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matfanofold
Active member
- Aug 10, 2008
- 7,645
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When I first heard about this product, the pricepoint, and target demograph, I was a bit curious as to how it would all shake out. I really loved the fact it was targeted at the 'average Joe' collector but had reservation as for the quality of the product with regards to the checklist, design, and integrity. Initially I assumed that we would be looking at a treasure hunt type product with a small few 'big hits' and the rest pure garbage but I am here to tell you that not only was I wrong in my assumption but this product is perhaps my favorite product in recent memory!
I am a advocate at my local LCS when it comes to LEAF products. I regularly talk about them and do my best to make sure they are ordering when the time comes. With that in mind they ordered a healthy stock of these 2012 History of Baseball box's, although with similar reserve as I had. Today I was finally able to make it to the LCS to pick up my 3 and give it a whirl. It cost me $100 for the 3 and was over in less than 3 minutes (as for the actual rip) but I have to say it was one of the most enjoyable breaks I have had in a while! I also watched about 30 other box's opened in the time I was there and had equally as good a time!
What made this break so much fun was that with each card pulled we all talked (and researched when needed) about the cards we were pulling. I mean, imagine that! A group of collectors opening product and actually taking their time inspecting each card while discussing (sometimes in leignth) the featured player. And just as the title of the product states, every single player/card indeed warranted the 'History of Baseball'. Sure, some may be of 1940's World Series players or past All-Stars but every single card I saw pulled was worthy of inclusion and a truely historic signature for any vintage collector.
Getting more to the point of my mini review, just a few things of note...
1. Just about every cut was very well done. Unlike most of the garbage (looking) cuts out there, almost every one I saw was neatly placed and visually appealing. To me this was a very big plus!
2. The slabs were all in very good condition! I dislike nothing more than cracked and/or scuffed up slabs and these were all but pristine condition.
3. Contradicting my initial fears, it looks as if this was not a auto dump simply cutting and pasting anything and everything to fill out the product but rather just about every cut was clean, full, and well placed!
4. The owner of my LCS (Jeff) had been keeping track of every card pulled and of the more than 100 so far an astonishing 50% were Hall of Famers! Perhaps not all Top Tier but HOF'ers none the less.
5. The average ROI from the breaks I saw, and the ones logged on the list, were as high as I ever saw on any product. I did not break out a abacus but If I had to guess I would say about half broke even or made money. A good chunck of the other half were close to breaking even and considering the nature of this release there was not a single one I would call a dud.
Bottom line here is that this product was simply a blast to open. It was relatively inexpensive and inspired us collectors to discuss the player, the sport, and the hobby. To that end it was priceless. As far as my 3, the first I pulled a nice Bill Werber cut (1940 WS). The second Box I hit a Hank Aaron, very sharp and clean too! THe 3'rd I hit a Ken Raffensberger cut (Winning pitcher of the 1944 AS Game - see photo above). I sold the Aaron and Werber back to the LCS for $120 and walked away from the break with the nice Ken Raffensberger and $20 more than I came with.
I know this product has been out for a while and am somewhat late to the party, but it had been such a long time since I actually enjoyed a break enough to say the price was worth the expierence alone that I just had to share. Anyone on the fence with this product should really give it a try, be sure to do so around a few other collectors as well and I think you will find the expierence to be just as rewarding as I. My only regret? I wish I had more money to bust! He had another few dozen sitting there and I could have ripped through them all! Huge props to BG/LEAF on making the hobby enjoyable for me again, I thought that was a feeling that I may have never expierenced again.
-matfanofold
I am a advocate at my local LCS when it comes to LEAF products. I regularly talk about them and do my best to make sure they are ordering when the time comes. With that in mind they ordered a healthy stock of these 2012 History of Baseball box's, although with similar reserve as I had. Today I was finally able to make it to the LCS to pick up my 3 and give it a whirl. It cost me $100 for the 3 and was over in less than 3 minutes (as for the actual rip) but I have to say it was one of the most enjoyable breaks I have had in a while! I also watched about 30 other box's opened in the time I was there and had equally as good a time!
What made this break so much fun was that with each card pulled we all talked (and researched when needed) about the cards we were pulling. I mean, imagine that! A group of collectors opening product and actually taking their time inspecting each card while discussing (sometimes in leignth) the featured player. And just as the title of the product states, every single player/card indeed warranted the 'History of Baseball'. Sure, some may be of 1940's World Series players or past All-Stars but every single card I saw pulled was worthy of inclusion and a truely historic signature for any vintage collector.
Getting more to the point of my mini review, just a few things of note...
1. Just about every cut was very well done. Unlike most of the garbage (looking) cuts out there, almost every one I saw was neatly placed and visually appealing. To me this was a very big plus!
2. The slabs were all in very good condition! I dislike nothing more than cracked and/or scuffed up slabs and these were all but pristine condition.
3. Contradicting my initial fears, it looks as if this was not a auto dump simply cutting and pasting anything and everything to fill out the product but rather just about every cut was clean, full, and well placed!
4. The owner of my LCS (Jeff) had been keeping track of every card pulled and of the more than 100 so far an astonishing 50% were Hall of Famers! Perhaps not all Top Tier but HOF'ers none the less.
5. The average ROI from the breaks I saw, and the ones logged on the list, were as high as I ever saw on any product. I did not break out a abacus but If I had to guess I would say about half broke even or made money. A good chunck of the other half were close to breaking even and considering the nature of this release there was not a single one I would call a dud.
Bottom line here is that this product was simply a blast to open. It was relatively inexpensive and inspired us collectors to discuss the player, the sport, and the hobby. To that end it was priceless. As far as my 3, the first I pulled a nice Bill Werber cut (1940 WS). The second Box I hit a Hank Aaron, very sharp and clean too! THe 3'rd I hit a Ken Raffensberger cut (Winning pitcher of the 1944 AS Game - see photo above). I sold the Aaron and Werber back to the LCS for $120 and walked away from the break with the nice Ken Raffensberger and $20 more than I came with.
I know this product has been out for a while and am somewhat late to the party, but it had been such a long time since I actually enjoyed a break enough to say the price was worth the expierence alone that I just had to share. Anyone on the fence with this product should really give it a try, be sure to do so around a few other collectors as well and I think you will find the expierence to be just as rewarding as I. My only regret? I wish I had more money to bust! He had another few dozen sitting there and I could have ripped through them all! Huge props to BG/LEAF on making the hobby enjoyable for me again, I thought that was a feeling that I may have never expierenced again.
-matfanofold
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