The Allure of Cheap Thrills
These surprise bags aren't geared towards hobbyists looking for a hit of any kind. They're basically entry level for kids or for anyone who just has an itch to rip but doesn't want to pay an arm and a leg for today's pack and box prices.- Entry-Level Appeal: They cater to beginners or those seeking a quick and affordable thrill.
- Nostalgic Fun: You can get a loose pack of early 90s Score, Pro Set or even Upper Deck in them.
I would never expect anything good out of them, but I won't knock the fun people might have with spending a couple of bucks to open on. We all like busting wax, and it's become VERY expensive.
What to Expect Inside
I've bought quite a few of these packs from Dollarama. The only thing that sucks is that it includes tonnes of cards of scrub or un-notable players from the 90s which I don't really have an interest in but you'll get a cool card every once in a while.
It's repacked cards. I would assume there are very few cards worth more than $1 (or so) inserted into them... with the odd card in the $10 - $30 range to show people they can get something nice.
While the possibility of finding a valuable card exists, it's crucial to manage expectations. Here's a breakdown of what you might encounter:
- Base Cards Galore: Expect a large number of common, base cards, often from the 1990s.
- Occasional Gems: There's a chance of finding a card worth a few dollars, perhaps in the $10-$30 range.
- Rare "Hits": I'm sure I saw someone in a FB group post that they got a bigger YG out of one.
The Ultimate Guide to Finding Valuable Hockey Cards at Home
I've gone through a few of them, knowingly just for fun, and I think the best I had was a Keith Primeau Score rookie from 90-91.
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The Business Behind the Packs
Here's a glimpse into the economics of these repacked cards:
If you buy up a stack of 30,000 hockey cards, and pay something in the range of $3,000 for it: You're in for 10 cents a card. Take your time and go through the lot. Anything worth more than $30 or $40, pull from the lot and resell those on the side. The rest get put into these surprise packs, and after buying them for (about) 10 cents each - you put 6 of them in a pack, and sell them for $2. The packaging costs you money....
This model suggests that the packs contain mostly low-value cards, with a few higher-value cards sprinkled in to entice buyers.
Selling Your Base Cards to Presstine
As it turns out, you can make an offer to sell them your base cards for their re-packs. Has anybody had any success in doing this through Presstine? I have a boat load of base cards I want to get rid of, might be a good way to make a buck or two and get rid of them once and for all? Anybody try it?
You probably literally need a boatload of them. My LCS does this - I believe the minimum order is something like a million base cards at a quarter-penny each.
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Thats where I move my base cards to, theres one local here in Vancouver that pays $30 per 05/06 - Present 3200 count box.
If you're looking to offload a large quantity of base cards, consider exploring local card shops or online platforms that buy bulk collections.
Important Considerations
PMI is not associated with the manufacturers of these cards, or any of the sports teams, leagues, or player associations represented on these cards. The PRESSTI family of trademarks is owned by PMI. All other trademarks, logos, brand names, product names and company names (“Marks and Names”) are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. Use of these Marks and Names does not imply endorsement, sponsorship, affiliation and/or association by or with any of the respective rights holders.
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