I'm sorry to report I buy everything either direct or online. I don't even look off-line or travel to shops anymore (though now that I"m in SkyBox's *old* country, I should try!!!) I feel alot of guilt for leaving my old comic book shop behind, but it took weeks for him to get stuff in and I was too impatinet ) The Internet seems to have satisfied allllll my collecting needs.....and amazingly enough, is able to provide me with the personal contact with other collectors I like as well.

I went from buying packs, to buying boxes...The most boxes for one set i have bought is five. (Buffy season 5) I still buy the odd pack now and again.
Incidently not being a 'rings fan' ( Couldn't plough through it when i was at school, although i have started to read the Hobbit now. I won't watch the film yet as i always like to read the books first.) I bought a couple packs. Fell in love with them i bought two boxes!

Im with kenny... gravitated to promo cards due to cost of packs, i usually hit the shows and shops to buy full sets of commons and trade off for some of the chases - I do buy retail packs however because 99% of the local card shops dont stock any non-sports (although there are 2 local guys that do but never more than one or 2 different types) One shop I buy from I have been buying simpsonsmainia cards by the pack, and been buying LotR at Target - Where I buy most of my stuff is the shows or flea markets, I look for closeouts and reduced stuff to get the most for my buck... there is absolutely no way I am paying 4.99 for a pack of ST 35th anniv cards, sorry, especially when I bought a set at a local show for 5 bucks last month...

many collectors buy boxes, then have extra sets and sell them cheap cause they went for autos and chase when buying boxes, so everyone benefits - I know I kind of strayed in this post, but im a rambler LOL

I'm with stcardgeek. I buy on-line 99% of the time. The two shops near me have 99% sports or collectible card game cards. I can get packs of LOTR from the local drugstore, but that is only because all of the other cards are sports cards from Topps. I got excited when they brought in packs for Monsters, Inc, also from Topps. But they all went before I could get a whole set. Boo-hoo-hoo...

I buy boxes, packs and inserts from on-line sources and ebay. And I trade or buy a few cards with you wonderful people here! And last weekend I scoffed (aka swiped or took ) up a bunch of Disney common cards from my sister who I didn't even know she was collecting Disney cards..... for 5 years!!!! EEEEEEKKKKKK!!!

hi , pls ignore my last msg. i'm new to this forum & have managed to register as a junior (i'm actually 43 yrs!!!).

i buy from a local dealer, mail order and on ebay.

there's no right answer to what to buy. boxes are expensive & often don't live up to expectations (i bought 3 retail boxes of LOTR from 3 sources & got no autos!). buying 10 LOTR hobby packs has sometimes given me 2 autos. so i suppose the answer is - buy what you can afford & only gamble what you can afford to lose!!

rob

Rob,
First of all - Welcome!
I'm intriqued - where on earth in the UK did you find Retail LOTR boxes? My understanding is that only Hobby boxes were available! Your Retail boxes must have been imports?
Au Res.,
Paul

Welcome, Rob. Yet another Brit. We'll take over world, yet.

I assume the retail boxes came from ebay and the autos you're talking about are the hobby ones.

Hi Rob,

Welcome to the forum! There's no problem with you having registered as a junior member - everyone starts off as a junior member and then becomes a member when they have posted a certain number of messages (30?). Hope to talk to you soon,

Cheers
Christopher

Christopher & Rob (and everyone else!):

You are right. The board automatically calls everyone junior until they hit their 31st post. So even if you are 43 (or 73 or 103), you're still Junior. Young at heart, I guess.

By the way, the default terminology is "Junior Member" and "Member", though this can be changed. Anyone have any suggestions for alternative terms? I think I'll change "Administrator" to "King"!

Harris

Hello Everyone,

I too am new to this forum and this is my first post. I live in an area of N.C. that is sorely lacking in retail outlets for my cardboerd habit and find the sources I get from this web site invaluable. I buy most everything I get from either internet sources i find here or in NSU.

HAPPY HUNTING,
MIKE

Hi Pooky,
I live in Belgium - Europe.
Usual I buy 1 or 2 box (it's depend of the autographs included, 1 box in Belgium is 100 $) and try to complet the specials at 1 of the 2 shops in Belgium.
But since 2 years I also buy masters sets or complets sets throughout ebay (with generally no bad suprise).
I think that ebay is very well to complet specials or compte series.
Have a nice day.
Etienne from Belgium

Harris,

I think a better term for administrator would be "whelping boy". What do you think?

With my primary collecting focus being on autographs I will only buy boxes when I am guaranteed at least one autograph per box. I bought four hobby boxes of LOTR and pulled 6 autographs that I am very happy with. Rittenhouse is also my new friend with their limited production and autograph odds. When you start talking about one autograph every 3 to 6 boxes you will usually do better on ebay. If you are trying to just put a set together usually one box will do. You can get missing inserts pretty cheap on ebay or trade for em.

Nothing beats the feeling of cracking a box for me though...

Yeah, but nothing is worse then knowing the value of what you busted is considerably less then what you paid for in a "bad" box. There is a gamble factor without a doubt.

Boxes, boxes, packs and boxes!
After buying several boxes of Buffy and learning the hard way that most don't contain autographs and sometimes you get the same inserts you got from the last box, the next card release I am going to buy everything off ebay. It is definitely cheaper in the long run.

That said I still find an unopened box a powerful temptation!

I have promo card addiction,too. Most of my promos have come from ebay with the exception of the new set of Suncoast promos.

In the past I have always bought sets as I have a very good store who is quite happy to take my cash when ever a new set comes out. This was mainly because the choice was either to buy the box or sets only as no where locally sells single packets. I have picked up the odd old box at shows, that are normally at a reduced rate, for missing sets and I have been happy with them. Now that more of the boxs are comming out with guarenteed Autograph and costume cards in the box the temptation to buy boxes is greater. A temptation which I gave into at the NEC on Saturday and bought a Stargate SG4 box and a StarTrek Next Gen Profiles box. Both boes gave me good cards with the nex gen box giving me an autograph card and a auto redemption card, which while out of date is still good for a box where the autos should be one every other box.

[ 03-12-2002: Message edited by: Alric ]

You should try e-mailing Skybox to if they'll still honour the redemption card.

You should find a link to their site in the 'Links' section from the NSU home page.