[kerryandbeth]

I won't be busting any TC because of e reasons:

1.  Overpriced.  $220 for Hobby Box with most likely a $6 RC auto included.

2.  Increased Base Set.  There are now 300 base cards versus 220 in 2023.  That means the odds of getting players you want are not good.

3.  The number of autographs has also increased, so the odds of getting a specific player's auto is terrible.

[bonds20001]

I just entered my Giants in my Excel sheets and there are 894 different cards for the Giants alone.  Lots of parallels.  Many like to chase these, but with the price of the product..going to be hard to find many of these.  And I wonder how much was made of this product???  Seems like a lot.  I am involved in a few breaks on line to get some of my Giants cards and have ordered 2 monster and blaster boxes.  See what happens.  I always enjoy this product, even though the Rookie Autos are usually very plentiful and low priced.

[rjcj2017]

2025 Chrome is out already???

[jaredhuizenga]

I bought just one hobby pack each for my nephew and I last weekend so we could spend more on other items. It's a nice product and there's a lot of really cool parallels, but I don't see myself going in on this much.

I'll probably buy some retail if/when I see it in the wild or on the Target app, but it's way more than I like to spend on baseball.

[mmahoney]

I agree. Used to love it but not at that price. Will be trying to trade for/buy my Twins this year. Hopefully I have some luck. I figure for the price of one blaster I can knock a lot of cards out.

[jbissell]

At this point, Im just trying to round up the base Topps Chrome rookie cards. Its interesting the entire set is already priced in the guide.

[rjcj2017]

Yep, we can get singles all day (refractors, even) for a fraction of the pack or box costs.

Just not worth it at that price.

I have a feeling these card companies are testing us to see how little they can give value wise for the most profit.

As in, how much can they charge before we'll quit?

I'm starting to see small cracks of light in that maybe someday prices will come back down or at least hold for a while.

Case in point - last night I was at Target and had just missed a restock ... everything was already cleared out and pack searched (yay), but there were still four blasters of the new Contenders basketball, which actually advertise "one autograph or memorabilia card per box" - an extreme rarity these days.

However, I believe they were $29.99 apiece, and with Panini's practice of manufacturing non-game used or player worn mem cards in addition to subbing worthless "points" cards for autos - a lot of people are just staying away.

Most blasters from Topps, Upper Deck and Panini were $19.99 for about two decades, so I predict they will eventually realize you can't just bump up the blaster cost by $5 every year - while offering less content - and still expect that people will buy them.

Of course, as they have ever since The Rise of the DBN circa 2020, the Covid Collector Clown Comp Bros will keep them afloat for the foreseeable future.

But there is hope.

[kerryandbeth]

Unlike rain and intelligence, prices rarely fall. Rather, the size and quality of items decrease. The days of $20 product with something good are nearly completely gone.

Unlike the DBN era, those who actually enjoy most of what comes in a box will have to devote more money to the hobby. And, unlike a few years ago, the hopes of hitting it big for a few bucks is like Miguel Sano's swing...a bunch of hot air with no results.

[chevy man 22]

Chrome stuff has never really been my cup of tea from a box buying perspective. Just never felt like 4-6 cards a pack was a great deal. If I find a single I like at a decent price I'll just buy that.

That said anybody not buying because of the price increase at release is fooling themselves thinking it's going to drop below $200. Just way to many big name young Rc's for at least 1 of them to not blow up and become a generational superstar so I would venture to say by 2028 that 2024 Hobby Boxes will be $700-$1000 a box or higher. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I am.

[rjcj2017]

Like I said, as evidenced by the Contenders basketball blasters actually sitting on the shelves, hopefuly there will be a breaking/plateau point where the DBN will get bored and move on, actual collectors will demand more value for the increased prices and card companies will respond.

Chrome baseball is a great example.

I raised my eyebrows when it went to $34.99 last year, and now it's $39.99 for a considerably bigger set, which means tougher odds to pull the players and teams you want.

(Especially, as someone mentioned, only four cards per pack)

The value is just not there based on the hundreds of breaks I've seen.

Plus, this current generation of "Great New Collectors I Keep Hearing About" has been indoctrinated by the card companies to think that some common player's parallel/499 as the best card in the blaster is some kind of treasure, when in reality most blasters used to give you 2-3 color parallels, 2-3 numbered cards and a mem or auto card in some cases.

So there's absolutely nothing wrong with demanding that the card companies go back to that level of value offered for the increased cost.

But that won't happen until customers start rejecting said products at current price vs. value terms.

Let's put it another way.

Say that McDonald's decides to cut french fries from its combo meals and only offers you the burger and soda for $4 more per meal.

Ludicrous, right?

But that's EXACTLY what has happened to trading cards if you consider the french fries to be the true drawing power of the combo meal, just as "hits" are the main drawing power of trading cards.

Same brand, same cards, but missing key components of the previous product for more money. 

Another great example - Panini Prizm basketball.

This upcoming NBA rookie class is condered one of the weakest in years, with no obvious Wembanyama type player to drive sales.

If Panini rolls out blasters at $34.99 again for a bad class with no other bells and whistles (guaranteed mem or auto, for example), I will not buy a single one.

But, as always, if the lowest rung of the collecting universe continues to support it, they will keep doing it.