The blowout conspiracies are always entertaining.

Topps will post a picture of the kid holding it and the weirdos will say its an AI image. Some people just want privacy and don't want their face posted all over social media.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19788800]For those questioning what benefit there would be in the kid and his family going public, I think there is plenty, if the story is a good one.

If a kid truly bought a hobby box of TCU from a hobby shop with his allowance or earned income, that would be a pretty cool story that could drive the news cycle and help promote the eventual auctioning-off of the card.

If the story isn't a good one -- for example, the kid is being used as a cover story by a breaker -- then yeah, you don't want to go public.[/QUOTE]

Don't some people like privacy? My son is 12 and if he cracked it I probably wouldn't want him making it public for all sorts of reasons. Why does everything have to be paraded around? Some people don't like social media or pomp and circumstance. I don't think it is that unreasonable that someone cracked it and didn't want to talk about it.

[QUOTE=itsbaytime;19788804]Don't some people like privacy? My son is 12 and if he cracked it I probably wouldn't want him making it public for all sorts of reasons. Why does everything have to be paraded around? Some people don't like social media or pomp and circumstance. I don't think it is that unreasonable that someone cracked it and didn't want to talk about it.[/QUOTE]

are you new to the hobby?

[QUOTE=itsbaytime;19788804]Don't some people like privacy? My son is 12 and if he cracked it I probably wouldn't want him making it public for all sorts of reasons. Why does everything have to be paraded around? Some people don't like social media or pomp and circumstance. I don't think it is that unreasonable that someone cracked it and didn't want to talk about it.[/QUOTE]

They don't have to reveal their true identities to the public -- just the basic, pertinent details behind the pull to create a feel-good story.

What 12-year-old boy wouldn't want to tell his story of pulling a super-expensive card? Especially if they bought the box themselves.

What's weird is Topps revealed the age of the redeemer, but nothing else. Not how they pulled the card or anything -- just the age.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19788809]They don't have to reveal their true identities to the public -- just the basic, pertinent details behind the pull to create a feel-good story.

What 12-year-old boy wouldn't want to tell his story of pulling a super-expensive card? Especially if they bought the box themselves.

What's weird is Topps revealed the age of the redeemer, but nothing else. Not how they pulled the card or anything -- just the age.[/QUOTE]

They bought a box and pulled the card. I'm not sure what story you are looking for?

Some feel good story isn't going to boost the value of this card. Sorry, but as a buyer, I don't care how you obtained the card (unless it was stolen). The fact that little Johnny used his hard earned paper route money to buy the box isn't going to make me spend more on the card.

[QUOTE=ObanMontecristo;19788798]Do we even know that it was a redemption? The kid is in LA, PSA is in Santa Ana. Isn’t it possible the card was in the pack and he and his dad made a short trip out to PSA for walk-thru grading?[/QUOTE]

Topps said it came from a hobby box, it would have been a redemption.

[QUOTE=whitmm;19788812]They bought a box and pulled the card. I'm not sure what story you are looking for?

Some feel good story isn't going to boost the value of this card. Sorry, but as a buyer, I don't care how you obtained the card (unless it was stolen). The fact that little Johnny used his hard earned paper route money to buy the box isn't going to make me spend more on the card.[/QUOTE]

But my argument was that a unique, feel-good story of a kid pulling the card could create publicity that could help drive interest and notoriety in the card.

For example, the legendary story of Mr. Mint's most famous "find" of '52 Mantles: [url]https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/mr-mint-endorsed-1952-topps-mantle-from-famous-find-could-fetch-over-10-million/[/url]

Mr. Mint used the story to help sell his Mantles and promote himself.

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19788820]But my argument was that a unique, feel-good story of a kid pulling the card could create publicity that could help drive interest and notoriety in the card.

For example, the legendary story of Mr. Mint's most famous "find" of '52 Mantles: [url]https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/mr-mint-endorsed-1952-topps-mantle-from-famous-find-could-fetch-over-10-million/[/url]

Mr. Mint used the story to help sell his Mantles and promote himself.[/QUOTE]

I don't think it's really necessary since people were on alert looking out for the skenes card compared to the mantles which popped up out of nowhere

Either way if/when it goes to auction people are going to show out to bid big on it just like ohtani's 50/50 ball

[QUOTE=fabiani12333;19788820]But my argument was that a unique, feel-good story of a kid pulling the card could create publicity that could help drive interest and notoriety in the card.

For example, the legendary story of Mr. Mint's most famous "find" of '52 Mantles: [url]https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/mr-mint-endorsed-1952-topps-mantle-from-famous-find-could-fetch-over-10-million/[/url]

Mr. Mint used the story to help sell his Mantles and promote himself.[/QUOTE]

You don't need any of that for this card. You don't need to try and drive interest for it. The people who want it know about it. The whales are already on Topps' radar and they are on Goldin's radar.

There's a huge difference in a card being pulled from a current product and cards being found 25 years later in a time where the card landscape was a lot different.

The chances the is some Charlie Bucket type story of a poor family scraping together their last few pennies to buy this box is very unlikely.

[QUOTE=ThoseBackPages;19788788]maybe i am the fool, but i refuse to take Fanatics word for it that it was pulled[/QUOTE]

100% right on

[QUOTE=ThoseBackPages;19788808]are you new to the hobby?[/QUOTE]Are you? Your concept of the hobby seems so limited to this little bubble on the internet. You talk of people posting pictures to quell any conspiracies, as if 90% of the hobby even knows this site exists or cares two craps about quelling your little conspiracies. LOL

It's fine to be jaded in this hobby and suspicious of Fanatics. They deserve it. But at some point, we just have to take them at their word until proven otherwise. It's certifiably insane to believe conspiracies without any shred of evidence. This is one of those conspiracies that would be easily outed if it were true. Yet you have no trouble believing it. All that tells me is you are blinded by your own bias.

[QUOTE=PuddleMonkey;19788790]Guys, breathe. This dude is a pitcher and will likely be forgotten about in 3 years.[/QUOTE]

This...when he blows out his arm, those spending all this money to buy his higher end cards will regret it.

[QUOTE=Big35Hurt;19788894]This...when he blows out his arm, those spending all this money to buy his higher end cards will regret it.[/QUOTE]This conversation has literally nothing to do with the specific player. He just happens to be the hot player now. But these issues are relevant regardless of player.

Methinks its a really good thing that Pitchers and Catchers report in 19 days...the natives are restless.

[QUOTE=NYRE2PECT;19788900]Methinks its a really good thing that Pitchers and Catchers report in 19 days...the natives are restless.[/QUOTE]


Yes.

I think it’s strange that so many people on here seem to be actively hoping a young star blows out his arm to say “told ya so.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There are plenty of theories out there on this. Here's the one that I think as the lowest chances of being true.

Fanatics never packed out the redemption and hand selected a person to just give the card to. Even if you want to believe it was a breaker's kid and they told them to not film it, I think they still pack it out.

[QUOTE=Funkster;19788906]Yes.

I think it’s strange that so many people on here seem to be actively hoping a young star blows out his arm to say “told ya so.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

Can't speak for the rest, but in no way am I hoping he blows his arm out. Nor am I going to come back and say I told you so if it does happen. Not sure how you are taking someone saying it's going to happen or likely to happen as meaning they hope it happens but carry on.

[QUOTE=ThoseBackPages;19788808]are you new to the hobby?[/QUOTE]

I have been in the hobby for about 35 years. I went to my first national in 1993 (while I was still in high school). I am not sure why I have to give you my resume to have a point about something. I personally abhor social media and would not want to do anything personally to promote this card for sale. I would also not want to put my young son in the crosshairs or who knows what just to get some publicity. I know the card sells itself (if I was going to sell it). I really don't get why cards are only pulled now if they are pulled on camera. Clearly, every big card is not going to be filmed being opened. Are we going to question them all?

Bottom line. Don't buy into the hype of thinking you have any crack at these major chase cards.

Topps/ Fanatics knows exactly where they are going and is the puppet-master behind the curtain.

[QUOTE=TimBuckTwo;19788968]Bottom line. Don't buy into the hype of thinking you have any crack at these major chase cards.

Topps/ Fanatics knows exactly where they are going and is the puppet-master behind the curtain.[/QUOTE]

I mean ordinary ole me hit a #'d to 25 auto relic redemption from the Ohtani 50/50 set buying just 5 boxes total, which while not a DB card, is still a pretty huge hit. And I got the box from a 3rd party seller to boot.

Topps has no incentive "rigging" boxes to make sure certain influencers/breakers get the big hits. If the truth came out that is the case, it would turn off lots of casual collectors from buying sealed boxes. Plus Topps recently got audited and the auditor found cards were indeed packaged randomly.

[url]https://theathletic.com/5458369/2024/04/29/topps-sports-cards-randomization-kpmg/[/url]

This will likely be the baseball equivalent of the Black Prizm 1/1 Mac Jones $100k sale. Unless Wander sales eclipsed that already.

[QUOTE=SaveMeTheGum;19788980]This will likely be the baseball equivalent of the Black Prizm 1/1 Mac Jones $100k sale. Unless Wander sales eclipsed that already.[/QUOTE]

Wasn't that opened on a live stream, though?

[QUOTE=TimBuckTwo;19788968]Bottom line. Don't buy into the hype of thinking you have any crack at these major chase cards.

Topps/ Fanatics knows exactly where they are going and is the puppet-master behind the curtain.[/QUOTE]

Here's the thing, you really do have a crack at them. Because most of them are sent to breakers. You have every opportunity to buy into those breaks. You had every opportunity to buy into the break done by a newer smaller shop in Minnesota that pulled the Brady superfractor.

This conversation hasn't been about whether or not Topps puppet-mastered exactly where this card was going. It's about whether or not the card was actually packed out.

It's funny how people will believe all of these well thought out, elaborate ruses over all these cards, but also think that Fanatics would be so dumb to never actually pack out the biggest driver of sales of a product.

Here's a return question for you: A breaker buys a case from BO and ends up pulling a massive card. Did you have a crack at that card? Or is BO also in the card illuminati and is being puppet-mastered by Fanatics?

[QUOTE=BoSoxFan1999;19788975]I mean ordinary ole me hit a #'d to 25 auto relic redemption from the Ohtani 50/50 set buying just 5 boxes total, which while not a DB card, is still a pretty huge hit. And I got the box from a 3rd party seller to boot.

Topps has no incentive "rigging" boxes to make sure certain influencers/breakers get the big hits. If the truth came out that is the case, it would turn off lots of casual collectors from buying sealed boxes. Plus Topps recently got audited and the auditor found cards were indeed packaged randomly.

[url]https://theathletic.com/5458369/2024/04/29/topps-sports-cards-randomization-kpmg/[/url][/QUOTE]

Tin foil hat: The cards may be truly packaged randomly, but Fanatics is scanning everything and marking all of the big hits and removing them from the general population.

[QUOTE=Big35Hurt;19788995]Wasn't that opened on a live stream, though?[/QUOTE]

I just mean payday wise for the kid who got it. And ridiculousness of the price looking back a couple years later.