Topps Five Star Project...

[Moyni]

I am not a prospector...I am not a flipper...I am a collector. I buy cards for one simple reason. I want to own them...forever.

2012 Topps Five Star is the perfect product for me. It is so outrageously expensive on a per card basis that I have absolutely zero interest in busting any of it. However, as a Josh Hamilton, HOFer Auto, and other Rangers cards collecter it is fantastic. Lots of great players and on-card autos!!Simply go buy the singles I want and let everyone else have the rest.

Inspired by a couple of other board members I decided to see how many PC cards I could get for the cost of a box...around $400. My rules were that would include the shipping cost (if any) in the total and try to get 14 cards (twice as many as in a normal box). And, other than Hamilton I couldn't buy a player more than once.

Although I could buy expensive patch cards, etc, it would eat into my budget so those were most likely out.

I thought I would show my progress so far and solicit opinions as to what card(s) to go after next. Here is the haul. The cards are representative cards I have bought. All of mine are still on the way.

Rangers PC:

Mike Napoli Auto Relic /55 - $13



Josh Hamilton PC:

Jumbo Jersey /92 - $15



Active Player Auto /150 - $39



Active Player Auto Silver /25 - $49



Auto Relic /55 - $53



HOFer Auto PC:

Orlando Cepeda Retired Player Auto /208 - $16



Dennis Eckersley Retired Player Auto /208 - $16



Billy Williams Retired Player Auto /208 - $15



Fergie Jenkins Retired Player Auto /208 - $15



Ryne Sandberg Retired Player Auto /106 - $31



Carl Yasztremski Retired Player Auto /62 - $35



Paul Molitor Retired Player Auto Silver /25 - $25





Total spent to date (11/21): $322. I have $78 more to spend.

What do you think? Who else should I try to go after? Please let me know if you see any great deals out there!!

Thanks for the long read.

[Tugarpj]

As you can see, it is isn't difficult or a huge achievement to get 5 of these cards for under 400.00 Buying these sealed is like buying lottery tickets with some loss value. You bought 12 losing lottery tickets. Great cards to be sure, but the idea of trying to purchase a box or a case of these for well under the sealed retail is kinda silly.

[GOWIFB]

I would go after maybe a Will Clark auto. His autos are really nice and hes pretty popular

[csmtampa]

Originally Posted by Tugarpj

As you can see, it is isn't difficult or a huge achievement to get 5 of these cards for under 400.00 Buying these sealed is like buying lottery tickets with some loss value. You bought 12 losing lottery tickets. Great cards to be sure, but the idea of trying to purchase a box or a case of these for well under the sealed retail is kinda silly.

I think you missed the point

[Hellwig]

Great pickups so far.

[Moyni]

Originally Posted by csmtampa

I think you missed the point

This. That is just it. I do not want the lottery ticket. I would rather put my money in my sure thing...my PC.

[alpine]

Way to go. You have made some nice pick-ups. Auctions are the only way to go. The BIN's not so much. I missed out on a few deals earlier this evening including a Mauer base that went for less than $2.75. That's a steal.

My budget is $100 for a full box: Base / Jumbo relic / Relic auto, etc of PC players. I am trying to be picky with the edging on all of the cards I get. Good Luck with your next purchases.

[Moyni]

Thanks to jasoncardmonger for the deal! ! Just added two more cards!!

Tony Gwynn Auto Relic /55 - $35



Josh Hamilton Rainbow /10 - $10



I have now purchased 14 cards for $367. I still have $33 left to find one or maybe two more cards.

[njterp]

Wow I'm shocked that Hamilton /10 went for so low! Nice pickups, I followed a similar route and just bought singles, should have waited a but though, some of the autos has dipped so much. Interesting to me that people are buying more on eye appeal I think, I've seen some freese silver autos selling for about half of what the regular (vertical autos sell for)

[MikeWilliamsFan]

I say you got some good deals!

[Moyni]

Ok. Finally reached by budget for my project. Here are my last two pickups:

Rangers PC:

Nelson Cruz Auto /150 - $6



HOFer Autos:

Carlton Fisk Auto Jersey /55 - $20



So my final totals were...

- 16 cards total purchased
- $394 spent. About $25/card.
- 9 HOFer autos
- 5 Josh Hamilton PC cards

Not too bad for the price of a box I would say.

[cjsayde]

Awesome collection for that price! I'd try and find at least one nice booklet to add to your PC, the ones that are live look pretty nice.

[uberfatty]

You did awesome, this was fun to follow.

[MikeWilliamsFan]

Nice work!

[Moyni]

Even though I have reached my goal, I have decided to continue picking up Five Star PC singles and sharing them with you...

HOFer Auto PC:
Juan Marichal Retired Player Auto /208 - $21.85



Andre Dawson Auto Relic /55 - $13.55



Josh Hamilton PC:
Auto Relic /97 - $31.58



Quad Relic Auto Book /10 - $63.51



Let me know how you think I did.

Thanks for looking.

[monkeymcgee]

These prices are great for you, but brutal for the sellers. Was anyone successful flipping this stuff without getting one of the logo cards or bat barrels/knobs?

[calculusdork]

Dude, I love following your collecting. Really appreciate you sharing.

And that price on the quad relic auto is insane. Way to go!

[calculusdork]

As a follow up ... it's threads like this that really make me want to become a 'collector'. I'm still a young man, and I've got one successful large case break under my belt, and I think I could do it many more times. But I've also blown a crap-load of cash on wax over the last few months, and that makes me sad. I really want to appreciate the hobby as you do.

[Moyni]

That is why I decided to continue buying singles.

1) I need 'em.

2) I like the look of the cards

3) On card Autos

4) The prices are really fantastic if you are a buyer!! I have gotten some really good deals by being patient.

[Gmrson]

Nice additions to the PC!! I've picked up a few as well and love the look of them and the prices!

[dilandboogscard]

Absolutely Fantastic, I was in a case break myself and helped my shop owner flip the case he ripped and easily loss was + 50%. So hey why it was such a crap shoot or since it was after the season, IDK... but I am glad someone took the time to make this thread and make a project out of it... VERY WELL DONE.... This is how I see how the product went... Most Boxes had less than 50% return value as a seller.... the only good boxes were far and beyond were absolutely loaded!, why Topps would do that IDK, but anyways, thats just my observation!

[Haze28]

So you are the one that outbid me on that Hamilton book! LOL, I have started doing the same thing. I bought a lot here that had 2 PC items and I'm going to flip the others either in trade or sale and continue just picking up more PC cards from the product.

I watched a guy at my LCS bust 4 boxes and didn't get a single card he wanted, sad part was he refused to sell me a couple of the cards for slightly more than the going rate on eBay because he thought they were selling too low. He'd rather eat the whole thing than sell lower than he thinks it should be.

[Gmrson]

Originally Posted by Haze28

So you are the one that outbid me on that Hamilton book! LOL, I have started doing the same thing. I bought a lot here that had 2 PC items and I'm going to flip the others either in trade or sale and continue just picking up more PC cards from the product.

I watched a guy at my LCS bust 4 boxes and didn't get a single card he wanted, sad part was he refused to sell me a couple of the cards for slightly more than the going rate on eBay because he thought they were selling too low. He'd rather eat the whole thing than sell lower than he thinks it should be.

I don't see it as the guy eating the whole thing...right now supply is high and so many of the rip/flip people need to sell to pay for the next lottery ticket product. I think the people that can hold on to the really good cards are the smart ones...there will always be a demand for autos of the great players.

[Haze28]

Is that the actual picture of the Book auto? Just asking because the one numbered 10/10 is up for bid on eBay right now.

[Haze28]

Originally Posted by Gmrson

I don't see it as the guy eating the whole thing...right now supply is high and so many of the rip/flip people need to sell to pay for the next lottery ticket product. I think the people that can hold on to the really good cards are the smart ones...there will always be a demand for autos of the great players.

That is true but the cards I wanted I really can't see selling that much higher than they are now. It will be interesting to see if some of this stuff takes off sometime around mid season next year.