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2003 Topps Retired Baseball
symbebekos
Posts: 31 ✭✭
Hi Everybody,
I'm a vintage collector, but last week I was overtaken by the urge to open some packs. I had heard about 2004 Crackerjack, which sounded pretty neat, but my local card shop didn't have it in. On a total whim, I bought a box of Topps Retired - it has tons of players I loved as a kid, and I don't have many autographs in my collection, just some signed Diamond Stars. In case you're curious, I pulled Alan Trammell, Bob Feller, Carl Yastrzemski, Don Larsen, and Ron Santo - okay by me.
Anyway, here's my question. I liked the cards so much that I'm thinking about working on the set (of autographs). I understand that in the world of modern baseball cards, as excitement about an issue fades, the prices tend to drop. Do you think I'd be better off waiting a couple years and picking these cards up cheap, or do you guys think this is one of those exceptions and I'd be better off chasing after cards now?
I'm a total neophyte when it comes to new cards, so what do y'all think?
I'm a vintage collector, but last week I was overtaken by the urge to open some packs. I had heard about 2004 Crackerjack, which sounded pretty neat, but my local card shop didn't have it in. On a total whim, I bought a box of Topps Retired - it has tons of players I loved as a kid, and I don't have many autographs in my collection, just some signed Diamond Stars. In case you're curious, I pulled Alan Trammell, Bob Feller, Carl Yastrzemski, Don Larsen, and Ron Santo - okay by me.
Anyway, here's my question. I liked the cards so much that I'm thinking about working on the set (of autographs). I understand that in the world of modern baseball cards, as excitement about an issue fades, the prices tend to drop. Do you think I'd be better off waiting a couple years and picking these cards up cheap, or do you guys think this is one of those exceptions and I'd be better off chasing after cards now?
I'm a total neophyte when it comes to new cards, so what do y'all think?
0
Comments
2 on the beckett boards looking to complete this one. Topps had a nice lineup of stars in this set and they
actually singed the cards and not some sticker like playoff and UD.
Normally I would say wait until the hype wears off, but I don't think it will in this set...as you hopefully
know, there are a few rare short prints that make set buiding tough. Some of those short prints are
worth it..Schmidt, Mattingly, Ryan...but some have inflated prices just because they are sps's....no
bunning auto should be worth 120 bucks!
That is testimate to how many poeple are doing this set...they will pay it! I was lucky enough to pull
a Lou Brock which is one of the key cards in the sp set...I have been tracking prices and it actually
sells for over the 120 book price.....if you are thinking about this set..ask yourself these questions:
1) Is "overpaying" for guys like Gary Carter, Jim Bunning, and Wade Boggs going to give you an upset
stomach?
2) Do you have enough trade beef to get the higher priced cards. Chances are you are going to have
to wrestle some of the nicer cards from collectors hands.
3) Might it be better to focus on a set with less cards?
4) This product has been out a while, chances are much of the group A sp's have dried up, is it worth it? This
could be a long time goal...which just might be what you are looking for!
Welp I hope this helps, this set would be amazing, but I wouldn't have enough pateince to do it. Good Luck
on whatever you choose.
Kevin
PS...If you decide to attempt it I have about 8 of them.
Thanks for your reply!
1: There's no freaking way I'm paying $100 for Wade Boggs et al. I bet these prices will go down over time, though. I hope.
2: I've got nothing to trade after 1953. Seriously.
3 & 4: Maybe it would be better to do a smaller set, but what? Everthing about this set hooked me in - the clean design, the old school Topps logo, etc. I decided that if I'm going to collect something modern it has to be autographed - base cards don't excited me, refractors I'm not crazy about, and don't get me started on cutting up uniforms and bats - crime! Retired does have a lot of cards, but I'm pretty patient - I've been working on some of my vintage sets for five plus years. I'm sure you're right about the group A autos being out of circulation, but I doubt that even 25 people will be seriously working on the set, so I bet they'll pop up sometime.
PM me a list of your cards...doing the set would be a big undertaking, but if I decide to try, maybe we can work something out.
Best,
Geoff
April 7! I didn't realize. Thanks!
Best,
Geoff
If you are 1953 buff you might look into the 2002 heritage auto set, the design was just like the
53 topps set...Im afraid they skipped over the 53 bowman set. You are right the retired set is very nice
and would be a long term project.
Kevin
loth
Kevin
I saw an interview once where Mays said he changed his signature because his early signature was too easily copied. Same for the early Mantle signature.
Ed
Stalin is right, the short prints are super tough, and (from my experience) there is a lot of duplication in the boxes.
Bought and opened 2 cases of these (only 6 boxes per case), and in each case, 1 box was almost an exact duplicate of one other in the same case (common autographs).
i've got mine up in a penzoni case on the wall, its really beautiful, but not yet complete. needless to say i've got some duplicates if you need some, just let me know.
I've gotten nearly all of mine on ebay. I did bust 5 boxes, and the only tougher one I got out of that was Ozzie Smith. Everything else was from Groups F and G.
I'm beginning to think that I'll never finish this set, since I can't see spending $500+ each for the group A's (that's what the last few have gone for on ebay!
Steve
just 4 more cards for the base set. Please let me know if any are available for
sale.
Thanks.
autos...I think everyone you have left sell already for a load of cash. I bet that Brett would sell for over
5 bills! You might actually be better off busting wax! LOL.....well maybe not, I opened two boxes
and pulled Brock and Seaver so I was happy. Have the price of these unopened gone up or down?
Jake...Post what your friend needs and Im sure either I or someone else has them.
Kevin
Our current ebay auctions, and of course BaseBallCardHeaven.com
Yea...that's exactly the problem...
A Brett just sold on Feb 19th on ebay for $560 and an Aaron sold on the 21st for $510. There's a Yount on right now with a $500 BIN.
Every one of the group A's I've seen recently has gone for over $500. I think I even remember seeing a Ripken go for over $600 within the past couple of months!
I had started on it by opening the wax, but all I seemed to get were the easist ones. Paying $30 per pack, only to get a card you could pick up on ebay for $15 or less (alot of times for under $10), grew old very quickly.
I really don't have a clue what the boxes/packs are going for right now. I'm up in Montana, and the only shop in town can't even get them any more.
I've been thinking recently that I maybe should quit the set and sell what I have, but every time I look at the cards, I just fall back in love with em...(I guess that's probably the definition of a "hopeless collector", right?)
Anyway, if I can just get the four group B's I still need, I'll be very happy
Steve
Yeah I know how you feel. I paid over full book at the time for my last heritage auto of Duke Snider..funny
the guy I beat out offered me 50 bucks more for it after I won it! Needless to say Duke is in my house
now..LOL
Do you ever go to any shows in big towns? Maybe you could track them down there. Believe it
or not there are still many guys at show who don't do the internet and live and die by beckett prices!
A guy here just busted a box and paid 170 for it, so I don't think poping wax is an option...I can see
unopened wax only getting higher as there are many set builders.
JS
I haven't been to a card show in years
If there is ever a larger show in say, Denver or Seattle, I will definitely go (both are about 700 miles away from me in Great Falls MT). I've watched for a show to be held in Spokane WA, but have never seen one advertised (Spokane is only about 350 miles from me). I really miss going to a nice show and just seeing all the cards and everything else, whether or not I actually buy anything (although I always buy something.....I've never gone home from a show with extra money in my wallet
I'm contemplating trying to get to the National this year, but I'm not sure if it will work out...hopefully it will.
Steve
I've decided to do the set! Steve, you're way ahead of me - best of luck finishing up. The only thing that really bothers me are the short prints of lesser players, but what are you gonna do.
Right now I'm trying to decide if I should bust any more boxes. I paid $190 for my first one (on impulse) and I think they're gettable for $170, but even now they're starting to dry up. It seems like you have to pull a Group A (1:339), B (1:61), or refractor (1:27) to make buying wax worthwhile - not perfect odds.
Steve+gfb, if you guys want to sell or trade me some of your extras, PM me - I need almost everything.
Best,
Geoff
You are correct. The best price I has seen recently for these boxes is about $170.00. A few weeks ago, they were going for over two bills.
BTW: Cubby=Cub Fan
Anyone have any interest in a numbered fisk 11/25 or kell 22/25? would like to trade for some others i need
Ron Santo
Jim Piersall
Johnny Podres (2)
Boog Powell (2)
Don Larsen (2)
Maury Wills
George Foster
Bert Blyleven
Bill Madlock
<< <i>I've watched for a show to be held in Spokane WA, but have never seen one advertised (Spokane is only about 350 miles from me). >>
Don't hold your breath. There hasn't been a show in Spokane worth talking about in at least a couple years. We used to have one at the Franklin Park Mall every 6 months or that would draw 50-100 dealers, but that one is no more. The last two here had maybe 10 dealers, tops. And those dealers had nothing.
Tabe, Spokane resident
www.tabe.nu
Bunning is now 150!
LOL Oh well
Kevin
How many auto's do you get out of every box of this product?
Paul.
group C's are going to be hot. There just isn't enough of this for everyone. I think the cases are
stupid, but the linup of graphs is impressive. I think you pull a Moose Skowran in every box too!
LOL
Kevin
JoeStalin's correct...there are 5 packs per box, with one autograph in every pack.
Out of the 8 boxes I opened (40 autos), I came up with 7 duplicates, and I think 2 triplicates. I've just got to find where I put the extras, and then I can see if any of the other posters on this thread can use any of them.
Steve
NO numbered parallel cards. I could care less, but they're good for flipping on eBay.
Moose Skowron (sigh)
Harold Reynolds (I needed it, so I'm not complaining)
Fergie Jenkins
Warren Spahn (hooray!)
AND...
NOLAN RYAN! Which was in my last pack, and got me totally pumped.
Oh, baseball cards, the sickness unto death.
Kevin