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To my fellow forum members,
As the case, CBC is the all time go to information center in regards to all things sports and non-sports collectibles. I recently have come across a very interesting article in regards to home mail delivery service. This concept is not new to me as I've participated and purchased successfully philatelic and numismatic items as such. Shopping in the comfort of your home, there is no better way to do this. I've come across an article via CBC in regards to a company called "Collector Crate".
Apparently by choosing and paying for a specific price tier, you'll be receiving or get to choose from three cost perspective arenas. I find this to be a very exciting way to collecting. Has anyone nor everyone been and or taken apart in such a program? Card breaks do not count in this instance as no matter which tier you've chosen, you'll always come away with cards no matter what. I'd like to hear some thoughts both positive and negative on this subject. You can read the article via CBC or just continue to read as I've provided the entire excerpt for forum members below.
The reason for my curiosity is that I want to take the next step and purchase a specific price tier of $99.99 plus $8.00 shipping and handling just to see and feel the experience first hand. Up until then, I rely on forum members feedback, with experience and the knowledge shared on CCW, I think the world of members input as well as critique. As the case, thank you so much in advance. Your fellow forum member,
Toshi
Crate Expectations: A Closer Look at Collector Crate
Subscriptions go back a long time. While a lot of us are used to having newspapers and magazines show up in our mailboxes or on the front steps, the closest thing to sports card subscriptions would probably be Sportscaster cards from the 1970s. But there's a new program that's changing that. Collector Crate lets you subscribe and have a box filled with packs, autographs, memorabilia cards and related swag delivered to you automatically every month direct to your mailbox.
What Is Collector Crate?
Collector Crate has packages for baseball, basketball and football. Each sport has three subscription levels. Bronze costs $29.99 per month and has ten low- to mid-end packs, one autograph, one memorabilia card and either additional cards or other items.
Silver is a big jump, costing $69.99 per month. Packs are mid-level and hits go from one signed card and one relic up to two.
The top Collector Crate level is Gold, which runs $99.99 per month. The ten packs are an upgrade to mid- to high-end products. You also get three autographs and three memorabilia cards.
Crate Break: Collector Crate Review
Here's what we got in a Gold Baseball Collector Crate:
Packs
2009 Topps Unique
2010 Bowman Chrome
2010 Topps Chrome
2013 Topps Gypsy Queen
2013 Topps Tribute
2014 Bowman Chrome
2014 Bowman Platinum
2014 Topps Chrome
2014 Topps Finest
2014 Topps Stadium Club
Autographs:
2004 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Sweet Spot Signatures Richard Hidalgo
2006 Topps Co-Signers Autographs Ian Kinsler
2012 Bowman Platinum Autographed Relic Tyler Thornburg
Memorabilia Cards:
2008 Bowman Sterling Prince Fielder Jersey
2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Ryan Braun Jersey
2014 Panini Immaculate Jay Bruce Jersey 87/99
Other Items:
2012 McFarlane Playmakers Bryce Harper Figure
Pack of 2013 Topps Chipz
Mini Foam Finger
Plastic Tampa Bay Rays Mini Baseball (think ping pong ball on steroids)
Minnesota Twins Mini Pennant
Big League Chew Gum Ball
With the assortment of years and products, immediately this felt like a fancy repack box you might get at Walmart or Target. And that's just the cards. The other items add more fun than anything else. Although the Bryce Harper figure makes a great addition to the desk.
Although the focus of the packs is clearly on newer products, it was actually kind of fun to sample past products as well. Again, this is a theme I often encounter with the occasional repacks I buy. Except in repacks, you don't get a Topps Tribute.
The pack quality was solid. Given that this was a Gold box, some didn't seem to fit the mid- to high-end pedigree. 2010 Topps Chrome might have fit back then, but now it's hardly on that level. But the couple of questionable packs were more than made up for with the pack of 2013 Topps Tribute.
As far as what the packs yielded, it was again similar to my repack experiences. When you're dealing with one pack at a time, there's no guarantees. Box promises are out the window. Obviously, the Tribute pack had a hit, a dual relic of Miguel Cabrera numbered to 99. The pack of 2009 Topps Unique was probably the best of the bunch landing both an Andrew Miller patch (64/99) and a Jordan Zimmermann rookie numbered to just 2,699.
I also got a few inserts and a handful of singles to put towards sets I'm working on.
The added hits came in a pair of envelopes, the autographs in one and the relics in the other. I got about what I expected. I love the Sweet Spot Signatures series, so it doesn't matter much to me that the player isn't fantastic. Kinsler is a decent autograph to land, even if it's from a set that I'm not a fan of thanks to its foil stickers. The relics were all basic but the players were all recognizable All-Stars.
Even though I didn't get anything too major once the packs were busted, compared to a similarly priced hobby box, my Collector Crate feels like a very decent value. For $100, you're guaranteed six hits. Not many boxes make that promise. Then there's what you get in the packs. While mine had Tribute, I saw another Gold Crate break that had a box of Prime Cuts, another high-end product even though it's way down from its original cost.
Recommendations
I think there are a couple of areas that might make Collector Crate a little more enticing. First, I think there could be some stronger possibilities if sports were mixed, or at least the option. The concept is to sample so even if I got sports I was less interested in, that'd be okay. At the very least, a multi-sport option would be nice.
I'm not sure if the business model lends itself to it, but it'd be cool to see if each month all the crates were the same, at least with the packs. This is what Loot Crate does, although with a broader pop culture swag focus, it's a little easier. It might make for a more community feel as collectors share their crate breaks with one another. This might be a little tricky with the added hits, but maybe those could come from similar sets but with different players.
Card collectors love the chase, so what if every month there was a specific high-end card available in one of the crates. This could be advertised in advance and used as a carrot to entice more collectors to sign up.
While it would take some coordination with card companies, I would love it if Collector Crate was able to offer some exclusive cards. This could be hits, promo cards or previews of upcoming products. Whatever the case, if there's something I can't get elsewhere, I'm going to be more inclined to stick around. There are some obvious hurdles with this, but Loot Crate has proved that this model can work very well.
Overall, my initial experience with Collector Crate was lots of fun. If you enjoy breaking packs and having a juicy mail-day every month, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend giving it a try.
2014 Panini Immaculate Baseball Immaculate Ink Auto Bo Jackson Kansas City # 15!
$77.59
2014 Bowman JONATHAN SCHOOP RC Auto! Baltimore Orioles
$5.00
2014 Panini Immaculate Baseball Diamond Fabric McCutchen 3CLR Patch # 10 Pirates
$66.22
2014 Panini Prizm - Daniel Nava - Boston Red Sox - Autograph - 18 75
$20.00
Tom Glavine 2014 Topps Tier One Prodigious Patch Autograph Atlanta Braves 06 10!
$99.99
BGS 9.5 10 LEONARDO MOLINA 2014 BOWMAN CHROME PURPLE REF AUTO 10 * HIGH SUBS*
$345.01
2014 Bowman Chrome BLUE REFRACTOR Javier Betancourt # 150 RC AUTO - TIGERS
$29.99
2014 Panini Immaculate Baseball Immaculate Swatches Bryce Harper 3CLR Patch # 25
$15.50
2014 Bowman Chrome Maikel Franco AUTO BGS 9.5 10 GEM MINT Philadelphia Phillies
$79.95
TIM COONEY RC SP ***AUTO BLUE*** 2014 Bowman Prospects Auto #PA-TC 500
$8.39
2014 Panini Immaculate Baseball Andre Thornton Auto TRUE 1 1 Cleveland Indians!!
$21.50
2014 Leaf Metal #BA-MC2 MICHAEL CONFORTO "Base Refractor" Autograph
$9.99
2014 Bowman Platinum Prospect Auto Green Refractor Christian Binford 399 Royals
$9.99
2014 Leaf Metal #BA-KS1 KYLE SCHWARBER "Base Refractor" Autograph
$19.99
2014 Leaf Metal #BA-CR2 CARLOS RODON "Blue Refractor" Autograph #49 50
$19.99
Mike Nikorak Autograph Green 09 10 2014 Leaf Perfect Game Showcase NMMT+ Rookie
$7.99
« Previous1234Next »
Latest Articles From This Section:
Tonight on Cardboard Connection Radio - Reps from Panini, Onyx, Benchwarmer
Panini Adds Exclusive Card Deals with Three Universities
Law of Cards: Panini Defends Its LIMITED Mark
Law of Cards: Beckett Beats Miller Cards by Default
Site Contest: Win a Free 2014 Bowman Chrome Baseball Hobby Box
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Ryan Cracknell
E-Mail Author |
Ryan's collecting origins began with winter bike rides to the corner store, tossing a couple of quarters onto the counter and peddling home with a couple packs of O-Pee-Chee hockey in his pocket. Today, he continues to build sets, go after inserts with cool technologies, chase Montreal Expos and finish off his John Jaha master collection. Ryan can be found on Twitter @tradercracks and Google+.
User Comments
Bob Patterson | Oct 25, 2014 | Reply
I don’t know Ryan, the Gold program didn’t look like a winner to me. I guess it’s all about what one is expecting and looking for with the program. For my $100/month I’d rather participate with some group breaks in the hopes of hitting some big cards. The notion of having a bunch of 2004 or 06, etc. doesn’t appeal to me.
Ryan Cracknell | Oct 25, 2014 | Reply
Bob Patterson » Just like everything else in the hobby, it’s not going to appeal to everyone. Breaks are great for some, but it’s easy to buy into something and not come away with much. Like I mentioned, Collector Crate is likely to appeal to those who like repacks like those sold at Walmart and like the added convenience of having them delivered right to their home.
Toshi | Oct 26, 2014 | Reply
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
What a novel idea! As you mentioned Ryan, there is a program out there for everyone. This might not be it for you, but the choices are endless. I think I will subscribe to a one time trial run of the top tier $99.99 Collectors Crate, and as always the case, I will be sharing photos and a brief overview of my break.
I think the beauty of it all is this one simple fact that I adhere to, my collecting Mantra of; “There is no correct nor incorrect way to collecting football cards”!
Leave a Comment:
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2014 TOPPS ALLEN & GINTER BASEBALL HOBBY SEALED BOX
$104.95
2014 TOPPS SERIES 1 BASEBALL HOBBY BOX
$71.95
2014 TOPPS SERIES 1 BASEBALL HOBBY 12 BOX CASE
$784.95
2014 TOPPS GYPSY QUEEN BASEBALL HOBBY 10 BOX CASE
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Browse Newly Added Sets
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2014 Panini Playbook Football Cards
2014 Topps Valor Football Cards
2014 Panini Black Friday Trading Cards
2014 Upper Deck Team Canada Juniors Hockey Cards
2014 Leaf Metal Draft Baseball Cards
2014 Panini Crown Royale Football Cards
2014 Topps Update Series Baseball Cards
2015 Bowman Baseball Cards
2014-15 Panini NBA Hoops Basketball Cards
2014-15 SPx Hockey Cards
2014-15 Panini Prizm Basketball Cards
1948 Bowman Baseball Cards
2014 Topps Supreme Baseball Cards
2014-15 Fleer Ultra Hockey Cards
2014 Panini Totally Certified Football Cards
2014 Topps UFC Champions Trading Cards
2015 Topps Opening Day Baseball Cards
Read more: Collector Crate Details and Review
All Content Copyright 2014 Cardboard Connection Inc
Follow us: @sportscards on Twitter
As the case, CBC is the all time go to information center in regards to all things sports and non-sports collectibles. I recently have come across a very interesting article in regards to home mail delivery service. This concept is not new to me as I've participated and purchased successfully philatelic and numismatic items as such. Shopping in the comfort of your home, there is no better way to do this. I've come across an article via CBC in regards to a company called "Collector Crate".
Apparently by choosing and paying for a specific price tier, you'll be receiving or get to choose from three cost perspective arenas. I find this to be a very exciting way to collecting. Has anyone nor everyone been and or taken apart in such a program? Card breaks do not count in this instance as no matter which tier you've chosen, you'll always come away with cards no matter what. I'd like to hear some thoughts both positive and negative on this subject. You can read the article via CBC or just continue to read as I've provided the entire excerpt for forum members below.
The reason for my curiosity is that I want to take the next step and purchase a specific price tier of $99.99 plus $8.00 shipping and handling just to see and feel the experience first hand. Up until then, I rely on forum members feedback, with experience and the knowledge shared on CCW, I think the world of members input as well as critique. As the case, thank you so much in advance. Your fellow forum member,
Toshi
Crate Expectations: A Closer Look at Collector Crate
Subscriptions go back a long time. While a lot of us are used to having newspapers and magazines show up in our mailboxes or on the front steps, the closest thing to sports card subscriptions would probably be Sportscaster cards from the 1970s. But there's a new program that's changing that. Collector Crate lets you subscribe and have a box filled with packs, autographs, memorabilia cards and related swag delivered to you automatically every month direct to your mailbox.
What Is Collector Crate?
Collector Crate has packages for baseball, basketball and football. Each sport has three subscription levels. Bronze costs $29.99 per month and has ten low- to mid-end packs, one autograph, one memorabilia card and either additional cards or other items.
Silver is a big jump, costing $69.99 per month. Packs are mid-level and hits go from one signed card and one relic up to two.
The top Collector Crate level is Gold, which runs $99.99 per month. The ten packs are an upgrade to mid- to high-end products. You also get three autographs and three memorabilia cards.
Crate Break: Collector Crate Review
Here's what we got in a Gold Baseball Collector Crate:
Packs
2009 Topps Unique
2010 Bowman Chrome
2010 Topps Chrome
2013 Topps Gypsy Queen
2013 Topps Tribute
2014 Bowman Chrome
2014 Bowman Platinum
2014 Topps Chrome
2014 Topps Finest
2014 Topps Stadium Club
Autographs:
2004 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Sweet Spot Signatures Richard Hidalgo
2006 Topps Co-Signers Autographs Ian Kinsler
2012 Bowman Platinum Autographed Relic Tyler Thornburg
Memorabilia Cards:
2008 Bowman Sterling Prince Fielder Jersey
2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Ryan Braun Jersey
2014 Panini Immaculate Jay Bruce Jersey 87/99
Other Items:
2012 McFarlane Playmakers Bryce Harper Figure
Pack of 2013 Topps Chipz
Mini Foam Finger
Plastic Tampa Bay Rays Mini Baseball (think ping pong ball on steroids)
Minnesota Twins Mini Pennant
Big League Chew Gum Ball
With the assortment of years and products, immediately this felt like a fancy repack box you might get at Walmart or Target. And that's just the cards. The other items add more fun than anything else. Although the Bryce Harper figure makes a great addition to the desk.
Although the focus of the packs is clearly on newer products, it was actually kind of fun to sample past products as well. Again, this is a theme I often encounter with the occasional repacks I buy. Except in repacks, you don't get a Topps Tribute.
The pack quality was solid. Given that this was a Gold box, some didn't seem to fit the mid- to high-end pedigree. 2010 Topps Chrome might have fit back then, but now it's hardly on that level. But the couple of questionable packs were more than made up for with the pack of 2013 Topps Tribute.
As far as what the packs yielded, it was again similar to my repack experiences. When you're dealing with one pack at a time, there's no guarantees. Box promises are out the window. Obviously, the Tribute pack had a hit, a dual relic of Miguel Cabrera numbered to 99. The pack of 2009 Topps Unique was probably the best of the bunch landing both an Andrew Miller patch (64/99) and a Jordan Zimmermann rookie numbered to just 2,699.
I also got a few inserts and a handful of singles to put towards sets I'm working on.
The added hits came in a pair of envelopes, the autographs in one and the relics in the other. I got about what I expected. I love the Sweet Spot Signatures series, so it doesn't matter much to me that the player isn't fantastic. Kinsler is a decent autograph to land, even if it's from a set that I'm not a fan of thanks to its foil stickers. The relics were all basic but the players were all recognizable All-Stars.
Even though I didn't get anything too major once the packs were busted, compared to a similarly priced hobby box, my Collector Crate feels like a very decent value. For $100, you're guaranteed six hits. Not many boxes make that promise. Then there's what you get in the packs. While mine had Tribute, I saw another Gold Crate break that had a box of Prime Cuts, another high-end product even though it's way down from its original cost.
Recommendations
I think there are a couple of areas that might make Collector Crate a little more enticing. First, I think there could be some stronger possibilities if sports were mixed, or at least the option. The concept is to sample so even if I got sports I was less interested in, that'd be okay. At the very least, a multi-sport option would be nice.
I'm not sure if the business model lends itself to it, but it'd be cool to see if each month all the crates were the same, at least with the packs. This is what Loot Crate does, although with a broader pop culture swag focus, it's a little easier. It might make for a more community feel as collectors share their crate breaks with one another. This might be a little tricky with the added hits, but maybe those could come from similar sets but with different players.
Card collectors love the chase, so what if every month there was a specific high-end card available in one of the crates. This could be advertised in advance and used as a carrot to entice more collectors to sign up.
While it would take some coordination with card companies, I would love it if Collector Crate was able to offer some exclusive cards. This could be hits, promo cards or previews of upcoming products. Whatever the case, if there's something I can't get elsewhere, I'm going to be more inclined to stick around. There are some obvious hurdles with this, but Loot Crate has proved that this model can work very well.
Overall, my initial experience with Collector Crate was lots of fun. If you enjoy breaking packs and having a juicy mail-day every month, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend giving it a try.
2014 Panini Immaculate Baseball Immaculate Ink Auto Bo Jackson Kansas City # 15!
$77.59
2014 Bowman JONATHAN SCHOOP RC Auto! Baltimore Orioles
$5.00
2014 Panini Immaculate Baseball Diamond Fabric McCutchen 3CLR Patch # 10 Pirates
$66.22
2014 Panini Prizm - Daniel Nava - Boston Red Sox - Autograph - 18 75
$20.00
Tom Glavine 2014 Topps Tier One Prodigious Patch Autograph Atlanta Braves 06 10!
$99.99
BGS 9.5 10 LEONARDO MOLINA 2014 BOWMAN CHROME PURPLE REF AUTO 10 * HIGH SUBS*
$345.01
2014 Bowman Chrome BLUE REFRACTOR Javier Betancourt # 150 RC AUTO - TIGERS
$29.99
2014 Panini Immaculate Baseball Immaculate Swatches Bryce Harper 3CLR Patch # 25
$15.50
2014 Bowman Chrome Maikel Franco AUTO BGS 9.5 10 GEM MINT Philadelphia Phillies
$79.95
TIM COONEY RC SP ***AUTO BLUE*** 2014 Bowman Prospects Auto #PA-TC 500
$8.39
2014 Panini Immaculate Baseball Andre Thornton Auto TRUE 1 1 Cleveland Indians!!
$21.50
2014 Leaf Metal #BA-MC2 MICHAEL CONFORTO "Base Refractor" Autograph
$9.99
2014 Bowman Platinum Prospect Auto Green Refractor Christian Binford 399 Royals
$9.99
2014 Leaf Metal #BA-KS1 KYLE SCHWARBER "Base Refractor" Autograph
$19.99
2014 Leaf Metal #BA-CR2 CARLOS RODON "Blue Refractor" Autograph #49 50
$19.99
Mike Nikorak Autograph Green 09 10 2014 Leaf Perfect Game Showcase NMMT+ Rookie
$7.99
« Previous1234Next »
Latest Articles From This Section:
Tonight on Cardboard Connection Radio - Reps from Panini, Onyx, Benchwarmer
Panini Adds Exclusive Card Deals with Three Universities
Law of Cards: Panini Defends Its LIMITED Mark
Law of Cards: Beckett Beats Miller Cards by Default
Site Contest: Win a Free 2014 Bowman Chrome Baseball Hobby Box
Stay up to date on all the latest sports card and memorabilia news, articles, and products by subscribing to our RSS Feed below:
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Your information will not be shared. Ever.
Ryan Cracknell
E-Mail Author |
Ryan's collecting origins began with winter bike rides to the corner store, tossing a couple of quarters onto the counter and peddling home with a couple packs of O-Pee-Chee hockey in his pocket. Today, he continues to build sets, go after inserts with cool technologies, chase Montreal Expos and finish off his John Jaha master collection. Ryan can be found on Twitter @tradercracks and Google+.
User Comments
Bob Patterson | Oct 25, 2014 | Reply
I don’t know Ryan, the Gold program didn’t look like a winner to me. I guess it’s all about what one is expecting and looking for with the program. For my $100/month I’d rather participate with some group breaks in the hopes of hitting some big cards. The notion of having a bunch of 2004 or 06, etc. doesn’t appeal to me.
Ryan Cracknell | Oct 25, 2014 | Reply
Bob Patterson » Just like everything else in the hobby, it’s not going to appeal to everyone. Breaks are great for some, but it’s easy to buy into something and not come away with much. Like I mentioned, Collector Crate is likely to appeal to those who like repacks like those sold at Walmart and like the added convenience of having them delivered right to their home.
Toshi | Oct 26, 2014 | Reply
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
What a novel idea! As you mentioned Ryan, there is a program out there for everyone. This might not be it for you, but the choices are endless. I think I will subscribe to a one time trial run of the top tier $99.99 Collectors Crate, and as always the case, I will be sharing photos and a brief overview of my break.
I think the beauty of it all is this one simple fact that I adhere to, my collecting Mantra of; “There is no correct nor incorrect way to collecting football cards”!
Leave a Comment:
Name (required)
Mail (will not be published) (required)
Website
Site Search
Featured Partners
Deals on Baseball Card Hobby Boxes
2014 TOPPS ALLEN & GINTER BASEBALL HOBBY SEALED BOX
$104.95
2014 TOPPS SERIES 1 BASEBALL HOBBY BOX
$71.95
2014 TOPPS SERIES 1 BASEBALL HOBBY 12 BOX CASE
$784.95
2014 TOPPS GYPSY QUEEN BASEBALL HOBBY 10 BOX CASE
$1,304.95
2 Box Lot 2014 Topps Update Highlights Hobby Baseball - fresh from case
$99.99
Partners
Search For Deals
Search:
Sort by:
Most Watched
Best Match
Ending Soonest
Lowest Price
Highest Price
Browse Newly Added Sets
2013-14 Upper Deck The Cup Hockey Cards
2014-15 Panini Prestige Basketball Cards
2014 Upper Deck Conference Greats Football Cards
2014 Panini Playbook Football Cards
2014 Topps Valor Football Cards
2014 Panini Black Friday Trading Cards
2014 Upper Deck Team Canada Juniors Hockey Cards
2014 Leaf Metal Draft Baseball Cards
2014 Panini Crown Royale Football Cards
2014 Topps Update Series Baseball Cards
2015 Bowman Baseball Cards
2014-15 Panini NBA Hoops Basketball Cards
2014-15 SPx Hockey Cards
2014-15 Panini Prizm Basketball Cards
1948 Bowman Baseball Cards
2014 Topps Supreme Baseball Cards
2014-15 Fleer Ultra Hockey Cards
2014 Panini Totally Certified Football Cards
2014 Topps UFC Champions Trading Cards
2015 Topps Opening Day Baseball Cards
Read more: Collector Crate Details and Review
All Content Copyright 2014 Cardboard Connection Inc
Follow us: @sportscards on Twitter
Comment