Well, as you’ve probably noticed if you’ve checked the site out at all lately, things have slowed down some. With the end of the season (and the last few products coming out costing north of $100 per pack), there hasn’t been a lot to report.
But today I stopped in at a local big box retailer, and decided to grab a couple boxes. Not retail boxes of new stuff, mind you (I still will do that occasionally, although it’s getting rarer and rarer), but instead I got a few of the grab bag boxes–two boxes featuring “One BGS NFL Graded Card (PLUS Bonus!),” and one tin featuring “over 250 cards…guaranteed $60 of Catalog Value…one 1990 Topps Traded Set…hobby premium pack in every 5th tin.”
I don’t put a lot of faith in either, although it isn’t the first time I’ve done this. I’ve bought 4 of the graded cards over the last few months, with mixed results–the bonuses are usually a pack of 1988 Topps stickers, and the cards I’ve gotten to date have all been Score–but I did get two Gem Mint Adrian Peterson rookies, a Gem Mint Jay Cutler rookie, and a Mint Cutler rookie (both Cutler’s have been sold on eBay–at a loss, unforunately).
And, opening the first box, I see the familiar pack of stickers (I did manage an Elway sticker back), and getting to the graded card, disappointed to see that it’s only a Mint card, but happy to see it’s not Score–although a 2001 Pacific Invincible Retail Deuce McAllister isn’t a lot better. Second box wasn’t much better–Joe Montana sticker, and back to Score, a Mint 2006 Laurence Maroney. Might finally be time to swear off these boxes for good.
Opening the tin, sure enough, there’s a 1990 Topps Traded box, some cards, and a couple of 1990 Score packs–apparently I didn’t get the “hobby premium” pack. A quick look at the Traded set showed that sure enough, it did include the Emmitt Smith rookie ($12), and some other at least mildly interesting card (including another classic Tommy Hodson).
The loose cards had a couple…well, one really nice pull–a 2001 Pacific Dynagon LaDanion Tomlinson rookie–I’m assuming Retail, since there’s no autograph on it. There was also an Odyssey Shaun Alexander rookie, a Brett Favre Super Bowl XXXI highlight card (eh), and a second year Randy Moss card that was ok. Oh, and three each of 1987 Topps Steve “Mongo” McMichael and Chargers Punter Ralf Mojsiejenko. So it had that going for it.
The packs of Score featured…well, when an Andre Ware rookie card is the highlight, that should tell you something.
So, I got an LT rookie, an Emmitt Smith rookie, a bunch of other minor star & rookie cards (enough to get to the $60 limit, I guess), and a whole new bunch of crap. But at least I got to open some cards today.
The loose cards seemed pretty good compared to what I have seen coming out of those. I have been tempted to buy one of those graded card packs but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet.
Yeah, the LT rookie I think is the best I’ve seen come out of a tin–usually it’s a handful of the $7-12 cards, but of guys that no one would probably actually want (which is why they’re in the tin, I guess).
I wish the graded packs were a bit cheaper than $10, but being a Minnesota native, I could have done a lot worst than two gem AP’s and a Laurence Maroney (UofM alum, so to speak). The “bonus” could be a little more exciting too.
The one that I try to stay away from now is the $10 pack that guarantess $25 in card value–every one of those I’ve gotten has had at least one weird felt card that Beckett lists at like $12, but I’ve never seen before. Maybe there’s a Barry Sanders fan out there who wants 2-3 of them?