What happened?

[JLM123]

I was just thinking about how when I was 10 yrs old and collecting baseball cards (mid 90's), I was so concerned with which players I got when I bought a pack- even if they were regular issues. Getting inserts was a big deal, but the pack was not a failure if it had a Griffey, Thomas, etc. Specifically I remember buying a box of Sybox Dugout Axcess in 98 and pulling a Mark McGwire Gronks insert card. I thought at the time it was AMAZING and it booked like, 50.00. I also remember how Upper Deck had, within the past year or so, come out with the Game Jersey card, and I dreamed of how SWEET it would be to one day own one. When I pulled my first GU, a jersey of Tony Gwynn, it was awesome, but since then I feel (like many others) like card companies have gone way overboard with the GU phenomenon, and they killed it. When you think about it, it is such a sweet idea- but they abused (and continue to abuse, for that matter) the concept so brutally that nobody cares about GU anymore. Pulling a jersey card of, say, Thome is a failure of a pack in today's card world. Also, autographs and #ed inserts have SO many parallels that pulling a card /25 is no big deal because there are parallels #ed to 100, 50, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 10, 5, and 1 all of the same card in the same set. Anyways, I was just thinking of how card companies can redeem themselves and whathaveyou, and I was thinking of the ideal set.
I believe, ideally, there should be a set with a card of EVERY baseball player on the opening day ML rosters. I feel like so many good players (especially on my Tribe!) are overlooked in so many sets, and it would be awesome to tackle putting together a set that has every player. There would be paralleled sets #ed to 25 (silver) and masterpieces #ed to 1 (gold). Inserts would include game jerseys that are inserted 1 in every 280 packs or so (with approximately 30 different players), patches that are inserted 1 in about 1200 packs or so (same players). There would be an autographed subset that includes autos of the World Series Champions of the previous year- not just the stars, but every player on the team (I understand there would be complications in making this a possibility) Also 1 in like 1200 packs. I mean, with the Sox for example, pulling an Alan Embree auto in this type of
subset (as one of the lesser known members of the team) would be considered a dream of collectors everywhere- and the rarity of the subset would make pulling a Schilling or Ramirez that much sweeter. Of course there would be lesser dollar inserts as well, in my ideal set, but those are just some ideas I had in mind. Does anybody else have any comments on the decline of the hobby? Has anyone else given some thought to the "ideal set"? Just curious.
Jason

[CrawfordFan13]

First of all a GU card in every 280 packs is something no one would like. Im mad when I see retial has a 1/24 shot.

The "decline" of the hobby doesnt really bother me like it used to. First of all Beckett prices shouldnt matter to anyone who's in it for the fun of collecting, and I know a lot of people will disagree. But for myself I can pull a $5 Crawford GU Jersey and Ill be the happiest person alive. It shouldnt matter what Beckett prices are to player-team collectors who are just in it to make the ultimate player-team collection. The only reason Beckett prices effect me are on trading, I only care what cards are worth if Im trading them. I dont know one BV of any of my Crawford's right now and Im not in any hurry to find out. For collectors in it for money I would say the decline sucks for them but I really couldnt care less about the people who feel packs just to ruin a hobby.

Also on the subject of the "decline" I would say pulling a GU #ed /25000 would be great for a lot of collectors. People who think a $5 GU card sucks shouldnt be buying packs-boxes. I only think people should get mad is if they buy a $100 box and pull 1-2$10 GU. I wouldnt say the "decline" is that bad for people like me who only collect players-teams and buy the packs once in a while just for fun.

As for the ideal set I think it would be a set like this:

about $3 a pack

Gameused (Bats and Jerseys):
Minor League-Rookie Gameused (not numbered): 1/12 packs
Star Gamesed (not numbered): 1/15 packs
Legendary Gameused (people not in HOF) (numbered /500): 1/20 packs
Hall of Fame Gameused (numbered /300): 1/30 packs

Also for every type of player there are inserts (platinum-gold-silver) #ed 1/1-# /10- #ed /25

Rarer Gamused (Knobs-Tags-Patches-Buttons-etc.)
Minor League-Rookie (numbered /100): 1/40 packs
Star (numbered /100): 1/60 packs
Legendary (numbered /75): 1/75 packs
Hall of Fame (numbered /50): 1/90 packs

Also for every type of player there are inserts (platinum-gold-silver) #ed 1/1-# /10- #ed /25

Autographs:
Minor League Rookie:


well I have to go to my uncles but Ill finish this when I get home.