Where Do You Get Your Relic Cards?
September 13th, 2009 by slangon
Some people might not consider me a typical collector.
Why do I say that, you ask? Well, I’ve only busted 3 hobby boxes in my whole life. 2 ’09 Allen & Ginters and 1 ’09 Goudey. I guess I find it hard to justify shelling out that much moolah at one time for cards. Yeah, the guaranteed hits are great, but after paying that much, you might end up with jerseys or autographs of dudes that you could care less about.
That being said, my own very modest collection of relics and autographs are probably split down the middle as far as cards I pulled myself and cards that I specifically bought on eBay or traded for. Granted, buying or trading for specific cards is nowhere near as thrilling as pulling something yourself, at least you know you’re getting a card that you really want. Also, in the long run, buying a card that you really want, no matter how much you pay for it, ends up being way more economical than trying to pull that card in a pack.
Now, with that being said, I also can’t deny that little shiver I get when I open a pack and see that thick card in the middle and realize that that is not one of them fake-out cards that they put in there to try and deter pack searchers. I get excited even when the relic or autograph in question ends up being one of them afore-mentioned dudes you could care less about. Last year, I pulled a Matt kemp jersey from an Allen & Ginter blaster, and no offense to Dodgers fans, but I don’t really give a hoot about Matt Kemp. But I sure liked getting his jersey card.
Now that I think about it, out of the handful of hits that I’ve pulled with me own two hands, I can only think of 2 that were of players that I really love, and maybe another 4 or 5 that were of players that I kind of dig. Definitely the majority are guys that are either middle of the road players, or are semi-good players who happen to be on teams that don’t do anything for me one way or another. But I must say, when you do get that hit of that dude that you really like, that is some nice feeling.
So now I’m curious as to how you, the reader acquire most of your hits. Do you just bust that many packs and/or boxes that claim to have guaranteed hits? Do you trade your not-so-exciting hits for ones you like more? Do you just buy hits on eBay or at card shops?
I’d say mine are half bought/half traded for. I’ve only bought three, but they’re a real nice three. As for the trades…I just trade people’s needs and really shiny stuff and every now and then I end up with relic cards. Works out pretty cool.