Ever consciously OVERpay for wax, but actually pull a goody?

brouthercard · May 4, 2011

I've got this strange suspicion that some of the hobby's best hits are stuck in single boxes or cases in shops where the owners simply don't adjust prices to reflect the current market, or just simply refuse to budge on their "retail" or over-retail price. Or perhaps the shop owners simply have to charge super high prices to stay afloat.

Perhaps you have that intuition that something good lurks in that over-priced box, but you just have to get it to find out, knowingly over-paying by up to 20-50% more than you normally would for that shot at goodness.

I recently pulled a Longo gold auto out of a batch of boxes that I paid a total of $50 more than what I could have paid elsewhere, but I had that delusional feeling that something was a brewin' in those pricey 06's.

Glad I did!

BowmanChromeAddict · May 4, 2011

Sure, sort of. I overpaid substantially on 2010 Topps Triple Threads at a local dealer. Hit a Fielder Booklet Patch auto /3, Pujols auto /9, Howard Auto /9, Strasburg Auto /18, and a ton more...still lost my shirt on it all though.

ffgameman · May 4, 2011

One time I can recall.

I found a box of 2005 Fleer Tradition (hobby) at Wal-Mart in late 2005. At the time, I had very little knowledge of the "hobby" side of collecting - it was my first hobby box, in fact. As a result, I didn't know I was overpaying. I paid around $45 for a box that should have cost $25.

I pulled my first patch card - a Miguel Cabrera /50. Great-looking patch too, which FCB member Landon now owns.

CollectorsCorner · May 4, 2011

I never used to buy wax online and there were no local shows so I always bought at the lcs. I was a "regular" so I got 10% off but it was still way higher looking back.

With that said my best pulls came from there
2005/06 Jordan Lebron Trilogy Dual auto out of a 50 dollar pack
2006 Reggie Bush SPA Gold Patch Auto from 5 packs at 10 each
along with countless other low numbered rookie autos and 1/1s

SportsCardMojo · May 4, 2011

I pre-ordered TC and BC at the peak of the pricing.

Pulled 2 Superfractors (1 of which was Brian Ragira USA Auto), 3 Strasburg Autos (from 1 case), 3 Printing Plates. My wrapper redemptions got me Gerrit Cole auto, Drew Pomeranz and Bryce Brentz Backback autos.

I also pulled some color, but most were not autos. I also pulled a bunch of the sought after autos, but most were just base or refractor autos.

I think I still lost in the long run, but I came close to getting my money back.

Sure, if I waited for BC and TC to tank, I could have bought in for much cheaper, but if you think of it, those cases would have gone to someone else that did preorder. So I have no regrets. My first Supers, 3 Strasburgs from 1 case...I couldn't ask for more.

gracecollector · May 4, 2011

I usually only bust wax if I get a good price on a box. But I remember distinctly wanting to try a box of 2003 Playoff Absolute when it came out, because I thought the glass box toppers were really cool. I could only find one box in the area, and it was at a comic book store that had a little baseball wax, and was always overpriced. Had to pay $25-30 over what a normal box would cost.

But then I hit an autographed Pujols glass plaque boxtopper #/25, and all was well!

markakis8 · May 4, 2011

I spent $90 on a hobby box of 2006 UD Ovation when it first came out (everyone say it with me - "OUCH")

I pulled a Boof Bonser RC auto, Cole Hamels RC #'d/999, a jersey card.

The next time I wanted to open a box, I just took my money, went to the bathroom, dropped a deuce, and wiped my ass with it.

nomar_collector · May 4, 2011

I bought a single pack of 2006 Triple Threads at a local shop about three months after it came out. This was half the hobby box, i.e. one hit, and it had been sitting in their showcase all that time. finally I just said "to hell with it" and bought the single sealed pack. It contained this:

One of the first stamped 1/1 printing plates, a great card to have in a collection!

fonda1119 · May 4, 2011

When I used to live in southern California I would frequent a hobby shop. Wouldn't always buy anything (the worker there and I became good friends). But on occasion I would. The owner's prices were always a good 20-30% higher than any online retailer.

That being said, on 8 occasions I can remember I hit extremely nice cards.

2007 Topps Sterling - Hideki Matsui Auto/Booklet #/10
2007 Spectrum - Ripken Gold Auto #/5
2007 BDP - Moustakas Gold Refractor

The other five were hockey.

These were from 2007-08 The Cup (on three separate occasions. I stopped after the third even though the owner told me to come back and open more to try to hit a Price.):
Kane RAP #/99 (1-clr)
Backstrom RAP #/99 (3-clr)
Toews RAP #/99 (2-clr)

Then these two:
07-08 UD Ice - Bobby Ryan Ice Premieres RC /99
08-09 UD Ice - Steven Stamkos Glacial Graphs Auto

I live in northern California now and miss that hobby shop.

trolea1234 · May 5, 2011

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