Question for Box/case breakers

[BlakeF]

I was watching a guy at a card show recently, he bought a box of high end hockey, he sat down and ripped through all the packs on the spot.
He pocketed the inserts and piled the base cards back into the empty box and handed them back to the dealer telling him "just keep them, I'm only after the inserts". I was wishing he handed them to me!

So when you guys who chase the tough inserts get done going through your packs/boxes/cases what do you do with all those commons and low value inserts?

I'm curious because when I go to shows lately everyone has tons of inserts for $5+ and I can hardly find a common to complete a set.

For the record I am a set builder type of guy. I'm just trying to find out where all these cards end up at. Most local card shops don't even want to bother filling want lists, or they want .20-.25 per card. I just can't justify paying $30 for 150 base cards in what amounts to a $30-$35 set.

[Cerialthriller]

i personally put them in 500count card boxes and then if im bored ill go through the set collecting forum on here and see what i have that people need. they are most likely going to sit in my house collecting dust so mind as well move them to someone who wants to make the set.

[30ranfordfan]

I hadn't bought many boxes in a while until this year, but after busting through 6 (or so) boxes of Upper Deck this year (series 1 & 2 combined) I had my sets completed... so I just tried my best to dump them. I had a 550 count box, filled it (with a bit of tissue paper on either end) and sold it, delivered, for $10 on here. Since it cost me around $9.50 to ship it, I didn't actually make much money on it. Just wanted them gone.

Granted... this was a mid-end set, not a high end set. If I were busting higher end sets (which I don't) I'd probably take the whole lot of them, and see what I could get for them on eBay.

[Marko]

when i buy a box of sp authentic for example,
i dont do this because of the basecards, i do it
just because of the inserts, one complete set goes
to my closet and is never seen again, once in a while
i think about selling all the sets, but when i think of
the work that is connected with it.. i pass on it.

the basecards of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc etc box are
left at the shop or thrown away like waste.

there was a time when i was holding onto the doubles
of my breaks and then i sold them on ebay (1000 cards,
1500 cards... whatever) but the outcome is so low,
its just a waste of time to me now.

right now i am more interested in purchasing high end
stuff without a lot of common basecards, such as Sweet
Shot, OPC Premier, SP Game Used, The Cup etc.

sometimes this makes me sad, because i still remember
the times where i was trying to just get that gretzky or
lindros basecard back in the mid 90s, but right now, with
a lot more money in my hands i want more out of the hobby
then basecards

[reoddai]

I was watching a guy at a card show recently, he bought a box of high end hockey, he sat down and ripped through all the packs on the spot.
He pocketed the inserts and piled the base cards back into the empty box and handed them back to the dealer telling him "just keep them, I'm only after the inserts". I was wishing he handed them to me!

So when you guys who chase the tough inserts get done going through your packs/boxes/cases what do you do with all those commons and low value inserts?

I'm curious because when I go to shows lately everyone has tons of inserts for $5+ and I can hardly find a common to complete a set.

For the record I am a set builder type of guy. I'm just trying to find out where all these cards end up at. Most local card shops don't even want to bother filling want lists, or they want .20-.25 per card. I just can't justify paying $30 for 150 base cards in what amounts to a $30-$35 set.

I've seen this happen a lot as well.

The best explanation I've ever been given by a retail store is this:
"If I take your base cards, I have to pay a guy at 10$/hr to sort them. Its just not worth it"

So, us base set collectors have to rely on each other. I keep base cards in my trade list for up to three years if its a regular set, longer if its a high end or SP set. After that, they get broken up by team and sold as team lots.

If you want to trade some base, check out my trade list and wantlist. maybe we can work out a deal?

Cheers,
reoddai

[geschrocks33]

When I get a lot of base I trade it back to my shop so he can build sets and he gives me other packs or store credit towards cards that I want. I only keep my PC base

[hossa18sens]

I have a buddy who own's a store and I package up 25 cards for $1.50. They sell very well. (I put lots of big name guy's in lol Guess that's why)

I wish I could pick up a bunch of base cheap just to do this. Just the shipping would kill the little bit of profit there is. Then I just buy more packs... More base start again. lol

[xirxious]

I usually make a whole set for me, if possible ne for my nephew then split the rest up by team. Its hard to find someone trading 200-300 team base though.

[skeen]

when i bust boxes on my LCS i basically donate all the cards i dont want , i just get the inserts as they only pile up and takes up a lot of space. i do this because my LCS provides free toploaders and sleeves for the inserts i pull.

but if i order my boxes online all those commons and unwanted stuffs just pile up so what i often do is use them as fillers for cards i send on sales and trades. its not useful to me but might be useful for the guys i send them.

[BlakeF]

Reoddai, I like your idea. As soon as I hit the big 10 post mark I'll be able to check out people's list. I don't have a ton of cash at the moment to spend on cards. Back in the day there were no inserts <gasp> so I guess I'm somewhat of a dinosaur, wanting to sit down with a big box of commons and sort out my need list. Heck these days you have to study a Beckett 30 mins a day just so you know what you're chasing when you buy a $11-$15 pack!

I guess I can't blame the shops, if there is no money in commons, why bother. I avoid most shops anyways, the overhead makes them inflate their prices so much.