Noob Question - Where would you spend your first $300 bucks?

[XGODLOVE5UGLYX]

Getting back into the hobby after many years away. For the individuals that have been in the hobby for awhile, if you were starting over today, had 0 cards in your collection and only had $300 in your pocket, what would you use the money on? Anything you'd stay away from?

For context, I'm not getting back in to the hobby to make money. So "investing" isn't a priority for me. I remember how much fun it was to build sets when I was a kid and I would like to continue down that path. With the little research I have done so far, I can see that trying to obtain a complete set now is impossible, but I'd be willing to limit my ambitions to "base card" sets or "insert" sets.

Just to get started, I have a couple hundred bucks to throw at the hobby so that I can get started. Looking for opinions on how you would spend it knowing what you know....

Appreciate the time.

[jcardstore]

Favorite players or teams are a good place to start if you're not investing.

[BLJ]

I’m new here so I don’t know how much weight my opinion will hold for you. Just a disclaimer.

It’s tough because basketball stuff is so expensive right now. Even retail blaster boxes that you’d normally be able to get for 20 bucks are well over the $100 range now with resellers. It seems buying singles of players you like is a good place to start.

Or you could wait until prices potentially go down. A lot of X factors drove up prices for this year to crazy heights so it may come down again. Hopefully.

Welcome back

[XGODLOVE5UGLYX]

Appreciate the response. Because I'm a noob again and am struggling to understand if I am getting completely scammed...I have a seller offering (2) Mega Boxes, (2) Blaster Boxes and (8) Value Packs of 19-20 Panini Illusion for $250. Is this reasonable?

From what I've read, Illusions are not a "top-shelf" card, which I'm fine with. Like I said, I'm just looking to get started. I just don't want to get taken for a ride.

[sebreg]

If I just want thrill of the gamble coupled with childhood nostalgia, I'd buy packs. But ultimately at this point, I like the idea of just buying singles of favorite players. Sometimes best bang for the buck is buying raw, trying to find nicest raw copy of the particular card you are chasing.

[TacoUniform]

Originally Posted by XGODLOVE5UGLYX

Appreciate the response. Because I'm a noob again and am struggling to understand if I am getting completely scammed...I have a seller offering (2) Mega Boxes, (2) Blaster Boxes and (8) Value Packs of 19-20 Panini Illusion for $250. Is this reasonable?

From what I've read, Illusions are not a "top-shelf" card, which I'm fine with. Like I said, I'm just looking to get started. I just don't want to get taken for a ride.

Best way to collect right now is to buy singles. If you are set on opening packs, Illusions has a lot of veterans while Chronicles has a lot of rookies. Also think there's more value in Chronicles.

If you want to be a degenerate gambler, there's a post about breakers. Has a small chance to hit big but a bigger chance to hit nothing.

[discodanman45]

Besides the fun of opening wax, with the prices I would stay away. The first thing I started to do when I started to collect again was to start my Rik Smits collection back up with new autos and numbered cards. I then dove into 1988 Fleer on eBay. Opening packs is just not worth it right now and I tried some in baseball and ended up with 30% of the value of the boxes. I would put the $300 towards a card you wanted growing up, but couldn't afford. Just my opinion...

[DajuanWagner]

Collect singles.


Collect Luka rookies (and and all that you can afford with your 300). Probably Hoops/Donruss/Chronicles. If you are lucky, get a Prizm rookie.


Stay away from Zion.


Luka > Zion


All day, everyday, and twice on Sundays...…….

[detroitbball]

Originally Posted by XGODLOVE5UGLYX

Appreciate the response. Because I'm a noob again and am struggling to understand if I am getting completely scammed...I have a seller offering (2) Mega Boxes, (2) Blaster Boxes and (8) Value Packs of 19-20 Panini Illusion for $250. Is this reasonable?

From what I've read, Illusions are not a "top-shelf" card, which I'm fine with. Like I said, I'm just looking to get started. I just don't want to get taken for a ride.

It’s fair at today’s price. Megas at 60. Blaster at 35. Packs at 10. 60x2 + 35x2 + 10x8 = 270

[ClipsandVols]

If you're trying to turn that $300 into $3000, my advice would be to hold onto your money for a few months. Digest what you read on these forums and formulate a plan...you'll see plenty of trends start on this board.

If you're wanting to collect go for singles that appeal to you.

If you want to bust product, start with products that have a lot of cards like mega boxes.

If you want to gamble a little, join a cheap "mixer" group break with someone like Mojobreak or Jaspy's.

Good luck!

[detroitbball]

If trying to decide if you should open wax, The key first question to ask is “why am I collecting”. Is it to make money or to have fun or both. If it’s primarily to make money then opening wax is not going to work unless you are going to commit to getting stuff graded and then resell. But having fun, well, ripping wax is just flat out fun. Illusions and chronicles are the only affordable way to do that right now. Buying singles is also fun. Focus on the teams, players, and sets you like. Sometimes going after a set of inserts can be fun and attainable. Don’t worry about what other people tell you you should like. Just decide for yourself. If you buy that $250 of illusions you will probably be at over half of the way to a complete set. You can finish off the rest buying singles. Will you have $300 of cards at that point? No. Will you have had a lot of fun putting together the set? Maybe.

[glen87]

[codered]

Personally I’d get a low end lebron rookie. You can get an 2003 Upper Deck MVP rookie PSA 9 for around $300. You could also buy the same card raw (not graded) and try your luck and send it in to be graded yourself, maybe you get a psa 10 grade. Going this route gives you a nice start to your collection and a card that should hold or increase in value if you decide cards aren’t that exciting for you

[detroitbball]

And I have to admit my approach to cards is based on my experience as a kid collecting baseball cards in the seventies. We all bought bubble gum packs to rip and try to put together a set. Stars will cool, “rookies” weren’t a big deal and no one worried about the condition of the card. And certainly there was no such thing as getting a card graded. We would collect and trade and it was just flat out fun. I miss that.

[mvp]

Speaking from experience, just accept that the first few hundred dollars you spend is going to be a learning experience.

You don't know what you like until you've had your hands on stuff. You don't know a good deal is when you see it until you've been involved in a few.

As other have said, if you have the patience, don't rush to buy anything right away and read everything you can. Prices should go down during the offseason.

Wax is a huge gamble right now, and your $300 won't get you very far.

I actually think picking up some singles / lots off the Blowout B/S/T could be a good start. You'll be able to find some good deals and get a few different products in your hands. When you know what you like, then you can look at wax (though I still recommend against it).

[phdbeckett]

I'd split it up. Spend $100 on a single after researching.
Spend another $100 on 3-4 cards that have appeal to your taste.
Sit on the last $100 and wait for single cards of lower value that compliment your initial purchases come along, or buy a lot with some items you like, and find a way to trade or sell off those you don't want. The latter allows you to really get to know the market by being both a buyer and a seller. But to each their own.

[Stackfan]

If it were I...

I'd take 100$ and post on here looking to purchase a bulk lot of rookies, stars & Inserts for 100$... try and make sure you get a few good low end rookie cards; some stars, a mix of stuff.

I'd take 100$ and invest in one of your favorite players (1-2 cards) singles

I'd take 100$ and invest in the player you think has the most upside... Luka Doncic, Michael Porter Jr. SGA, ETc.

Or look to purchase cards to a set with 100$ instead of one of the option above.

I'd stay away from packs/boxes now; unless your paying MSRP; or day 1 pricing on hobby that not inflated crazy.

[ballhawkdawk]

I’d pick the best card I could find of my favorite player. Or maybe 2-3 cards. If you want a set, try to find a set you can complete for $500 - $1,000 and then chip away at it. Set chasing is fun. I’m a fan of short printed insert sets, personally. They have a solid checklist and often times a cool design.

[frisbeesteve]

You mention returning after many years away, and also mention that you liked building sets. Nostalgia is big for most of us that aren't here for "investment" purposes, so I'm guessing it will apply to you as well, and may be part of why you're looking to get back in.

What timeframe did you originally collect in, and do you feel more connected to that timeframe, or to something more current? Did you build any sets back then? Do you wish to have any of them back, or are there any others that you remember appreciating, but never owning?

It would help to have a better sense of at least the era that you'd like to get started with. If base sets and/or lower end insert sets are appealing, then you might want to do some research and come up with a few that you'd like to chase or possibly outright buy, and then put something on the BST forum looking for some singles or starter sets to get going. There are some very kind members here who might be willing to do something to get you started, but would need a little more information.

Either way, good luck with your early endeavors, and welcome back to the hobby!

[cardsharkk]

Buy the highest graded Luka Doncic Prizm Rookie you can find.
Young superstar, with MVP upside. Huge demand for his stuff too.

If you hold for next bball season, prob double your money easy at some point during next season.

[jbball50]

For a 90s kid, I’d probably buy up old inserts from the 90s or autos of some of my favs from that era. If you’re just trying to find something to rip, maybe buy some chronicles basketball so you can enjoy hitting the big players from this year and also have a “cheap” rip compared to other products.

[tyblain]

I would split it 3-4 ways.
Nice Jordan insert
Nice prospect RC (Doncic, SGA, Zion, AJ, RJ, etc.)
Nice superstar (Lebron, Giannis, Luka, Kawhi, etc.)
See what you like and move the others at will for other stuff that popups you like.

With how this market is, it doesn’t make sense not to invest somewhere somehow to fund your collection.

[Vinny1984]

Originally Posted by ClipsandVols

Digest what you read on these forums and formulate a plan...you'll see plenty of trends start on this board.

Best advice here. I read about 7 posts in this thread and stopped. Whenever someone brings up this topic, you’re going to have people coming out of the woodwork with 100 varying opinions and that’s fine. Keep reading all the threads in the forums that interest you and before you know it, you’ll have a clear idea of what you want to do without someone else deciding that for you. Good luck and enjoy the ride!

[MagicX23]

Collecting cards is gonna be rough with 300 bucks. I'll be honest. But you can still find some good rookie cards. I agree try buy some low end lebron rcs. I even go for cheap inserts. People say avoid zion but if you can spend 50 bucks, you will get a lot. Thats what I did. I probably spend 400 bucks already with cheap zion rcs, lebron and even found some mamba rcs. I'm just getting back too to the hobby but man it sucks waking up and seeing prices super high...... makes me wonder when the crash will be.....

Sent from my SM-N960W using Tapatalk

[danimal875]

Originally Posted by detroitbball

And I have to admit my approach to cards is based on my experience as a kid collecting baseball cards in the seventies. We all bought bubble gum packs to rip and try to put together a set. Stars will cool, “rookies” weren’t a big deal and no one worried about the condition of the card. And certainly there was no such thing as getting a card graded. We would collect and trade and it was just flat out fun. I miss that.

Kids dont have bills and money is meaningless to them. Makes sense.