Worst Box Breaks Ever?

[sbfinley]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Too Many Issues: The 2021 releases:

2021 Absolute
2021 Bowman
2021 Bowman Chrome
2021 Bowman Chrome Mega Box
2021 Bowman Chrome X
2021 Bowman Inception
2021 Bowman Platinum
2021 Bowman Sapphire Chrome
2021 Bowman Sterling
2021 Bowman Transcendent
2021 Diamond Kings
2021 Donruss
2021 Donruss Optic
2021 Finest
2021 Finest Flashbacks
2021 Panini Immaculate
2021 Panini Mosaic
2021 Panini Prizm
2021 Select
2021 Spectra
2021 Stadium Club
2021 Topps
2021 Topps Allen & Ginter
2021 Topps Archives Snapshots
2021 Topps Chrome
2021 Topps Chrome Ben Baller Edition
2021 Topps Definitive Collection
2021 Topps Diamond Icons
2021 Topps Fire
2021 Topps Five Star
2021 Topps Gold Label
2021 Topps Gypsy Queen
2021 Topps Heritage
2021 Topps Heritage Minor League
2021 Topps Inception
2021 Topps Luminaries
2021 Topps Mickey Mantle Collection
2021 Topps Museum Collection
2021 Topps Opening Day
2021 Topps Pro Debut
2021 Topps Rip
2021 Topps Sapphire Chrome
2021 Topps Sterling
2021 Topps Tier One
2021 Topps Transcendent Hall Of Fame
2021 Topps Tribute
2021 Topps Update
2021 Triple Threads

So many choices I don't know what to collect. Choose the right set and you get a $20,000 rookie card. Choose the wrong set and you get a $5 rookie card of the same guy.

At face value that list looks like a ton of glut, but honestly 65%-75% of those releases named have solid to die hard followings. I have a family member that works in video game development and effectively acts as the face of a popular franchise and actively engages the community. I must have read a variation this response a thousand times in his social media postings and I think it's very relevant here. In essence:

"Not everything we create is for you specifically. We have millions of fans that all want something different in their experience. Just because we create something you didn't want or ask for, doesn't mean someone else didn't."

I don't open 95% of those products listed, but then again - they weren't made for me and my tastes.

[Eric72]

My worst box break ever was a case of 1991 Fleer...back in 1991. I was still a teenager, so cut me some slack.

I wound up spending forever and a day collating sets. My eyes still hurt from all that YELLOW

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

While I pretty much focus on vintage these days, you can't get the pack opening experience.

So I typically get one box of modern a year (or maybe a couple blasters)...but my mindset going in is that I'm paying for the entertainment of opening packs. I have ZERO expectations of getting the same value out of the box that it costs to buy it.

I usually come out of a box break with a couple interesting cards I keep for my collection. A card or two to sell on ebay to get a few dollars back, and then the rest of the cards go in to the recycle bin because it makes me happier to keep a smaller, organized collection than have big boxes of commons I don't care about. But it's FUN to open packs and dream of hitting a BIG card.

That being said, I can pretty much get the same experience opening 80's junk wax. I have an LCS not far away that sometimes sells late 80's and early 90's Topps, Donruss, Fleer for $15.00 a box. I enjoy that about as much as opening a $100 box of modern, especially if there is a chance at one of those early autograph cards, Elite inserts, etc. So I'll pick those up when I can.

In fact, a previous poster mentioned 1991 Fleer. I literally have a wax box of that now that I'm going through. So much yellow, that when I hit the occasional black bordered Pro-Vision (which are still pretty much worthless), it feels like a nice "hit".

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

At face value that list looks like a ton of glut, but honestly 65%-75% of those releases named have solid to die hard followings. I have a family member that works in video game development and effectively acts as the face of a popular franchise and actively engages the community. I must have read a variation this response a thousand times in his social media postings and I think it's very relevant here. In essence:

"Not everything we create is for you specifically. We have millions of fans that all want something different in their experience. Just because we create something you didn't want or ask for, doesn't mean someone else didn't."

I don't open 95% of those products listed, but then again - they weren't made for me and my tastes.

That may be true but it leaves a collector in an impossible position of trying to pick which set(s) appeal to him and which set(s) are worth the substantial expense of either buying outright or busting wax to collect. At the most extreme, 1993 UD SP Jeter vs. 1993 Topps Jeter. I'd feel really bummed if i'd chose the flagship Topps card over the SP card.

[dodgerfanjohn]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

That may be true but it leaves a collector in an impossible position of trying to pick which set(s) appeal to him and which set(s) are worth the substantial expense of either buying outright or busting wax to collect. At the most extreme, 1993 UD SP Jeter vs. 1993 Topps Jeter. I'd feel really bummed if i'd chose the flagship Topps card over the SP card.

I don’t understand why. Those were two different products at the time and priced pretty far apart in pack form.

It’s not an impossible position. Collect what you like and what you feel you can afford.