Have you ever bought a box and hit exactly what you were after?

[Hootiefish]

I don't mean getting lucky and hitting random gold, but I mean purchasing a box for the sole reason of getting one hard-to-find insert, and hitting it?

Last year, when card shows were still a thing, I purchased a box of 1992 Stadium Club basketball for $30. I had my eye on the box for a couple of shows, but never pulled the trigger because I knew the odds were not in my favor to pull the one card I wanted - the Jordan Beam Team. Beam Team cards were inserted at around one per box (no exact odds back then) and the checklist is 20 cards long.

Flash forward to my wife, son, and myself opening packs in the mall parking lot when my heart sinks; my wife pulled the Beam Team insert. Mark Price. Probably the worst one you could get. Forlorn, I continue to open the remaining 20-or-so packs while my wife goes back into the mall for whatever and my son begins opening his blind bags. As I open one of the last handful of packs I notice something in the middle of this pack - its backward, and the back doesn't look like the standard Stadium Club back. I flip through the cards when I discover my second Beam Team card in the box. And it's the Jordan!

Its funny to think that the box had been sitting unopened for 27 years and I'm the one that was lucky enough to buy it and find exactly what I was looking for.

On a baseball related note, when Blowout was holding its March Madness sale, I purchased a box of 2018 Heritage High Number for no other reason than to pull the Acuna Action Variation. The odds were, again, not in my favor (one action per box times 25 different variants). But, lo and behold, in my next to last pack was Acuna swinging away.

These two moments make me feel better when I think back on all of the 2018 Series 2 and Update I purchased, never getting a Bat Down or a SSP (or SP).

[Stech36]

Yes, 2017 heritage, Benintendi Auto
And 2018 Heritage High, Acuna red ink auto

[LCM1223]

I’m rooting for this guy

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1378241

[redsandbengals]

Originally Posted by Hootiefish

I don't mean getting lucky and hitting random gold, but I mean purchasing a box for the sole reason of getting one hard-to-find insert, and hitting it?

Last year, when card shows were still a thing, I purchased a box of 1992 Stadium Club basketball for $30. I had my eye on the box for a couple of shows, but never pulled the trigger because I knew the odds were not in my favor to pull the one card I wanted - the Jordan Beam Team. Beam Team cards were inserted at around one per box (no exact odds back then) and the checklist is 20 cards long.

Flash forward to my wife, son, and myself opening packs in the mall parking lot when my heart sinks; my wife pulled the Beam Team insert. Mark Price. Probably the worst one you could get. Forlorn, I continue to open the remaining 20-or-so packs while my wife goes back into the mall for whatever and my son begins opening his blind bags. As I open one of the last handful of packs I notice something in the middle of this pack - its backward, and the back doesn't look like the standard Stadium Club back. I flip through the cards when I discover my second Beam Team card in the box. And it's the Jordan!

Its funny to think that the box had been sitting unopened for 27 years and I'm the one that was lucky enough to buy it and find exactly what I was looking for.

On a baseball related note, when Blowout was holding its March Madness sale, I purchased a box of 2018 Heritage High Number for no other reason than to pull the Acuna Action Variation. The odds were, again, not in my favor (one action per box times 25 different variants). But, lo and behold, in my next to last pack was Acuna swinging away.

These two moments make me feel better when I think back on all of the 2018 Series 2 and Update I purchased, never getting a Bat Down or a SSP (or SP).

As a Cavs fan, with those early 90s teams of my childhood being full of my favorite all time players, I would have been absolutely thrilled with that Mark Price Beam Team. I'm biased, so I wouldn't say that's the worst one to pull, lol. As for your question, I was buying 2017 Topps Chrome Update when it was released, silently hoping to pull the card in my avatar. The Rookie Cup Reprint Refractor Autos are numbered out of /5. I bought 6 boxes at Target hoping for something decent, and knowing these cards were in there, my favorite current player Joey Votto on the checklist, and the odds were steep. I almost passed out from excitement when out of the first box I pulled the Votto. Almost woke up the kids with my screams of disbelief. I felt like a kid again. Never in my wildest dreams did I actually think I would pull one, let alone one of my biggest PC guys, and favorite current player. I mean, it was just sitting at a Target 7 minutes from my house. And there's only 5 of them. Astronomical odds. Hasn't happened since though. But not for a lack of trying.

[21Pittsburgh58]

Yep! 2003 Bowman Chrome Rickie Weeks autograph (got the refractor version!). Watched him on Team USA and was excited about his skill level.

Unfortunately, he was not a great contact hitter but had a solid 14 year career.

[rman112]

Originally Posted by 21Pittsburgh58

Yep! 2003 Bowman Chrome Rickie Weeks autograph (got the refractor version!). Watched him on Team USA and was excited about his skill level.

Unfortunately, he was not a great contact hitter but had a solid 14 year career.

Ha. Same set! 2003 Chrome Draft. Eric Duncan Auto!

[padremurph]

Yea, bought one pack of 2010-11 Certified basketball (along w some other packs) specifically looking for the Kobe auto. Pulled the redemption for the red Kobe auto but unfortunately it had expired. Panini did me solid and sent me 12-13 Kobe Prizm auto. Sold that and bought a live copy of the Kobe certified.

That 2010-11 Certified set is undervalued compared to what it used to be.

[Chris P]

Yep...Mega Box Wander Franco Auto last year and in 2018 I bought a box of Panini Football at Target and loved the canvas rookie autos in that product. I bought one in hopes of pulling a Saquon and I did!

[Chicharito]

Brought an '11 update hobby box and pulled a Trout in the last pack in 2012.

[drstrader5]

In 2000 I bought a box of 1999 Bowman Chrome Series 2 hoping to hit a Corey Patterson and I pulled a base and a refractor. I sent both cards off to BGS and they both came back 9.5’s. I sold the Refractor in late 2000 for $250 (which seemed like a fortune)because I was deploying overseas.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[auctionjmm]

Bought Ginter X hoping to pull my first ever Harrison Ford auto (as a Star Wars fan I never had luck hitting him in an actual SW product). I ended up pulling 2 of the 15 Ginter X autos!

[MoreToppsPlease]

Originally Posted by redsandbengals

As a Cavs fan, with those early 90s teams of my childhood being full of my favorite all time players, I would have been absolutely thrilled with that Mark Price Beam Team.

Price = one of the all-time best shooters!

I used to eagerly buy Fairfield repack boxes Kmart had in the early 2000s because they had so many hobby and retail packs of some of the most fun products from '97-'99. I think many of the packs came directly from the manufacturers - leftover packs held in reserve - because they generally had many more hits than they should have had...especially the Pacific and Donruss packs. I probably bought 30-35 of those repack products over a six month period.

Anyway, my favorite product from the repack boxes were the '98 Donruss Update packs (2 per box) for the gold and silver press proofs, signature previews, various inserts and especially for the Crusades. I wound up pulling five Green Crusades, including a Clemens, and, incredibly, three purples - all of Todd Helton. After pulling two Heltons, I had to try to get another...and lo and behold...bingo.

[kevbojones]

Yes, bought two blasters of 2007 Topps Series one and pulled the Bush/Matlle Jeter and a Gold Bush/Mantle Jeter. Long since sold both of them.

Wish I would have hung on to that gold

[coltsnsox07]

I collect militaria (especially WWII bad guys) and everyone at my LCS knew about it, the day Horrors of War II came out my shop owner saved a few boxes from a case he ordered and I got the Hitler cut. I later sold it because I don't collect cuts, just whole items.

[tkraft24]

I’ve called my shot before but for the worse. It was 2008/9 and I went to the LCS with my brother where we each bought a box of 08 Sweet Spot. My brother pulled a Dice K autograph while I joked that I’d probably end up with Fausto Carmona. Welp....it happened.

[griffan15]

2012 - Bought 1 box of 2009 Draft and actually hit a Trout Xfractor auto.

It was the only box of 2009 Draft I ever bought as I didn't get back into the hobby until 2011.

[rookiepatchauto]

Yes, but only when I had low expectations like hitting a base RC. Guys who hit Gem Mint Superfractors of the guy they collect are like guys who go into a casino, head straight for the Megabucks slots, and hit the progressive millions jackpot. I know they're out there, but I've never met one and don't think I'll ever be one.

[redsandbengals]

Originally Posted by rookiepatchauto

Yes, but only when I had low expectations like hitting a base RC. Guys who hit Gem Mint Superfractors of the guy they collect are like guys who go into a casino, head straight for the Megabucks slots, and hit the progressive millions jackpot. I know they're out there, but I've never met one and don't think I'll ever be one.

Don't give up, I've only lost money at casinos....

[Melagoo]

I got all these Acuna Jr. in one box of Heritage

[oldgoldy97]

Many times.

Suck that, “buy singles” twits.

[Onepocketj]

Got real lucky when I was chasing Brady rookies a couple years ago. Bought a box of Donruss and hit a Brady rookie in the third pack. Bought a box of Ultimate Victory and hit Brady in the fifth pack. Bowman too. Showcase not so much.

[bmann33]

Good topic. I didn’t pull anything like some of you have but in the winter of ‘18 I bought 5 hobbies of Heritage Hi aiming for actions or low numbered of one of the big 4. I pulled an Acuna action and Ohtani paper black in consecutive boxes. Both ended up PSA 10s. After that, I stopped and will hold the other boxes.

[ryknow216]

2017 Mega Box. Was hoping for an Ohtani and got an Ohtani green

[kyle1707]

2013 or 14 ?

Finest baseball was doing throw back 93 refractors #25

I hit the Bryce Harper I was so excited

Week later I bought another case and I hit another

Odds have to be millions to 1

[ayalar09]

1997-1998 Tim Duncan was/still is my favorite basketball player. As a kid I watched him at Wake. Decided to buy a couple packs of topps chrome (couldn't afford a box). Ended up pulling it in like the 3rd of 4 packs. Also bought Bowman's Best and pulled the Duncan Refractor.