Home› Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

How To Waste Time, Lesson 23: Calculating a Print Run

canyoubelieveitcanyoubelieveit Posts: 239 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

While I was opening my Ben Baller Box, I commented that I wasn't sure what the print run was for that set. Welp, because I like to spend time thinking about math (a hit with the ladies), I went and tried to figure it out. Here is my reasoning:

Topps specifies the odds for pulling pretty much everything in the set. I used this, combined with the fact that I know how many cards come in each pack to calculate the entire print run.

Given:
Total number of different standard cards in the base set: 200
Overall odds of pulling a base card refractor: 1:4 packs
Total number of different standard 1985 Insert cards: 25
Overall odds of pulling a 1985 insert: 1:12 packs
Total number of different standard Diamonds cards: 15
Overall odds of pulling a Diamond card: 1:24 packs
Total number of autograph cards: 11
Cards per pack: 8

First, I calculate the number of refractor parallels for the base cards. Each base card has 99 greens, 75 blues, 50 golds, 25 oranges, 5 reds, and 1 SF. So:

  • 99+75+50+25+5+1 = 255
  • 255 * 200 different base cards = 51,000

Second, Now we know there are 51,000 total base card refractors printed. Because the odds of pulling a refractor are 1:4, that means there are:

  • 51,000 x 4 = 204,000 packs total

Third, we know that the odds of pulling an '85 insert is 1:12, therefore there are:

  • 204,000 / 12 = 17,000 total '85 inserts
  • 1985 inserts come in Gold - SF refractor varieties and there are 25 different flavors so:
  • 25 x (50+25+5+1) = 2025 total '85 refractors which means there are:
  • 17,000 - 2025 = 14,975 total base 1985's

Forth, we know that the odds of pulling a Diamond are 1:24 with the same refractor varieties so following the same logic:

  • 8500 total Diamonds
  • 1215 total Diamond refractors
  • 7285 total Diamond bases

Fifth, all we know about Autographs are there are a total of 891 (81 x 11) because they have the same refractor types.

Conclusion:

  • There were 816,000 total cards of all types printed (204,000 packs x 4 cards per)
  • There were 738,609 total base cards printed (816,000 - 51,000 - 17,000 - 8,500 - 891)
  • There were 3693 base cards printed for each of the 1-200 players (738,609 / 200)
  • There were 8,500 boxes made like the one I opened (204,000 / 24)

If you spot any flaw in this reasoning please let me know! I hope you find this to be tremendously useful in your every day life just like my math teacher always told me I would!

Scott

Comments

  • pab1969pab1969 Posts: 1,185 ✭✭✭✭✭

    One question though... If a train leaves Birmingham at 630 travelling 45 mph and another train leaves Nashville at 830 travelling 55 mph...Nevermind (Just joking). Very informative post and much detail put into it.

  • burghmanburghman Posts: 959 ✭✭✭✭

    Nicely explained. You might be interested in checking out some of the product threads on the Blowout forums - the overall environment there may not be for everyone, but they usually calculate print runs within minutes of products and odds being released. Could save you some work or be a way for you to double-check your math.

    Jim

  • blurryfaceblurryface Posts: 5,136 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 6, 2021 7:10AM

    i believe you are supposed to start w the odds of pulling a super, aren't you?

    not saying your math is wrong. just that there may be a simpler method of calculation.

    i no math good, so i always cheat and go to blowout as burghman suggested.

  • canyoubelieveitcanyoubelieveit Posts: 239 ✭✭✭

    I wasn't aware of that site but now I know... And knowing is half the battle.

Sign In or Register to comment.