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Need help from the modern guys

I had a co worker just text me that he wants to buy a baseball box from the last 3 years to open with his 9 year old. He said his budget is 3 or 4 hundred so anything with the Soto/Acuna/Ohtani class seems out.

Is there anything that would offer him an enjoyable rip of names his son sees everyday with a little bit of rookie card potential mixed in for that type of price range? Maybe a guaranteed auto or GU too?

Multiple suggestions would be fine so I can give him some choices.

Thanks for all the help. Nick

Comments

  • KendallCatKendallCat Posts: 2,966 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Soto/Acuna/Ohtani... best rip would be 2018 Topps Update. For that price you are looking at a blaster box in the $250-300 range, and hobby boxes are $1100-1200 so your only affordable choice is the smaller blaster box. Hope this helps.

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2, 2021 10:20AM

    Hiya Nick

    That's a tough one but for starts - I would suggest 2020 Topps Chrome Blasters - check eBay - they will probably go in the $60 range.

    We're looking at Luis Robert, Bo Bichette, Kyle Lewis RC's e.g. (don't think any of them are doing well this season which has affected values but that may change?)

    I did a bunch in 2020 and like the design personally.

    I'm not a big fan of Topps' autos - I found even if ya buy a jumbo box of something with 3 guaranteed autos? I find ya land a bunch of nobodies for the "big dime" defrayed. So, IMO, a big gamble.

    Mike
  • nam812nam812 Posts: 10,531 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks Keith and Mike. Keep them coming guys.

  • RoflesRofles Posts: 752 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I opened a ton of 2020 topps big league; at $30/box it was super enjoyable. Each box either had an auto, a B&W #50, an orange auto #99, and a chance for a red parallel 1of1. And an orange base parallel card in each box. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found it to be a rather underrated set of topps cards. With that budget you could probably score 5-10 boxes. Gl!

  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sounds like you're looking for fun factor first so I would rule out blasters and hangers. They might be a nice product but the rip will be over in 3 minutes and if you hit nothing it's going to be a rather empty experience.

    I just looked at 2019 products on Blowout and they could get two boxes of Gold Label for $399 combined. Those are really nice cards and they'd be guaranteed two autographed cards. That's not a bad deal considering Tatis/Vlad/Eloy/Alonso RCs.

    The 2019 Topps Update hobby boxes are also $199 each. The RCs for Tatis/Eloy/Alonso are in Series 2 but the Update does have the RC for Vlad and a host of other young players.

    For 2020 they could go Gold Label again ($199/ea), Topps Series 1 (loaded with rookies, $199/ea), or Stadium Club (great photography, two autos per box, $199/ea).

    There's not much out for 2021 right now except for Topps Series 1 and Heritage. I can't say I would recommend either of those. Hope this helped a little.

    Arthur

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I was looking at my opened 2019 Topps Chrome but those are going for close to $200 per blaster and the key cards are the Guerrero, Jimenez and Tatis - but those are more like SP's if memory serves - so the amount I pulled was rather small.

    Mike
  • nam812nam812 Posts: 10,531 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks Rofles and Arthur. 2019 Gold Label (2019 Gallery looks good too) seems like the leader in the clubhouse right now.

  • 76collector76collector Posts: 986 ✭✭✭✭✭

    2019 topps heritage high number mega box. 150ish. Tatis and vlad JR rookies and the 1970 design. Fairly popular.

    I cannot hit curveball. Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid.
    Collecting:
    post world war II HOF rookie
    76 topps gem mint 10 commons 9 stars
    Arenado purple refractors(Rockies) Red (Cardinals)
    successful deals with Keevan, Grote15, 1954, mbogoman
  • royalbrettroyalbrett Posts: 620 ✭✭✭

    Wow, I must really be out of the loop. I can't believe how much money recent boxes go for.

    Yeah, I uploaded that KC icon in 2001
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The only other thing I would recommend is that they buy the boxes from an established retailer and not from eBay. Lots of people rip cases until they get the hits and then sell the leftover boxes. Some weigh the boxes and then sell what they think are the bad ones.

    Of course, Steve at BBCE is the man but I'm not really sure what he's got for 2019/2020 stuff. That's not really his wheelhouse (unless things have changed). I would trust Blowout and Steel City as two vendors that literally just crack open the case and pull two boxes out to send you, so you'd have a fair shake at everything.

    Arthur

  • 76collector76collector Posts: 986 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ReggieCleveland said:
    The only other thing I would recommend is that they buy the boxes from an established retailer and not from eBay. Lots of people rip cases until they get the hits and then sell the leftover boxes. Some weigh the boxes and then sell what they think are the bad ones.

    Of course, Steve at BBCE is the man but I'm not really sure what he's got for 2019/2020 stuff. That's not really his wheelhouse (unless things have changed). I would trust Blowout and Steel City as two vendors that literally just crack open the case and pull two boxes out to send you, so you'd have a fair shake at everything.

    Arthur

    I'd second Steel City. Although I'm originally from Cleveland and have a deep rooted hate for everything Pittsburgh, lol. I have had good luck on packs bought from them. Lots of very good hits.

    I cannot hit curveball. Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid.
    Collecting:
    post world war II HOF rookie
    76 topps gem mint 10 commons 9 stars
    Arenado purple refractors(Rockies) Red (Cardinals)
    successful deals with Keevan, Grote15, 1954, mbogoman
  • nam812nam812 Posts: 10,531 ✭✭✭✭✭

    He's ordering from blowout - 1 2019 gold label and 1 2019 Gallery.

    Thanks for all the help guys.

  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Good luck! Most of all, hope they have fun and it's a great memory!

    Arthur

  • canyoubelieveitcanyoubelieveit Posts: 239 ✭✭✭

    I had a lot of fun opening a 2020 Ben Baller Chrome Box. At the time, I picked it up for about $360 if I recall correctly. They are listed now at $400-450. It's a good long rip, 24 packs, plus the cards are cool to look at with lots of inserts and varients. I have also recently opened a 2014 Topps Update Baseball (7 packs - 5 normal, 2 chrome) and pulled a Mookie Betts, and a 2018 Topps Chrome Update box in which I struck out.

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