Freddy out of curiosity what would have made the Mystery Pack worth it? if you would have got the same pull plus the 4 promo's that normally come in the pack?

quote:

Originally posted by MrBlueofnyc:
Freddy out of curiosity what would have made the Mystery Pack worth it? if you would have got the same pull plus the 4 promo's that normally come in the pack?

MrBlue...,

I have stated several times that I just wasn't satisfied with what I pulled, from this pack and other Premium Packs that I have opened. I haven't opened a lot, but the few that I have opened hasn't convinced me of their worth. So putting out a list of "...what would have made the Mystery Packs worth it?" is basically a mute essay, for me.

In my opinion, they are too much of a gamble for the money. What else can I say ? Like I stated before, 'I'm not mad at anyone.' I'm just expressing my displeasure with this marketing strategy and how I won't be participating in it anymore. Hence "lesson learned."

Two years in a row, I'm very happy with what I got. Plan to keep it all. Even cards that I don't care for. Because I can appreciate what they are and their value.

Freddy,

I have always said that people that collect non-sport cards or anything for that matter should do it because you love collecting. I have been collecting non-spot cards since 1969, and I have also been in the retail and wholesale part of the hobby since 1988. So I would consider myself well versed in what goes on in this hobby. I have been lucky enough to meet and deal with every non-sport manufacturer and I believe they do appreciate your comments, depending on how you elaborate on them. Just be fair and understanding.

Do you purchase wax boxes of cards? If you compare a one-hit box for $55-$85, then I honestly believe that the Mystery pack is a fair deal. And I personally feel that you can't compare a Mystery pack to a Premium pack. From my experience, they are 2 very different things. Now, I can understand your discontent with your pulls, but we don't always pull the Nimoy. For example, when Collect-A-Card was doing Coca-Cola, I bought 11 cases of different series and never pulled the gold coupon. But you chalk it up and move on. Now that's thousands of dollars spent, but I didn't bail.

Instead of making the products sound unworthy of future purchases, why don't you write to the companies and nicely suggest what you think would be better options?

I am sure that suggestions are more than welcome. But you really didn't get a bad pack. Remember, these companies are doing the best they can and we should be supportive, and if that includes a call to them or an email, then try that first. You never know what they might do for you....Thanks for listening.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: beamer,

Hey Tom, is there anyway to get a list of all the available sketch card artists from the SDCC mystery packs?

I don't care about how many they did (although that's helpful too) but just who they are. I have a couple and I don't know who drew them and they don't seem to match up with other breaks I've looked at.

quote:

Originally posted by beamer:
Freddy,

I have always said that people that collect non-sport cards or anything for that matter should do it because you love collecting. I have been collecting non-spot cards since 1969, and I have also been in the retail and wholesale part of the hobby since 1988. So I would consider myself well versed in what goes on in this hobby. I have been lucky enough to meet and deal with every non-sport manufacturer and I believe they do appreciate your comments, depending on how you elaborate on them. Just be fair and understanding.

Do you purchase wax boxes of cards? If you compare a one-hit box for $55-$85, then I honestly believe that the Mystery pack is a fair deal. And I personally feel that you can't compare a Mystery pack to a Premium pack. From my experience, they are 2 very different things. Now, I can understand your discontent with your pulls, but we don't always pull the Nimoy. For example, when Collect-A-Card was doing Coca-Cola, I bought 11 cases of different series and never pulled the gold coupon. But you chalk it up and move on. Now that's thousands of dollars spent, but I didn't bail.

Instead of making the products sound unworthy of future purchases, why don't you write to the companies and nicely suggest what you think would be better options?

I am sure that suggestions are more than welcome. But you really didn't get a bad pack. Remember, these companies are doing the best they can and we should be supportive, and if that includes a call to them or an email, then try that first. You never know what they might do for you....Thanks for listening.

Beamer,

With all due respect, sir. I have stated more than three times now that the Mystery Packs/Premium Packs are just not for me. I don't have the disposable income to purchase large amounts of MP, PP, boxes, or cases. I collect for the love of the hobby NOT for profit. I'm not even a completest. I don't own one Master Set. I don't even own an exclusive binder. I just collect what I like; show promos, some auto sketches, and whatever else catches my eye.

I truly don't understand what is the big deal here ? I don't like them and others do, so be it. I'm not trying to talk anyone else out of purchasing them and I'm NOT coming down on anyone or any company. I just stated a fact that every Pack I've spent money on has been a dud and I wont be purchasing them anymore. I'm not expecting to get ACE pulls all the time. It's just that my pulls have been extremely bad. Cards that I have absolutely no interest in or they have been autos of actors that were in episode such in such, for 2 minutes, just doesn't warrant my time or labor.

I've been to the last four or five Philly Shows and I've even been to the "Gathering" on Sunday mornings, too. Especially the one last year with the 'Manufacturer Round-table.' If you were there, you know that this very subject was brought up and discussed. With a lot of passion, too. At that time I was on the fence about this very subject. Now, I can clearly say I'm on the Nay side.

I understand these companies are doing their very best and I appreciate ALL that they do. It's just that this marketing strategy isn't for me. I do not know how I can be more clear, regarding my opinion, on this.

Peace.

quote:

Originally posted by beamer:
And I personally feel that you can't compare a Mystery pack to a Premium pack. From my experience, they are 2 very different things.

Thank you, preferences aside, Mystery Packs are not Premium Packs.

quote:

Originally posted by Jake:
Hey Tom, is there anyway to get a list of all the available sketch card artists from the SDCC mystery packs?

I don't care about how many they did (although that's helpful too) but just who they are. I have a couple and I don't know who drew them and they don't seem to match up with other breaks I've looked at.

Ditto on this.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by beamer:
And I personally feel that you can't compare a Mystery pack to a Premium pack. From my experience, they are 2 very different things.

Thank you, preferences aside, Mystery Packs are not Premium Packs.

Gentlemen,
Can you please enlighten me how they differ?
I see a lot of similarities between them.
1)Don't they both cost around $30 ?
2)Isn't there roughly 5 cards per pack?
3)Aren't they both filled with Autos, chase, sketches, costume, etc.?
4)Aren't they produced by one manufacturer?
5)And until you break the seal, you have no idea what your going to get.

There's only 2 things I can think of that's different between them.
One is, that Premium Packs are numbered and Mystery Packs aren't.
And two is, that PP deal with one show or genre, whereas MP are are mix.
But they're still from one manufacturer

They may not be 100% alike but they share more in common than they differ from one another.
Unless I'm missing something.

quote:

Originally posted by Freddy:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by beamer:
And I personally feel that you can't compare a Mystery pack to a Premium pack. From my experience, they are 2 very different things.

Thank you, preferences aside, Mystery Packs are not Premium Packs.

Gentlemen,
Can you please enlighten me how they differ?
I see a lot of similarities between them.
1)Don't they both cost around $30 ?
2)Isn't there roughly 5 cards per pack?
3)Aren't they both filled with Autos, chase, sketches, costume, etc.?
4)Aren't they produced by one manufacturer?
5)And until you break the seal, you have no idea what your going to get.

There's only 2 things I can think of that's different between them.
One is, that Premium Packs are numbered and Mystery Packs aren't.
And two is, that PP deal with one show or genre, whereas MP are are mix.
But they're still from one manufacturer

They may not be 100% alike but they share more in common than they differ from one another.
Unless I'm missing something.

Mystery packs are grab bags, simple as that but thats a side note.

Premium Pack = Sealed box minus the base cards

Price is also more in line with a sealed box of cards.

The idea behind Premium packs are, that must people were just after the big hits and tossing or dumping the base sets, This way rather than opening all of the packs in the box you open one pack that has the hits you were buying the box for as well as the chase cards that would have come in the box and a handful of base cards. This leads to making the base cards more valuable and less waste involved in packing, keeping the costs lower and saving the time for the dealers who were breaking the boxes and cases.

So to recap

Old standard

1 case = 12 boxes per case = 24 packs per box (if you opened all 288 packs you would get 12 or 24 autographs ( what ever amount of costumes or sketches or what naught , 3 or 4 full chase sets and 12 base sets

Now Premium Pack set up

1 Box = 12 packs (if you opened all 12 packs you would get the same 12 or 24 autographs ( what ever amount of costumes or sketches or what naught , 3 or 4 full chase sets and 1 base set

So you get basically the same but you open 276 less packs don't waste all of that card board and packaging and time for the same amount of cards (minus the base sets of course)

. . . I agree Mystery Packs are Premium Packs. . .

I appreciate everything Marco typed, but how to sets like anything put out by 5FINITY fit into that? How about the stuff from Sadlittles, Marty and Boo, Perna Studios, etc, etc, etc. . .

If those aren't premium packs (they don't fit into the description above) then what are they?

Why does everything have to have a title, and that so many are arguing over giving a group/type of card release title?

quote:

Originally posted by webjon:
. . . I agree Mystery Packs are Premium Packs. . .

I appreciate everything Marco typed, but how to sets like anything put out by 5FINITY fit into that? How about the stuff from Sadlittles, Marty and Boo, Perna Studios, etc, etc, etc. . .

If those aren't premium packs (they don't fit into the description above) then what are they?

I have never bought or seen those releases, so I can't comment on those, what i was commenting on are what breygent and rittenhouse have released as premium packs.

again from my understanding a premium pack is basically the equivalent of a sealed box of cards minus the base cards. That seems pretty clear cut.

Releases by those manufactures you stated seem to be doing their own style of release.

When I (as a manufacture) who did a mystery pack for NSU show a few month back, would classify it as a grab bag release not a premium pack release.


Also I think this label only works for companies who normally do the standard release format normally and are changing things up. To better meet the markets needs.

quote:

Originally posted by Tattoox:
Why does everything have to have a title, and that so many are arguing over giving a group/type of card release title?

I don't see any arguing. . . just a discussion. . .

And things need to have a title so when there are discussions everyone is on the same page with what is being discussed.

Next time I see Marco if I tell him I want to buy chase from Premium packs I want to make sure he knows what cards I am referring to, and I know what cards he is referring to. . .

This is why when I refer to our hobby outside of our collecting circle I call it "Entertainment" or "Celebrity" trading cards. . . If I say 'non-sport cards' no one knows what I'm talking about. . . Well defined terms are important.

Jon

Okay then. I'm done discussing.

quote:

Originally posted by MrBlueofnyc:

quote:

Originally posted by webjon:
. . . I agree Mystery Packs are Premium Packs. . .

I appreciate everything Marco typed, but how to sets like anything put out by 5FINITY fit into that? How about the stuff from Sadlittles, Marty and Boo, Perna Studios, etc, etc, etc. . .

If those aren't premium packs (they don't fit into the description above) then what are they?

I have never bought or seen those releases, so I can't comment on those, what i was commenting on are what breygent and rittenhouse have released as premium packs.

again from my understanding a premium pack is basically the equivalent of a sealed box of cards minus the base cards. That seems pretty clear cut.

To me it seems way too limiting to say if these mystery packs only contained Dexter cards they would be premium packs, but, even with the same content, if they contain Dexter cards and Red Sonja cards they are no longer premium packs. . .

No one considers Ink Vault to be a 'mystery box' even though it's a box of random content. . . It's a box.

In the same vein these packs are premium packs regardless of the content.

In fact I think if Breygent called these SDCC packs instead of Mystery packs we wouldn't even be having this conversation. To me the title of the release is Breygent Mystery Packs, and it's released as premium packs. Just like Dexter is the title of a product released in box format. . .

Now things become even more muddy to me with releases like the Sad Littles releases, or the Red Sonja release from Breygent. . . a complete set and chase in a single pack(age). . .

webjohn wrote: "In fact I think if Breygent called these SDCC packs instead of Mystery packs we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

Now that is a thought... I will speak to Tom and make that suggestion. It does have some validity to it.

Thanks!

I think the nature of a Mystery Pack in the course of card manufacturing is worthy of discussion and we are all old enough not to be offended if others disagree with our own assessment. Here are my differences:

The Premium Pack was meant to be a way of releasing titles that the manufacturer believed, rightly or wrongly, would not support a full 6000 or 9000 box release. Ideally it would make it possible to put out cards on movies/TV shows that had a limited audience or had fans that may not be card collectors. The whole product is designed to be short printed and the base cards can just as easily be called inserts, but there is a small set since all cards are from the same title. The premium hits, usually 2 or more, are autographs or a combination of autos and costume card.

Now the above is the model that RA and Breygent has used for premium products. There are other smaller companies that have put out very niche titles, mostly for sketch products, that as already expressed might be harder to classify. Americana and Pop Century should be premium packs because, even though there are few common links to the celebrities, there is a base set.

Now the Breygent Mystery Packs are a grab bag product. Everything is from the same manufacturer, but no titles are guaranteed and not even the type of hit you'll pull is stated. Autographs, sketch cards, props, costumes from various titles are mixed in and they are exclusive. There are no base sets and these cards don't belong to the product. Also promos are mixed in if the packs can contain them. No one Mystery Pack is an adequate sample of the contents and its just a matter of luck if you pull something you are specifically going after. However they are less than half the price of a box and have more hits than most boxes.

The Razor repackaging of Inkworks' autograph cards was not called mystery packs or premium packs. Those boxes were made before the term Premium Box was coined. But if I had to call the Razor Ink something it would be mystery packs or mystery boxes because, even though it was all from Inkworks, the buyer had no idea from which product the cards would come.

That's all I got, hope it at least makes sense. We already heard from one manufacturer, Mr. Blue thanks, it might be instructive to hear from others.

I was tired and cranky when I said I'm done discussing the way I did.

I'm done discussing because for ME, it's a waste of time. I'm going to buy what I like. I can easily describe the item if I need to hunt it down somewhere. I don't need a fancy label for any of it.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Now the above is the model that RA and Breygent has used for premium products. There are other smaller companies that have put out very niche titles, mostly for sketch products, that as already expressed might be harder to classify. Americana and Pop Century should be premium packs because, even though there are few common links to the celebrities, there is a base set.

I'm not sure why 5FINITY and other products wouldn't be considered a premium pack. . . A $25 pack of Archie from 2009 with a print run of nearly 2200 packs containing a single sketch card. . . seems to fit in the definition to me. Are you saying that only sets with base cards can be considered premium packs?

If that's the case then the release that Nar! put out with a few base cards and a sketch is a premium pack, but the couple of dozen sets that 5FINITY put out aren't. . . That doesn't make sense to me. . . If the 5FINITY releases aren't premium packs then what are they?

By the 'base card' definition Pop Century can't be a premium pack because it has no base cards, only autographs much like 5FINITY releases only contain sketch cards.

Personally I can see defining Pop Century as a premium pack product . . . I don't think base cards really have anything to do with the term, it's all about distribution and price.

If the NCIS release was the same as it is, but released at $3 a pack it would be a pack. If Archie was release as is at $3 a pack it would be a pack. Since they are released in pack format at a premium price point they I call them both premium packs.