Fast and Furious movies are horrible) keeps her from being especially well known.

I think sub par is being very generous.

Who cares? I'm an old guy and she is hot hot hot.

Just people with taste... and "hot hot hot"??? I think you need to get out more Frank.

Enjoying the responses as much as the article.
 

Gents, if you are looking to Fast and Furious and Wonder Woman for "good acting/performances" you might want to re-assess you selections in movies when going to blockbuster video for the weekend cassettes.

When you look at the box office results for the F&F franchise and Wonder Woman you can not help being amazed at how little regard people apparently have for good acting

You're right... this is 2020, what was I thinking? The masses seek and require very little to no quality in entertainment these days. Expecting even decent acting in huge Hollywood films... how ridiculous of me.

"When you look at the box office results for the F&F franchise and Wonder Woman you can not help being amazed at how little regard people apparently have for good acting"

Exactly Al... it is baffling.

So yesterday you didn't know who she was and today you are a critic? What, were you up all night watching Fast and Furious movies?

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You must be her agent. And NO ONE can stay up "all night" watching Fast and Furious movies without previously having a lobotomy... no one! :D

More negativity

:)

Haha, I haven't been able to sit through enough Fast and Furious to critique her acting abilities, so I do appreciate that you've suffered through that for us to offer your analysis.

I love the F&F series, as well as many of my friends. The series isn't about acting. It's about cars, rscing, action, explosions, exotic locations. It was never meant to win an academy award for its script. It was meant to appeal to 12 - 30 year olds. Over 20 years it has brought in pop culture icons like rappers, wrestlers, and actors from other cultures. It has worldwide appeal. As for Gal Gadot, she has international leverage due to her association with the F&F series and was a great choice for Wonder Woman. Plus, she is a better actor than Vin Diesl will ever be.

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What? Pshaw. Nobody could have played Riddick better than Diesel.

Stay with me Jack.

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