New to Basketball

Mikey · Sep 11, 2013

Hey guys,

just recently got back into collecting cards, generally more along the Marvel card lines but have always loved NBA cards, I used to collect NBA cards back in the 1995 Era.

just wanting some advice please on what are some good sets to start with nowadays, good value for the cards you get in everyones views... I've been out of the game for a long time now.

so far was looking at this - 2012/13 Upper Deck SP Authentic Basketball Hobby Box on DaCardWorld, they seem to have past and present players which I like cause I know a lot of the older players, these are also on clearance - 2011/12 Panini Limited Basketball Hobby Box

These are coming out as a pre-sell and due November 30th - 2013/14 Panini Totally Certified Basketball Hobby Box (Presell), would you guys advise starting with a new set that's coming out rather than older box like the above ones?

I'd love to buy some of the premium boxes straight up but just starting a new collection can't really bring myself to spending $200+ on 4-6 cards, would be disappointed not getting anything at start. More than happy

Cheers!

Jonathon M · Sep 11, 2013

Mate, my advice would be to think about what you want to get out of collecting before you spend any more money.... If you are about ripping wax, then fine - spend $$$ on boxes, if you are not too fussed about the wax and are more about picking up nice singles for the PC, start picking up some sweet cards from ebay/comc/blowout or here.

I loved the wax when I first got back in and now if I had my time again I would have taken most of the wax money and spent it on singles...

West Oz Cards · Sep 11, 2013

I agree with Jonathon.

I'd suggest to really think about why you want to get back into NBA stuff, do you want to just collect one player? Or like to collect full sets?
Have a look through the box break section and sales/trade section here to check out what the new era cards look like.

I am like you in that I've been away from the card chasing since about 1998. In the 2 months since returning, I've spent about $1200 on boxes and $2000 on singles. The joy I get from receiving those singles that I've chosen.. far out-weighs any joy I've had from the box breaks.
Perhaps thats just my poor mojo. or perhaps that's god's way of making up for blessing me with an incredibly awesome wife that puts up with my all my crap I suppose. who knows.

I've been pretty dissapointed with the leaf product and I won't touch it now. I can't stand the no licensing and no names on jerseys. IMO looks sh*tehouse and they have some really really poor picture choices they put on cards, the designs of some of their stuff is terrible too.

I like the look of the 12-13 Limited and Prestige. I am currently colelcting the 12-13 Brilliance which is a nice looking set with a few nice insert sets, but also some horrid ones. The 12-13 SP authentic is nice, but too small a set, you can get nearly two base sets (50card)from one box and the inserts/parrallels are a bit of a yawn//

Anyway, thats my two cent and a lot of people will disagree, but hey..

Mikey · Sep 11, 2013

yeah I'm hearing you guys, the box breaks will be something I would start with and probably collect singles after a couple boxes, just love opening those boxes to see what you get.

favourite team in the NBA is Chicago bulls, favourite players from previous Era, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman from around the 95 when I was last collecting.

hsv006 · Sep 11, 2013

Busting wax comes with a joy that no single purchace can match.
Having said that....its rare to get anything huge these days and after my last mega bust even i have to ask myself is it worth it !!

Jonathon M · Sep 11, 2013

hsv006 said:
Busting wax comes with a joy that no single purchace can match.

While I agree with this to an extent, I counter this by saying that busting wax also comes with the dissapointment that no PC pick up can match. Since I went 99% singles I have had minimal disapointment in the hobby, My PC collection is coming on sweetly and I get the cards I want (unless I get outbidded of course) I used to love busting wax until more often or not I was looking at a bunch of scrub "hits" I had no desire for from a $60-100+ box. In NBA terms you can get a "Insert all time great here" auto for same price as many mid end boxes (other than MJ, Bron prob - Im not really an NBA collector although I do pick up the odd one) It's No brainer as far as I'm concerned but each to there own.... Some of the PC pick ups Ive bought for $30 beat the crap out of most of my $100 box busts.... It took me a while to learn the lesson, but it is absolutely learnt now

I havent busted in almost a year but that doesn't mean I wont. I will prob pick up a few hundred dollars worth of boxes black friday to bust with my son if the prices are too damn good to pass (even though a cpl of AFL boxes a year seem to satisfy his itch).... Have a look at ebay sold listings of your favourite players to see what you can get for the price of the box you want and then decide which way to go....

hsv006 · Sep 11, 2013

I would have thought the second part of my last post pretty much covered that

Jonathon M · Sep 11, 2013

hsv006 said:
I would have thought the second part of my last post pretty much covered that

Yeah sorry mate, just re-read it and must have missed the last line about you questioning it (I am reading off a resized window at work no bigger than 3 or 4 inches ) I remember sittin there after last years black friday after busting about 1.5k worth of wax thinking, well, it was fun, I got some nice stuff but if I could swap it all back for initial spend I wouldnt think twice.... And that was at black friday prices.... With the dollar at over parity

A1CardsandGaming · Sep 11, 2013

Welcome aboard Michael.

Like most new collectors it will be a fun learning curve as you look into NBA collecting and busting boxes is part of the fun.
Plenty of people do shy away from busting boxes and concentrate on singles but there are a few things that tend to get missed.

1. If nobody busts boxes then the single card market will dry up to a certain extent. Much like the smaller number of cards you now see listed on ebay for example
2. Busting boxes is about the fun of it. The thrill of not knowing what will be hidden inside. Hitting a card for your own PC that you have busted from a box is very satisfying
3. The Elusive "HUGE" hit. To me, that is part of the big thrill of busting. Typically we all want to hit a card that we may never really have the money to buy as a single. eg, A Michael Jordan or Lebron James buyback 1 of 1 auto from Fleer Retro. That is the item I dream of busting but the odds are always against us but you have to be in it to win it

At the end of the day you will more than likely bust a few boxes for the fun of it and hopefully you enjoy the experience when you do.

Either way, you only live once so you should just experience as much as you can and busting a box should be on that list of things to do

Wishing you all the best and mojo with your first bust

West Oz Cards · Sep 11, 2013

A1CardsandGaming said:
3. The Elusive "HUGE" hit. To me, that is part of the big thrill of busting. Typically we all want to hit a card that we may never really have the money to buy as a single. eg, A Michael Jordan or Lebron James buyback 1 of 1 auto from Fleer Retro. That is the item I dream of busting but the odds are always against us

This alone, is the only reason I still bust. Been thinking of hitting the card shop this friday to get a couple of boxes.... the only other thing I'm thinking of, is how dissappointed I was the last 10 times I busted, and maybe THIS is the BIG ONE!!!

A1CardsandGaming · Sep 11, 2013

M4YH3M1 said:
This alone, is the only reason I still bust. Been thinking of hitting the card shop this friday to get a couple of boxes.... the only other thing I'm thinking of, is how dissappointed I was the last 10 times I busted, and maybe THIS is the BIG ONE!!!

I guess it can sometimes depend on where you get your boxes from
http://www.ozcardtrader.com.au/comm...pics-on-various-pages-update-24th-aug.134799/

Tanana · Sep 11, 2013

Welcome to the forums mate,

It's nice seeing a few people getting back into the hobby again,

Either way, whatever you end up doing, you will enjoy it!

taffster74 · Sep 12, 2013

Mike, unless you want players in college uni's - i'd stay away from anything Upper deck has released since october 2009 because that is all you will get, college uni's. As to what to get.... depends on how deep your pockets are and what your budget allows. If you wait for new stuff to come out, I'd be getting a box or two of 2013-14 hoops jumbo - guaranteed two auto's, 1 GU and one other auto or gu per jumbo. Or you can wait until prestige with higher value auto's. totally certified is a hit or miss product with only six packs per box. but that's just how i shop.

Mikey · Sep 12, 2013

Thanks for the heads up everyone,

Jason - yeah cheers, I just found out about the upper deck stuff yesterday only being college cards, I've gone with a box of 2012/13 Panani Crusade to start my collection! hopefully get some goodies to kick start some more box breaks haha, I think I'll enjoy a few box breaks for the thrill and get some singles of the players I want to collect specifically as well.

West Oz Cards · Sep 12, 2013

Good pick!

ozballer23 · Sep 12, 2013

Wait for Some of the new panini stuff. They have got lillard autos now.

taffster74 · Sep 12, 2013

If you're after any base stuff for players lmk - I'm bound to have a few cards for most players laying around.

Mikey · Sep 12, 2013

Norm - any particular set coming out?

Jason - will do mate, I'll see how I like this box, the cards look pretty nice themselves, so might complete the set for this one

taffster74 · Sep 13, 2013

Good luck with the crusades - that is more so miss than hit from every break i've seen (and that's quite a few).

Verse1 · Sep 13, 2013

For around $80 a box I reckon Crusade is great. Love the refractor sets and the Patches if you manage to pull one are sweet too.

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