There was a thread started in MLB but I recently moved to collecting NBA almost exclusively. I've been focusing mostly on Wemby in an attempt to get all or most of his Rookie cards. It's my hope that he surpasses MJ and Lebron one day.

I've been purchasing PSA 10 graded Lebron, Luka, and Nikola cards too. I also buy blaster boxes.

Anyone?

I remember after I graduated from college, a few friends and I were going to pool money to try to buy a 03-04 Exquisite LeBron James RPA rookie card. It was like $12,000-15,000 at the time when it came up for auction somewhere (I forget where). Buy it now price too. We chickened out. LMAO.

It's impossible to keep track of what's what now with all of these 1/1 cards and variant sets.

Not since I was a kid. Hope my Pippen rookie card where his name is misspelled is worth millions someday.

My son and I do. It's just for fun. I don't expect to get some big return down the road. I have thousands of worthless junk era baseball cards and a handful of basketball cards that I actually care about lol.

I don't have anything too fancy. I started collecting Dirk cards (and other Mavs) during his prime. My best is his SP Authentic RC, #d out of 3500. I may get it graded some day. I did pick up a PSA authenticated autographed Dirk RC recently.
My son has a Luka RC that he got signed before a Rockets game last year.

I haven't pulled the trigger on any high end hobby boxes. Just can't justify spending $1,000+ on a few cards.

What I don't like about collecting is that everything is Panini now. It was more fun when you still had Topps, Upper Deck, and Fleer to choose from.

Is there a place that any of you recommend buying blasters or hobby boxes? Best deal?

My 5 year old is really into cards, so I buy some for him sometimes. I like cards and had a decent amount as a kid, but never really got into it. My brother in law has something like 10,000+ and give cards to my son all the time.

Is this a good deal

2020 21 Panini Mosaic Basketball HOBBY BOX Factory Sealed 10 Packs 1 Auto
$280.80 tax/shipping

150 cards

Aggie Class of 2026 said:

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Is this a good deal

2020 21 Panini Mosaic Basketball HOBBY BOX Factory Sealed 10 Packs 1 Auto
$280.80 tax/shipping

150 cards

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Depends what that one auto is.

NoahAg said:

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Aggie Class of 2026 said:

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Is this a good deal

2020 21 Panini Mosaic Basketball HOBBY BOX Factory Sealed 10 Packs 1 Auto
$280.80 tax/shipping

150 cards

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Depends what that one auto is.

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I find out Wednesday.

I bought a few PSA 10s today. One Wemby, two Jokers

Anything good?

Nice card!

NoahAg said:

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Nice card!

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I'm currently going through everything I've opened and preparing a stack to be graded.

How much does grading cost these days and how long for the return? Across the major graders?

I'm curious too. I still don't understand the economics of grading. Last I looked it costs at least $25 to grade a card. But I've come across lots of graded cards that aren't even worth that much. Why would you spend more on grading than the card is even worth?

Head Ninja In Charge said:

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How much does grading cost these days and how long for the return? Across the major graders?

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It's around $15-$19 per card with membership and around 45 days. $25 per card without

The reasons for graded cards being valued less than what it cost to grade can vary. The person that sent the card off might have wanted it graded for a million different reasons. Could have been their favorite player, relative, friend, no experience in the hobby, thought the card was worth more than it actually was...

I don't know, but it could have been a card thrown into bulk grading. I've seen people selling a complete set of graded cards. We're talking a few hundred cards at grade 7 or higher for every card.

I hope I've helped you two

Does the grading cost also depend on the value of the card? That's what a dealer at a show told me. I didn't get all the details, but the gist of it was he wouldn't know the final cost until the card had been reviewed, and at some point he would authorize the grader to "slab it" based on what the grade would be?

I don't have a ton of grade-able cards, but I might look into a few or them. Dirk and Luka rookies. Edwards, Trae Young, SGA rookies. Nothing high end but maybe enough to where it would be worth it for some 9s and 10s.

https://www.psacard.com/services/tradingcardgrading

Yes, the value can change what they charge. Let me know if the link works and answers your question. I watched a YouTube video where someone that worked as a grader said he called the guy who had a Jordan rookie. He called the guy because it was a grade 10 and it significantly changed what he would be charged. The guy wasn't pleased and the grader said it was the first time someone didn't sound pleasantly surprised over the up-charge

Another words, you should he thrilled to have to pay more because your card is worth a lot more than what they charge. The guy had a very valuable card. He probably just didn't have a lot of money for something like grading a card of that type of value to begin with

My goal is to get every letter in spellbound (orange)
And I'll see if I can find and afford another Joker card in the other colors. As you know some of them get very pricey

That Lebron card is sick!

and good luck on the spellbound! It's a great set when complete but looks impossible lol

Are you really class of 26 affording cards like these?!

Here are some more of my slabs. The non PSA grades were impulse buys from about 2 years ago. As I've stated earlier, I no longer buy anything that's not a PSA 10







The double jokers were by accident. I got caught bidding on numerous cards in a short period and ended up with both. Ironically one was substantially more than the other. I have some really cool stuff coming this week. I'll post them soon

I remember very clearly when I pulled my first "piece of the game" I bought cards at Walmart in Bastrop TX and was 17 or 18 years old. It was an Upper Deck card of Jay Buhner. Has a piece of both his bat and jersey. I thought I had won the lottery. I still have that card and will post a pic of it during my next round of pics.

Love the card! Any interest in selling them? I didn't realize how fickle the grading was until recently so watch your son carefully around his cards. Cards that look absolutely perfect will often grade a 9 instead of a 10. Even a finger print prevents them to grading a 10.

Thanks for sharing. I'm jealous

Aggie Class of 2026 said:

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I remember very clearly when I pulled my first "piece of the game" I bought cards at Walmart in Bastrop TX and was 17 or 18 years old. It was an Upper Deck card of Jay Buhner. Has a piece of both his bat and jersey. I thought I had won the lottery. I still have that card and will post a pic of it during my next round of pics.

Love the card! Any interest in selling them? I didn't realize how fickle the grading was until recently so watch your son carefully around his cards. Cards that look absolutely perfect will often grade a 9 instead of a 10. Even a finger print prevents them to grading a 10.

Thanks for sharing. I'm jealous

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My son is the card collector, not me. I have a few hundred cards from when I was a kid, but I never really got into it. He loves it and I don't think he has any intention of selling any of his cards any time soon lol.

I'm trying to capture the beauty in the artwork of some of these cards but it's really hard.

Do you normally just buy individual graded cards now? Or is pack ripping still a thing?

Head Ninja In Charge said:

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Do you normally just buy individual graded cards now? Or is pack ripping still a thing?

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I do both. I've gone pretty hard on both lately. I'll be switching gears some and doing far less. Ill be sticking to buying graded cards only. Maybe one or two a month. This came in today.

Not NBA related. But I had an email sitting in my inbox for a Mike Evans card I had considered on Ebay. It said the card was $75 when I had viewed it a while back and is now $48.75!

So I logged on and offered $30

SOLD!

2017 Donruss Optic Gridiron Kings #22, PSA graded 10

Aggie Class of 2026 said:

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Is this a good deal

2020 21 Panini Mosaic Basketball HOBBY BOX Factory Sealed 10 Packs 1 Auto
$280.80 tax/shipping

150 cards

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Where did you get this deal?

I use https://www.dacardworld.com/ for blasters, hobby's.

Head Ninja In Charge said:

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Do you normally just buy individual graded cards now? Or is pack ripping still a thing?

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Maybe I'm just unlucky but I've only wasted money buying boxes/packs. It just makes more sense to buy the cards I want.
But opening packs is so much more fun.
I can't get myself to buy a high end hobby box (as in hundreds of $$$+).

jonb02 said:

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Aggie Class of 2026 said:

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Is this a good deal

2020 21 Panini Mosaic Basketball HOBBY BOX Factory Sealed 10 Packs 1 Auto
$280.80 tax/shipping

150 cards

---

Where did you get this deal?

I use https://www.dacardworld.com/ for blasters, hobby's.

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Username: bellrig36 (Ebay)

I literally just got it outta the mail box

I'm now looking for something with Caitlin Clark. Everything is ridiculous in price. I just made an offer for $190 on a $360 card of her's. I saw online that the same card sold in an auction for $192!