I do peruse ebay on occassion, usually on the lookout for unexpectedly cheap wax boxes to purchase that are not so common to find or to find poor condition vintage Phillies cards. I am not often successful, but it's fun to look at even when I don't purchase anything.
Like many of you fellow card collectors, I am done with the 2010 releases in the sense I will not be purchasing anymore packs. (I am still working on the 2010 Allen & Ginter and 2010 Topps Update sets, however.) Therefore, the revelation that 2001 Topps Series 1's release date has moved up by two weeks has begun a mental frenzy of diamonds and anniversaries and cascading insert cards in chronological order.
This time with my mind in chaos and not thinking clearly, I embarked upon the quest to purchase a series 1 hobby box. I have not opened a Topps flagship set hobby box in the year it was released since 2001. I figured I'm a sucker for realized card company anniversary celebrations, so why not continue the admittedly non-specific or statistical trend?
With the announcement of the newest promotion to tickle the collecting nerve endings, a wrapper redemption of five card packs, this added blood in the water for the yet to be released product as box prices have risen sharply from approximately $54 pre-announcement to approximately $80 post-announcement and jumbo boxes from approximately $85 to approximately $115 during the same time period.
My veins were pulsating from possibly being unable to complete the quest, but then I stumbled upon an affordable box ($64 shipped) that I hope will arrive intact with all the wrappers.
Others also had grand ideas and immediately took the frenzy to the next logical conclusion. By selling the wrappers! Do a search for 2011 Topps Jumbo and see what results. I've seen up to $98 for 60 jumbo wrappers.
For that price, you will get 6 packs of the wrapper redemption without having to go through the tedious process of opening a pack. This works out to $16 per pack or $3.27 per card for the redemption cards!
We all know about the vapors that collectors get when presented with 1952 Topps designs, but I feel as if there may be a disconnect here. Why not buy singles of the redemption card program you like or better yet, buy a hobby box and a half for that price....you'll feel better.
There's nothing more therapeutic than the rip of foil in the morning, and it's possible that Topps may be aware of this effect.
That is insane. I hope to find a hobby box sometime after the prices come down a little bit. I could do 64, but not 84.
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