2025 Topps Chrome VeeFriends

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by armyml

Boxes up to 460 a box on DA. People don't seem to have a problem buying $23 dollar packs at my store. Recently listed a /25 card for $750. I don't get it, but I don't have to in order for something to be popular.

Learned that very early when I opened my store. Had I only have done it the way I wanted instead of listening to the market I would be a strictly sports store and wouldn't have any Pokemon/Magic. Turns out I'm still around after 4 years BECAUSE of Pokemon.

This. The vast majority of new stuff that becomes popular wasn't looked at favorably when first released. That is one of the reasons I enjoy following new products. I like to challenge myself with numbers and my own predictions (up or down) and see how close I can get to being accurate. I'm mainly a baseball guy, and I can predict those products with my eyes closed. These kinds of releases challenge me and I have to really dig into the market to pull my predictions together. I love the challenge. For the record, I still think these are stupid. I don't think its all market manipulation though. I'm thinking this is more cult manipulation than market manipulation. I think there are a number of people in this circle that actually think these are cool. Go figure. After lunch yesterday I did a quick look for breakers streaming this and was surprised by how many were breaking it at the same time.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by Tim

The usual BO naysaying going on and while I am not going to defend this product I'm also going to monitor it and hold off on making an opinion right now. There are obvious red flags to think this product is bad. But I see some things that I normally don't see with bad products too that are surprisingly encouraging.

Tons of negative comments without any real substance behind them in this thread.

These members opinions are pretty much worthless. Because its always the same. They go through life and have the same negative outlook on everything. This could end up crashing off a cliff (like I first thought) and they would be right, but it still wouldn't really mean anything. If you think everything is good or if you think everything is bad, you are going to be correct a few times. I've also found that most of these opinions, as you have already stated, have nothing behind them. I like to actually look and see what is happening. Look at sales of sealed, singles, breaking demand, future outlook, etc. With this one specifically, I still think it will not be allowed to fail, even if it starts trending that way.

[bub838]

Originally Posted by premium1981

These members opinions are pretty much worthless. Because its always the same. They go through life and have the same negative outlook on everything. This could end up crashing off a cliff (like I first thought) and they would be right, but it still wouldn't really mean anything. If you think everything is good or if you think everything is bad, you are going to be correct a few times. I've also found that most of these opinions, as you have already stated, have nothing behind them. I like to actually look and see what is happening. Look at sales of sealed, singles, breaking demand, future outlook, etc. With this one specifically, I still think it will not be allowed to fail, even if it starts trending that way.

Yup, if this product starts to dip I’m sure they’ll release more bounties or announce some sort of future utility to a specific card. People with a specific veefriends NFT were able to turn it in for a Sapphire preorder, which gives some insight into the fanbase we’re looking at.

You’ve touched on it, but this product is a prime example that there’s whole parts of the hobby that exist outside of the BO bubble.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by bub838

Yup, if this product starts to dip I’m sure they’ll release more bounties or announce some sort of future utility to a specific card. People with a specific veefriends NFT were able to turn it in for a Sapphire preorder, which gives some insight into the fanbase we’re looking at.

You’ve touched on it, but this product is a prime example that there’s whole parts of the hobby that exist outside of the BO bubble.

Bounties do wonders for product demand through breakers. I'm not in that circle of people, but from what I have seen/heard through my random clicks into breaks, it looks like there are at least 3 massive bounties. That means the demand won't ease till those are hit. At least 2 of them to slow it down. Any time a gambler can drop $50-$100 with chance of a $25,000 payout they will do it. I feel like a broken record when I say it, but the fractionilzation of costs in this hobby has truly changed the game (breakers). People will say $500 is too much for a box of cards. Yes, probably is for one person. But $25 a spot for 20 people isn't too much. Hence prices getting to levels that do not make sense on the surface. This applies to any product that has demand, not just this one.

[Brobocop]

Originally Posted by bub838

Yup, if this product starts to dip I’m sure they’ll release more bounties or announce some sort of future utility to a specific card. People with a specific veefriends NFT were able to turn it in for a Sapphire preorder, which gives some insight into the fanbase we’re looking at.

You’ve touched on it, but this product is a prime example that there’s whole parts of the hobby that exist outside of the BO bubble.

Back when I went to an LCS close to my ex, I told him all the time he needed to be more open minded to products like this or even Pokemon. Not sure if he ever did but I'm not shocked that a new store opened right around the corner from him who has a massive section dedicated to Pokemon. This product is pure slop and garbage in my eyes, but you can't be blind to things like this when operating a store.

I told him a million times that he needed to join this board and frequent it just to get an idea of what was coming down the pike. Never did that either.

[Chrominator]

Closed minded = closed doors

[49erRCCollector]

If there is an organic market for this that exists outside the BO bubble, then I freely admit I am not part of it.

I also suspect even the ones here condemning the “I hate everything” BO gang don’t get it either.

We did this dance with Gary and graded base cards and NFTs five years ago, yeah? Sometimes things are what they seem.

[PumpnDumpling]

Originally Posted by Chrominator

Closed minded = closed doors

Opened Minded = Spread those Cheeks

[crdbored]

Originally Posted by 49erRCCollector

If there is an organic market for this that exists outside the BO bubble, then I freely admit I am not part of it.

I also suspect even the ones here condemning the “I hate everything” BO gang don’t get it either.

We did this dance with Gary and graded base cards and NFTs five years ago, yeah? Sometimes things are what they seem.

This is the biggest thing for this product. How organic the growth can be.
Bounties and lists with "chase" characters don't really show it's organic.

Breakers and buyers are comparing it to Pokemon at launched but that's such a bad comparison
because Pokemon had so many things going for it. Characters grew followings over time.

These VeeFriends characters are getting pushed into becoming a thing when the art and names are so unimaginative.
The product itself will not fail though. Topps has too much into this with their multi-year partnership.

Maybe $30 packs will seem like a steal in 5 years....lol

[Chrominator]

Originally Posted by PumpnDumpling

Opened Minded = Spread those Cheeks

Even Minded = Open doors w/ closed cheeks

[YayNJ]

It's amazing seeing adults do anything to defend steaming piles of shitt if money can be made.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by YayNJ

It's amazing seeing adults do anything to defend steaming piles of shitt if money can be made.

I don't think anyone is defending the product. Its a joke and I truly believe my 12 year old son could draw better cards. Unless I overlooked it, I don't think anyone says they like it here and will be buying. The only conversation really happening is around demand. Is there demand, is it real, and who is it from? Before release I had the opinion that it would sky rocket up and lose its boosters and fall straight back down. But that was just my initial gut. The data since release has shown that might not be the case. I tracked a case break today at noon on whatnot to add to my data points. 103 total spots, all auctioned off at $1. Total bids when all was tallied (not counting fees) was $8,400. That is $700 a box. This ins't an opinion, this isn't crapping on the product, and it isn't pumping the product. Its just factual information. I clicked on another random 10 box blaster break and the bids from it tallied to $1,600. And after getting my calculator out, that comes to $160 a blaster box. That is why prices continue to rise. People are buying it.

[Chrominator]

I only started this thread bc I thought it was funny

[YayNJ]

We live in a society where kids aspire to be 'influencers' and teens see flipping and grifting as career paths. I understand why it's 'going up' and that's why it's so depressing.

[Chrominator]

I think you're going a little overboard.

Yes, this is the most ridiculous thing since NFTs.

But it's new and shiny.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by YayNJ

We live in a society where kids aspire to be 'influencers' and teens see flipping and grifting as career paths. I understand why it's 'going up' and that's why it's so depressing.

The whole "I'm a part of something" is a big reason it happens. My family had this discussion recently. About how kids and young people don't hang out and do things like previous generations did. Instead of going home with a friend from school, there is much more "meeting online" for that connection. Even if its with a friend from school. They meet online to play minecraft or some other random game or meet in breaks to enjoy their hobby together. Its strange, its sad to a degree, but its the world we now live in. And I think people like Gary V can really prey on those kinds of people with characters like the Erect Elephant.

[Chrominator]

Dude... tell me you're joking about the elephant

edit: I think you are; I mean, you gotta be, right?

[crdbored]

Originally Posted by premium1981

The whole "I'm a part of something" is a big reason it happens. My family had this discussion recently. About how kids and young people don't hang out and do things like previous generations did. Instead of going home with a friend from school, there is much more "meeting online" for that connection. Even if its with a friend from school. They meet online to play minecraft or some other random game or meet in breaks to enjoy their hobby together. Its strange, its sad to a degree, but its the world we now live in. And I think people like Gary V can really prey on those kinds of people with characters like the Erect Elephant.

THAT's the chase right there.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by Chrominator

Dude... tell me you're joking about the elephant

edit: I think you are; I mean, you gotta be, right?

I pretty sure its in there but I am not positive. I know there are a lot of rare cards, so maybe its a hard one.

[al3xmac10]

A 5-box lot just sold on FB for $2k

[al3xmac10]

i just searched vee friends elephant on ebay

[CicadaMound]

This has organic appeal within the Veedome but it's too full of impenetrable in-jokes for anyone else to fully grasp, and unlike Pokémon in the 90's, where the associated media was actually good, the best stuff Gary puts out is in years of YouTube videos and hourslong livestream hangouts that you can't familiarize yourself with quickly.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by al3xmac10

A 5-box lot just sold on FB for $2k

That's cheap compared to actual sales from earlier today.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by YayNJ

We live in a society where kids aspire to be 'influencers' and teens see flipping and grifting as career paths. I understand why it's 'going up' and that's why it's so depressing.

Is TC VeeFriends one of the seven signs of the apocalypse?

[bub838]

Originally Posted by al3xmac10

i just searched vee friends elephant on ebay

Now try “Erect Elephant” on Google