First Buzz: 2025-26 Topps Chrome NBA cards

[mossoholic]

Originally Posted by phil

Sarcasm? In recent years most FOTL releases have been manipulated to not hit floors that were at or below Hobby presell, although more through only loading part of the print runs rather than so obviously pulling thousands of boxes people knew were loaded right at a price drop. Topps/Fanatics need to learn a little more stealth to their price fixing lol.

It's actually slightly worse than that. Talked to several people that can call before the auction and lock in their buys. They load what's available after that. Which depending on how popular the product is it's sometimes more sometimes less.

[BayAreaChris]

Originally Posted by mossoholic

You can't put 2 and 2 together?

It "sold out" the second it hit $1625.

There were very few orders with at least 2 minutes and change before it sold out.

A fraction of the amount of people that were interested in this even knew about it. No email today or yesterday. No mention on Twitter or Insta today. Wasn't even on the Topps front page until this morning.

With a 32 limit until it hit $2000 I can guarantee you even the people willing to spend and buy alot were not buying because of that hard limit.

Why would they all of a sudden bump the limit from 32 to 64. Because people were buying? It's because they weren't buying. I'd be shocked if even 100 boxes sold above $2125.

There are no cases there is no case premium. Why would anyone buy in big amounts early?

Drops only lasted 3 minutes versus 5.

You couldn't add to cart early. You could only buy at the price shown. So no one got an order at $1625.

Im sure Im missing a few.

There was an email right when it started.

[Bob Ross]

You guys know how when there is a new release of anything good, a ton make it to ebay right away? Happens with every public release.

There is exactly 1 box of this on ebay 25 minutes after the "sell out"

[mossoholic]

Originally Posted by BayAreaChris

There was an email right when it started.

Yeah just like there was an email for the Wemby autos after he was drafted? Lasted the full time like 10 minutes past the $1500 floor. For a guy as hot as anything.

I could be wrong, but I don't see any email. If you got an email it must have been because you signed up for a notification. Meaning you would have already known the auction as happening. You had to search for this on the website. It was never listed on the front page or coming soon until this morning. Countless potential buyers Im sure didn't even see the auction.

[Bruin7]

Originally Posted by Braves420

1 measly jumbo for you pre-order folk, 32 (um, I mean 64) for those whose financial capabilities in 1 transaction equate to a year's salary for most.

Absolute shitshow for this product, and in the "long" run interest will fade (not the price, just the interest)

If that’s one year’s salary for you then you’ll never be able to afford a house. Interest will never fade. You’re incorrect as I’ve been doing this since 1987. Look at what key FOTL singles sell for. They remain very strong in the graded & after market. Topps was printing extra money on this release anyway. 3000 boxes is nothing compared to how many hobby and jumbo cases were sold.

[Braves420]

Originally Posted by Bruin7

If that’s one year’s salary for you then you’ll never be able to afford a house. Interest will never fade. You’re incorrect as I’ve been doing this since 1987. Look at what key FOTL singles sell for. They remain very strong in the graded & after market. Topps was printing extra money on this release anyway. 3000 boxes is nothing compared to how many hobby and jumbo cases were sold.

My house just over 4000+ sq ft thank you, Condo is just under 1000 sq ft, still a shitshow.

[Tonic3]

Anyone in this thread who was buying this to "flip" or "resell" and then is complaining about the manipulation/pricing needs to realize that you're part of the problem and part of the reason this crazy ecosystem continues to persist.

Anyone in this thread who would've actually liked to have opened this I beg you not to pay some flipper for their box and most certainly don't support any of the breakers. Let them sit on this stuff and lose a ton of money. We (the people who want to actually open the product) have all the power....it just takes some self restraint

[Bruin7]

The bigger question to me are the number of people who can’t afford the current card market climate yet try to play along. You’ll go bankrupt. It’s baffling to me the number of people I speak to at shows that have either declared bankruptcy or sunk themselves in a credit card abyss. You cannot climb out given the way Topps has monopolized the card world. I don’t use social media much but can tell the cocaine-like hits to the brain when seeing monster pulls and being an overnight millionaire (or hundred thousandaire lol). The way Fanatics has created this false sense of hitting big on social media platforms is genius. It’s just loops and loops of false dreams and hopes. This release was disgusting. They had stock left but moved it elsewhere once the pricing got too close to $1500. 1250-1500 is the projected Big 3 for regular jumbo boxes. There’s no way they could have both products cross pricing paths.

[letsgocapitals]

Originally Posted by Bruin7

The bigger question to me are the number of people who can’t afford the current card market climate yet try to play along. You’ll go bankrupt. It’s baffling to me the number of people I speak to at shows that have either declared bankruptcy or sunk themselves in a credit card abyss.

It's gambling (a disease) for a lot of collectors.

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Bruin7

They had stock left but moved it elsewhere once the pricing got too close to $1500. 1250-1500 is the projected Big 3 for regular jumbo boxes. There’s no way they could have both products cross pricing paths.

Exact same move Panini used to pull. Once it got too close to what they force the big3/others to sell the regular version at, they pull the FOTL/First Day version.

True market price will never be allowed by Fanatics on any "dutch" they have moving forward. Today proved that as blatantly clear.

[Bruin7]

Originally Posted by Braves420

My house just over 4000+ sq ft thank you, Condo is just under 1000 sq ft, still a shitshow.

Well I’m not trying to pull out a ruler but I live in a 6,500 sq ft $2M home. Trust me I know what I’m talking about. I agree with Tonic3’s statement. Flippers and those with no interest in our hobby are half the problem. I hope they sit on these boxes without profit while their credit cards build up. I hope they sink into the bottom without any way of digging themselves out. They’ve completely screwed up the market. You’ll notice a ton of smaller card shops with online storefronts try dumping specific products they were incorrect about upon initial release. Dune Chrome is a good example. These guys were so desperate for cash for this FDI release specifically that they were selling far below their costs. I love seeing this.

[crdbored]

Looks like we'll see most of the FDI on Fanatics Live and certain LCS who get told to buy it lol

[Bruin7]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Exact same move Panini used to pull. Once it got too close to what they force the big3/others to sell the regular version at, they pull the FOTL/First Day version.

True market price will never be allowed by Fanatics on any "dutch" they have moving forward. Today proved that as blatantly clear.

They’re definitely going to have to go back to the drawing boards. So much was anticipated on what flippers were accomplishing with Chrome Jumbo boxes. I was even shocked to see them consistently over 1k. That’s nutso for a new Chrome release. Chrome is a low to mid tier product. They’re treating boxes like they’re Dynasty or something limited. Fanatics saw the instant margins & grossly over estimated FDI. I like that this happened.

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Bruin7

I like that this happened.

I like it too.

But thinking about a bit, we should be sad at what happened today. This proved their price manipulation tactics beyond reasonable doubt. And there's no other options for us.

[Bob Ross]

If Fanatics wants to keep up the elusion of a fair system, maybe they should use a different platform than Shopify on these "dutch" releases. At least with Panini you couldn't see the backend stock number amount pulled at corruption time. Fanatics simply showed their hand today, and sadly, I doubt they even care. But it's proven now.

Oh, and sorry for the delay:

[bub838]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

bub what was the last stock # you saw before pulled?

Didn't have an exact number, just what a friend was telling me. I actually don't belong to any of the hardcore bot/cook groups.

[sethc1020]

$1750 for a box of Topps Chrome is just insane, I really don't understand this "hobby" anymore. Its not even fun anymore

[Braves420]

Originally Posted by Tonic3

Anyone in this thread who was buying this to "flip" or "resell" and then is complaining about the manipulation/pricing needs to realize that you're part of the problem and part of the reason this crazy ecosystem continues to persist.

Anyone in this thread who would've actually liked to have opened this I beg you not to pay some flipper for their box and most certainly don't support any of the breakers. Let them sit on this stuff and lose a ton of money. We (the people who want to actually open the product) have all the power....it just takes some self restraint

Had small hope to open as I'm a collector through and through, but won't even pay Topps "flipper" prices let alone aftermarket. Still got to pay off the square footage.

[Bruin7]

Originally Posted by sethc1020

$1750 for a box of Topps Chrome is just insane, I really don't understand this "hobby" anymore. Its not even fun anymore

Yes there will be 8 lucky individuals that pulls LeBron, Flagg & the likes. But imagine paying $1750++ to pull Nikola Jovic & Steven Adams?!? HUH??? Oh the heart break…Fanatics didn’t add enough juice to the product. They use sticker autos so why not include one out of 8 per box? Michael Rubin is laughing his way to the bank.

[eastbayak]

Forgot about this drop (out of town for work), seems I didn’t miss much though.

[letsgocapitals]

Boxes and cases on Ebay at reasonable prices... for those that missed.

[nbahobbyaddict]

Sorry if I did not see it. What is the release date?

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by letsgocapitals

Boxes and cases on Ebay at reasonable prices... for those that missed.

It’s called breaker bait!

[Jaypers]

Originally Posted by nbahobbyaddict

Sorry if I did not see it. What is the release date?

12/15.

[mossoholic]

Can anyone post a screenshot of the Spotify box count details so we have documented proof of what happened with this auction?