View Full Version : High Dollar Retro...1993 Topps Finest Box?
After getting my feet wet in my re-entry into collecting...I'm getting that itch to go big on a box of cards during the era that I missed. That essentially makes up 1993-2018.
With the talk of Finest being released today I starting looking at the prices of hobby boxes moving backwards, and noticed the huge price jump for 1993. With prices around the $800 mark it would be a "big" purchase for me...not quite '93 SP or '11 Update...but big enough.
What are your thoughts? Are these cards notorious for being damaged out of the box like I assumed SP would be...bricked together???
I plan to rip and flip...mostly just for the fun of opening cards that were out of my price range as a kid, with old players that I remember. Don't really care if I lose money overall.
Straight up nostalgia!
actionbryan
06-05-2019, 04:44 PM
I'd be astonished if you ripped and flipped a 93 finest box profitably. You'd have to pull a high grade star refractor (and get graded) or high grade low pop non star . Both are very long odds.
Remember to make sure it is factory sealed. Refractor packs are marked, so if you may get shut out if you buy an opened mix box.
The value in an unopened 93 Finest Box is being in the oh ah state of a rare, sealed, 93 Finest Box.
Good luck, report back if you do it.
If someone can contradict me, I'm all ears.
LVDan
06-05-2019, 04:46 PM
agree- I don't think this is a good rip for the value
plus- do we know what 26 years of being sealed does to the protective coating?
I wouldn't want to find out for $800
Well...this is why I asked. Thanks for saving me some money and heartache.
The search continues for a "big ticket" box :)
pacman099
06-05-2019, 04:57 PM
I picked up a box of 1993 Bowman sealed by BBCE. Of course, I've seen that stuff get stuck together as well (watch youtube). I picked it up because it has some nice rookies. You can look for 80s stuff as well. 1993 Topps Series 1 has also been high due to jeter RC (albeit not quite like SP).
It's comical to me to pay $2500 for a box of 93 SP for a *chance* at finding a Jeter that will grade highly.
I'm an amateur like you checking out stuff that I couldn't afford in the 90s when I was 12 years old :)
Archangel1775
06-05-2019, 05:13 PM
agree- I don't think this is a good rip for the value
plus- do we know what 26 years of being sealed does to the protective coating?
I wouldn't want to find out for $800
The return isnt going to be good and that's when I broke 2 at $500 for nostalgia's sake. I ended up with 2 Jay Buhner's. The cases tend to run like that, if I'm not mistaken. Refractors of the same player.
There is no protective coating(Peel) on 1993 Finest unless you're talking about them greening. I dont believe 1993 baseball has that issue.
As for the refractors, they are all in the same place in the box. I dont recall which spot but I tested the theory in my break and it definitely was. I did rip the rest just in case there was a 2nd refractor, which is possible.
dodgerfanjohn
06-05-2019, 05:29 PM
Just buy a high grade card you like. Older non junk wax carries a premium just for rarity. Almost never profitable at current prices.
whitesoxfan3579
06-05-2019, 06:25 PM
Auction going on right now for a sealed box - $585 (and likely climbing).
ThoseBackPages
06-05-2019, 06:27 PM
i agree, never open these kind of boxes hoping for what may be within
delangley1977
06-05-2019, 06:28 PM
I'd be astonished if you ripped and flipped a 93 finest box profitably. You'd have to pull a high grade star refractor (and get graded) or high grade low pop non star . Both are very long odds.
Remember to make sure it is factory sealed. Refractor packs are marked, so if you may get shut out if you buy an opened mix box.
The value in an unopened 93 Finest Box is being in the oh ah state of a rare, sealed, 93 Finest Box.
Good luck, report back if you do it.
If someone can contradict me, I'm all ears.
Refractor packs are marked? How so?
Just buy a high grade card you like. Older non junk wax carries a premium just for rarity. Almost never profitable at current prices.
I do appreciate the effort to save me money...but the objective is to rip a retro box...not necessarily to get a certain card or to make a bunch of money.
whitesoxfan3579
06-05-2019, 06:32 PM
From baseballcardpedia:
Due to these boxes not having a logo printed on the plastic wrap, boxes can easily be opened and resealed. Many boxes with the original plastic wrap have a small round hole in the upper left corner on the front. Also, packs that contain a refractor can be easily identified as they are different than non-refractor packs as they were were printed and packed separately. Packs containing a refractor have a printing variation on the wrapper.
blackbears86
06-05-2019, 06:33 PM
Well...this is why I asked. Thanks for saving me some money and heartache.
The search continues for a "big ticket" box :)
May I suggest looking at 2001? Ichiro and Albert are basically guaranteed HOF'ers, and I still think these boxes have some upside.
Another year(s) I liked was 2004/2005 (the so-called "golden era") of modern baseball with each company trying to outdo the other. Playoff absolute comes to mind, also topps originals, upper deck legends, classics, etc.....
last suggestion: 2011 bowman draft: still available for $500++ I think a trout landed every other box.
May I suggest looking at 2001? Ichiro and Albert are basically guaranteed HOF'ers, and I still think these boxes have some upside.
Another year(s) I liked was 2004/2005 (the so-called "golden era") of modern baseball with each company trying to outdo the other. Playoff absolute comes to mind, also topps originals, upper deck legends, classics, etc.....
last suggestion: 2011 bowman draft: still available for $500++ I think a trout landed every other box.
I've never heard of Topps Originals, Topps Playoff, etc... is that their name? Forgive me...out of the loop.
Didn't know Trout was in 2011 Draft...I knew of 09 and how expensive those boxes were.
Which years of Upper Deck should I be looking into?
mulhall777
06-05-2019, 07:11 PM
You and I have similar styles.
Great to see other folks out there with this mindset.
Good luck on your search and keep us posted.
As long as you go into with the attitude you/we have, you can't really lose at the end of the day.
chilly55
06-05-2019, 07:16 PM
Topps Originals was a nice high-end 1 auto per box break. They took actual vintage Topps cards and had them signed, then sealed. I opened several boxes from BBCE. Did very well and kept a few for myself. The Brooks is #/15 in the upper left corner. Was able to get at least one HOF auto per box. Best was 3.
http://i66.tinypic.com/jruqa8.jpg
mulhall777
06-05-2019, 07:23 PM
Topps Originals was a nice high-end 1 auto per box break. They took actual vintage Topps cards and had them signed, then sealed. I opened several boxes from BBCE. Did very well and kept a few for myself. The Brooks is #/15 in the upper left corner. Was able to get at least one HOF auto per box. Best was 3.
http://i66.tinypic.com/jruqa8.jpg
That's really nice....
Never knew about that product.
BBCE is amazing.
Them or BO, otherwise I don't complete wax transactions.
I had never heard of that product either...looks interesting...and definitely hits my soft spot for vintage reprints...or vintage style cards.
How many cards come in the box? Is it a traditional set up, or that 1 card per "box" type of product?
You and I have similar styles.
Great to see other folks out there with this mindset.
Good luck on your search and keep us posted.
As long as you go into with the attitude you/we have, you can't really lose at the end of the day.
Glad to hear I'm not crazy lol.
I'm not doing this as a business, so profits aren't a main concern. Essentially I'm just rolling over the money into a different product. Mainly, I'm paying for the fun and experience of ripping packs and searching. It's just a good time!
The only instance in which I'd buy a single card is if the product doesn't have ANYTHING else of ni interest to me. Case in point, 1990 Leaf s2...I'll just buy a PSA 10 Thomas. Bought a few McGwire reprints as well.
mgugs46
06-05-2019, 07:55 PM
97 Finest is always a fun rip with a shot at some high dollar refractors and the boxes don’t cost too much
blackbears86
06-05-2019, 08:22 PM
I've never heard of Topps Originals, Topps Playoff, etc... is that their name? Forgive me...out of the loop.
Didn't know Trout was in 2011 Draft...I knew of 09 and how expensive those boxes were.
Which years of Upper Deck should I be looking into?
Topps originals came out in 2004 and had six packs per box with one buy back auto card per pack.
absolute memorabilia came out in 2005 and had series one and update. (update was better IMO) it came out in other years too, but this was the best by far.
2011 bowman draft had trout (it's a blue/grey box with michael pineda on the cover) easy to find on ebay.
If you like the old timers: Topps archives came out from 2001-2005. Boxes usually had 1-2 auto's per box and the checklist included many HOFer's and guys who don't sign much now.
edit: I have all these boxes unopened, but am too pathetic to post pics. I tried once and failed.
2nd edit: upper deck sweet spot classics also had old-timers the good years for this product were 2001, 2004, 2005.
Chaotic30
06-05-2019, 08:35 PM
I've opened 3 boxes of 1994 Finest for 39 dollars a piece. It was fun the cards had a bit of a film on them so none of them stuck together. Best cards were Sammy Sosa and Orel Hershisher (SP) refractors.
actionbryan
06-05-2019, 08:40 PM
I do appreciate the effort to save me money...but the objective is to rip a retro box...not necessarily to get a certain card or to make a bunch of money.
I hear you but you also want to avoid a box that turns $800 into $40 .
I use to rip a lot of (decent) 90s product purely for nostalgia as well. It really really sucks doing it in 2019 because of cards bricking together and the high price of good 90s wax.
Fortunately ripping current product can be just as fun !
mulhall777
06-05-2019, 08:49 PM
Not crazy...
I do the same thing.
Buy with what funds I can afford to lose, but strictly go for nostalgia.
One of these days we'll hit a rare gem worth a few stacks, but even if we don't, it's the thrill and the memories.
Folks like us are great for the hobby because we'll rip and sell at very fair prices for those who are hardcore collectors. Why....so we can move onto the next rip and relive the moment.
blackbears86
06-05-2019, 08:51 PM
Not crazy...
I do the same thing.
Buy with what funds I can afford to lose, but strictly go for nostalgia.
One of these days we'll hit a rare gem worth a few stacks, but even if we don't, it's the thrill and the memories.
Folks like us are great for the hobby because we'll rip and sell at very fair prices for those who are hardcore collectors. Why....so we can move onto the next rip and relive the moment.
I'm like both of you, except I keep my boxes sealed:)!
mulhall777
06-05-2019, 08:55 PM
I'm like both of you, except I keep my boxes sealed:)!
I've thought about that.
You're discipline is supreme to me lol, kudos.
blackbears86
06-05-2019, 09:07 PM
I've thought about that.
You're discipline is supreme to me lol, kudos.
Thank you sir! Now if I can just learn how to post pics:(
mulhall777
06-05-2019, 09:09 PM
Thank you sir! Now if I can just learn how to post pics:(
I gave up, too.
No shame in it, we're not the only ones.
For now, it's left to the imagination!
seth2720
06-05-2019, 09:10 PM
I would strongly encourage not to buy really expensive old wax. It could be repacked. Considering how old the stuff is, a lot of it's been handled many times so corners are dinged. A lot of cards in older products are all stuck together too, and they damage when you peel them. Way too much of a risk on a pricey box. I've been buying some older cheap boxes that still had some nice looking inserts but not pricey. It's real fun to open and little risk involved.
blackbears86
06-05-2019, 09:18 PM
I would strongly encourage not to buy really expensive old wax. It could be repacked. Considering how old the stuff is, a lot of it's been handled many times so corners are dinged. A lot of cards in older products are all stuck together too, and they damage when you peel them. Way too much of a risk on a pricey box. I've been buying some older cheap boxes that still had some nice looking inserts but not pricey. It's real fun to open and little risk involved.
Agree, there is still plenty of cheaper options out there that are still fun to bust (or put away)
mulhall777
06-05-2019, 09:18 PM
I would strongly encourage not to buy really expensive old wax. It could be repacked. Considering how old the stuff is, a lot of it's been handled many times so corners are dinged. A lot of cards in older products are all stuck together too, and they damage when you peel them. Way too much of a risk on a pricey box. I've been buying some older cheap boxes that still had some nice looking inserts but not pricey. It's real fun to open and little risk involved.
You are correct.
I bought some mid/late 90's Skybox (basketball) looking for rubies and autographics.
Most cards we're bricked together and the few Jordan's I pulled were not even gradeable...unless I get help "conserving them".
Freezing it did not help that much. Tried this mid-break, talk about a buzz kill.
Truth be told, I was not satisfied with these breaks and won't do it again.
Doublexthebeast
06-05-2019, 09:24 PM
So, I opened 3 of these boxes at the National probably 8-9 years ago when they were $200-250 per box. It was really fun to bust them but they are risky. None of the cards were stuck together. The refractor is always on the bottom row and I believe it was on the bottom right corner if I remember correctly.
I pulled Refractors of Paul O'Neil, Otis Nixon, and an awesome All Star Cal Ripken Jr.
blackbears86
06-05-2019, 09:49 PM
I would strongly encourage not to buy really expensive old wax. It could be repacked. Considering how old the stuff is, a lot of it's been handled many times so corners are dinged. A lot of cards in older products are all stuck together too, and they damage when you peel them. Way too much of a risk on a pricey box. I've been buying some older cheap boxes that still had some nice looking inserts but not pricey. It's real fun to open and little risk involved.
double post..ooops
pacman099
06-06-2019, 07:14 AM
I'm nostalgic for old wax. I loved seeing those packs from when I was little...
Now having a small stack of those old boxes in my closest makes me sleep well :)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
After reading your input I must say that the thing that definitely turns me off to 1993 Finest is the "marked" refractor packs. I cannot believe that after 25+ years...someone hasn't tampered with the boxes.
I'm not one to turn down solid advice, just remember the goal here...ripping interesting old wax. I don't mind the idea of holding...AFTER...I have ripped some first.
Throughout my return to collecting, and having bought and ripped some older boxes...I've kind of learned to stay away from high gloss cards in the early 90's. I also think cello packs are in generally better condition that wax packs with gum.
2011 Bowman is my leading contender...but I'd like some rec's of Heritage or Archives and perhaps what i'd be looking for. Thanks
After looking into it...those early Topps Archives are looking good too:)
actionbryan
06-06-2019, 10:22 AM
One thing I noticed also about ripping old packs, you'd be surprised how often the contents don't come out 'pack fresh' and I'm not even talking about bricking.
Like someone alluded too, something from 1995 has been handled, stored, and moved around for 25 years now. Corners get dinged inside the pack in that amount of time.
One thing I noticed also about ripping old packs, you'd be surprised how often the contents don't come out 'pack fresh' and I'm not even talking about bricking.
Like someone alluded too, something from 1995 has been handled, stored, and moved around for 25 years now. Corners get dinged inside the pack in that amount of time.
This was my main gripe with the Walmart pack deal. SOOOO many dinged corners from being thrown in a box.
The majority (except that damn box of '86) of stuff I got from BBC was in great condition. Even the old rack packs and individual cellos.
morningrushnc
06-06-2019, 10:29 AM
"I feel the need - the need for speed!"
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