What do you expect from a break?

[oilfan10]

Time and time again we see people say "my break wasn't good, I'm not going to get my money back" or "Waste of money, I should've bought something else". And then this is usually followed by someone else commenting and saying you had a "nice break". Realistically though, people can't expect to gain a profit on every box they break, or break even.

Personally, I don't have to break even on a break because I'm a collector, not a dealer. I keep most of the cards I pull. To me, if I get 75% book value back, I'm happy. For people in the card selling business I understand they need to get some money back for all the boxes they bust open.

So my questions are: What kind of return do you expect from a break, and what constitutes a "nice break", without that term being just a post count builder?

[piggy1918]

I like to pull one decent PC card (such as an insert or hit), or a few PC base cards. In addition, I consider it a good break if I get a few inserts and hits that I know trade OK. If the box is a bit higher end, I hope for one decent hit that would sell for about 20%-30% of the box's cost. I never expect to "make my money back", that's just ridiculous because it almost never happens. Oh, and getting all of my guarenteed hits is a must as well.

EDIT: Just realized this is the hockey section. My response is based on baseball, not that it really matters...

[NyFanCam01]

i like to put it like this...

its FUN to open, BUT it IS a risk.....

sure we all like to complain if we dont hit what we "Want"... not EVERY Box can have a sick 1/1 patch auto... if it were like that then value would be way down... the BIG Hits happen... but not all the time.

good luck to everyone on there breaks!

[07mears07]

A good break should be hitting the averages. That is a good break because you got what you knew what you would get, players aside. SPA has 3 autos, you should get 3 autos regardless of player. If you get it, then it is a good break

[oilfan10]

Good points. Getting PC is always nice, but since I keep most of the stuff in my collection, it ends up being part of my secondary PC and not really applicable to me lol. I think of all the boxes I've opened, I've pulled about 5 cards of my player collections.

[Nairb06]

i expect the cards that are stated on as guaranteed in the front. That way i wont be mad cuz i always get what i expect. of course it nice to get somethin for the PC or a big hit. But u cant expect that EVERY time.

Nairb.

[RGM81]

Sidney Crosby's home phone number, an Ovechkin Cup RC, Carey Price's gold medal from the World Juniors, and 2 Wayne Gretzky BGS 10 RCs. All from one pack of OPC. Anything less is a complete and utter waste of my time.

[debtriddin]

yeah what richard said.

cheers mike

[geschrocks33]

I also agree with Rich ^^^

Kidding

I just like the open things, I expect to hit the averages, and I hope to hit something nice

The main thing I want is to have fun

[FrankToronto]

What kind of return do you expect from a break, and what constitutes a "nice break"?

While I do expect a fair value for my money just as I do with any product I buy, it's not the dollar value first and foremost that matters. A good break to me is a fun break and a fun break is pulling lots of neat cards including the base (so good collation is part of what makes a break good) as well as a mix of inserts, GUs, and autos. I think if you put the base on one side of the table and the pulls on the other side of the table and feel that you're happy with both and it was fun ripping the packs then that constitutes a good break.

It's not pulling a big money card. That is a nice pull, but on it's own may save a box as opposed to making the box an overall fun break.