HOW I GREW MY SPORTS CARD COLLECTION IN 1 YEAR ON A BUDGET!! || SPORTS CARD COLLECTING

#sportscards #MLB #investing
Today I talk about how I grew my sports card collection BIGGER and FASTER then any other years I've been in the hobby WHILE SPENDING LESS MONEY. With today's more expensive market, there still is opportunity as a good value, you just have to adjust the way you approach the hobby! Check it out!
LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS
1. Have you struggled with breaking or hobby box addictions and spent way more money then you were able to afford based on your returns?
2. What do you think about the way I have approached the hobby in the past year?
3.. What tips/tricks do you use to grow your collection without breaking the bank?
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Intro Song:
Far Out - Worlds Apart
Watch: • Far Out - Worlds Apart

[@RRsports_]

ALSO, SELLING SMALLER CARDS TO OBTAIN LARGER CARDS IS ESSENTIAL!! What do you think about today's video?!

[@cardboardcheddar1674]

Great content. I enjoy listening to your hobby talk. I’m always looking for what’s coming next. I just got through picking up Drew Brees waiting for his retirement announcement to boost his hobby interest. In 5 years he’ll have another jump when elected to HOF. I’m currently buying Kobe Bryant for his documentary coming out in May and Michael Phelps for the Olympics this summer. You ever consider UFC cards? They going to be huge one day. Royce Gracie is an icon to collect in that sport,imo. Happy Hunting.

[@agustinordaz3145]

Ahh the journey my friend you are really helping me evolve my card game. Hobby no bueno except for the excitement of the rip

[@legendarysportcards5697]

Awesome because I am just startng

[@MrBrutus1977]

I couldn’t agree more with this video. I would rip packs all the time and NEVER get back the value then about 6 months ago I also started just buying singles and it is a game changer. I still love buying some raw cards that seem to be a good deal and sending them off to be graded. Love waiting to see how I did submitting graded cards to PSA. Love the content, keep it up!!

[@RRsports_]

@@MrBrutus1977 thank you!! It’s crazy how much more rewarding the hobby is when you get what you paid for 🔥

[@dylanmcgee5896]

I never comment on videos but this was honestly one of the most important videos I have ever watched. Thank you for your insight bro!

[@RRsports_]

Thank you Dylan! Very much appreciated :) gotta keep it real.

[@chadradesi]

As a collector (and because it just plain makes me happy) I still love ripping retail when I can find it but you’re 100% right here, best way to get what you want is to buy singles. Great video

[@RRsports_]

Thanks chad! Retail used to be my outlet... I used to live directly behind a Walmart and it was like a daily occurrence to drop $20 for fun! Wish retail could get back to the for fun rip

[@flonkas]

Problem is all the singles I want are like 10k lol

[@dljtwo]

This is, by far, the most useful content ever created on KZbin. I've just gotten back into the hobby after over 30 years away from it. This advice was so on point and it makes so much sense. THANK YOU for sharing.

[@isaiasgomez65]

I needed to hear this. I was spending so much on breaks, and at the end of breaks, I was never satisfied. Thank you! A big eye opener for me!! #TheHobbyWillNeverDie

[@junichihayashi5202]

This is very on point and key to growing a collection. I did breaks to try and grow my collection because of 1st time lucky. It is a big mistake long term. Same with boxes. You pay $XX for a chance to get a nice card(s). Yes, if you get lucky on either of these, you can turn a "profit" on a budget, but more often times than not, you lose, very much like gambling. Best suggestion is to take any good cards you have, try and trade up and/or get them graded. My son is now in the hobby and he's had more fun and more of an adrenaline rush doing trade-up challenges than breaking or buying boxes. Sure he does both (and so do I) every now and again, but we now treat those as "for fun" rather than to try and build the collection. Great advice R&R.

[@RRsports_]

Love this! That is so cool that your son enjoys trying to trade up, love it!

[@claydontplay8783]

Ryan you are 💯 on point. I used to be obsessed with ripping, but always found myself disappointed with the result. Buying singles the way brother! Preach!!

[@RRsports_]

Thanks clay! It’s a TOUGH switch... but it’s a necessary evil if you really want some nice cards! And without completely breaking the bank

[@tehachapi9889]

I think hobby boxes can be a great investment. You said it yourself about the pricing of these boxes. Treat them like singles. Buy the box, leave it sealed and sell it later for a profit. If your pcing a card that’s fine but don’t get emotionally attached to your cards. Sell your card for a profit, put your initial investment from the profit and put it back in the bank. Take the profit and reinvest into another card. Make your money work for you.

[@RRsports_]

Sealed wax is great profits as long as the rookie class is good! Those 18,19,20 boxes are going through the roof in baseball because the young talent has been Incredible. That is something I want to get into... just don’t have the funds to Really do it how I want. I’d like to buy by the case

[@jaybiles4802]

I have always collected 50’s and 60’s Topps Cards. Used to collect sets but about five years ago only concentrated on HOF’ers cards and picking up singles is for sure the way to go.

[@minnesotacards8980]

Nice. I like to do the same.

[@hankparish4683]

I really needed to see this. Being very new to collecting and not rich by any stretch of the imagination, I've just been throwing my money away at walmart hoping to pull something worth while. The last 3 weeks I've shifted more to buying singles and lots from facebook and ebay but they're still raw singles. I plan on sending most of my best stuff to get graded but I think the best plan for me now is to go after graded singles. I really appreciate this video!

[@RRsports_]

Thanks Hank! Yep, sometimes you just NEED to hear these things. I have switched to buying more graded than raw recently because sellers just try to rip you off and sell you raw cards that will grade an 8. Crazy... so many bad experiences buying raw cards this last year

[@adamwisniewski2018]

Thanks for reupload. People , listen to this man ! Ryan knows how to do it right . I don't know why you don't have more subs , buddy ! Great video Ryan ! P.S. Love the tee shirt ! Keep it real , man.

[@RRsports_]

Thank you Adam!! Yeah unfortunately my intro song got copyrighted :( time to find a new song. BUT THANK YOU! I do my best, and have made a TON of mistakes in the past I want to help you all avoid!

[@ryanra44]

Agreed. He best the KZbinr for baseball prospects in my opinion and it isn’t even close

[@chadmilligan342]

Go vintage best way to go already proven players. New cards and breaks such a risk a lot of money to lose even if you win some always more to lose. Vintage is just the way I would go these players have already proven there selves. Vintage HOF players yes also very expensive . . Definitely if you buy high grades. You can even buy middle grades it’s really fun and still expensive... But there is so much fun in vintage HOF collecting I absolutely love it.

[@RRsports_]

Safest investments for sure!

[@bradleyhelsten5777]

Nice cards. Thanks for sharing. Singles has been my plan for the last 20 yrs. and I have a modest collection that did not cost me a fortune. And for the record, I do not miss ripping wax and have never bought into a break once in my life.

[@RRsports_]

Thanks for sharing Bradley! Probably a good thing you have never done a break before. You’re collection must be awesome if you’ve been on the singles train for 20 years

[@TJJulkowski]

Shh. You are giving away the secret. My PC has exploded over the last year picking up singles. I still buy a few packs here and there because I love to rip em, but to be able to choose what I want for my collection I am ok with paying more than a pack for the card I want. Spot on. Great content.

[@craigr4477]

Good video Ryan. Not all of us have 4&5 figures to spend on a card. This is how you do it. Losing money at first on almost everything is a learning experience. You’re on the right track and I wish you nothing less then happiness and enjoyment.

[@AmaraCantHurt]

Congrats on the expanding collection. It’s super important that you recognized what wasn’t working for you (breaking). I’ve gotten better at pre-screening raw cards. When we learn we grow, as do our collections. Can’t wait for MLB to start. Keep grinding!

[@RRsports_]

Thanks Amara! Agree! This hobby has such a learning curve to it. I don’t think anybody can say they haven’t wasted money on this hobby on some level. So so so much to learn and understand! Took me a solid 3 years to really get a grasp from my experiences I would say

[@LproductionsLouieD]

Needed to hear this, thank you!! As a newer collector, it’s been hard to figure out what route I really wanted to go. This clears it up. Make a budget, look for singles. If I can splurge a little bit on a break or some rips, cool, but this is the route to go. Thanks!!

[@RichDadMindsetHI]

Thanks bro! I totally agree. I’m just the average collector myself and I don’t have the thousands of dollars to buy high end cards. But I do agree, in any hobby, it can be a runaway freight train on spending and sometimes you just have to take a step back and slow down and figure out where you want to beat put your money into. Great video! 👍🏼

[@dmavs4131]

Bro baseball is like my 3rd favorite sport but you are seriously my favorite sports card KZbinr. You always keep it real and give out the BEST advice. Keep it up man!

[@RRsports_]

That means a lot brotha! I am just a regular person, I work 50 hours a week, and this is my hobby I enjoy with my spending money! HAVE to keep it real 🤙🏻

[@mauricebrown9641]

Being one of the most rookie to the hobby, about one month. I bought a few card lots, not satisfied with one card in a hundred worth keeping. I learned early to buy singles. Some graded, some raw. I love the parallels, of course to buy raw cards on EBay, you had better get good at recognizing decent centering, and don't buy cards where you can't see the backs, and especially the cards with white borders on a white backgrounds or the ones where photographs were taken at angles and not taken flat. I had to learn quickly. I learn quickly, with the assistance of excellent sites like this one. I saved a lot of money. Thanks

[@RRsports_]

HAVE to ask questions these days. It’s sad but you can’t buy ANYTHING expecting to it grade out these days :/

[@cardboardcheddar1674]

I’ve got over 100 graded cards in my Stabler collection alone. 😜

[@RRsports_]

Oooof! Huge W! I’ll get there one day

[@agustinordaz3145]

We would too if we were collecting since 1970 🤪

[@chicken0death]

I learned the hard lesson of buying singles when I attempted to play Magic a couple years ago. Keep spreading the good word of singles! I'm just getting into baseball cards, and I'm not in it for the money. Just trying to get my favorite players. I don't even care about valuable cards. Even though I'm happy with basic cards, the proportions you spend are relatively the same. I spent ten bucks on a pack and got 2 cards I liked. I could have just bought those singles plus the rest of the team set I wanted for about half that.

[@charliewolpert4850]

This video made me a subscriber. This is exactly what i am going through. I have 2 subscription boxes and i stop into the stores to try and grab retail when i can. I have been buying slabs here recently to fill the PC and to hold for investments on young players i am higher on.

[@RRsports_]

Appreciate it 💙 everybody in this hobby has wasted money, it’s all about learning from experience!

[@javierlopez9506]

AWESOME VID I OPEN A HOBBY BOX LAST YEAR FOR $135 AND THEIR WAS A CARD IN IT, THAT PROFIT LOTS OVER.. 🙂🙂🙂

[@RRsports_]

Every once in a while you profit 💪🏼

[@BigPlayz]

Been buying singles from day 1

[@RRsports_]

Wish I would have done the same! Would have WAYYYY more

[@jonsofen8702]

Great advice You can make a killing buying boxes and flipping them, but only if you can get lucky and get them at Target or Walmart.

[@RRsports_]

Flipping wax is HOT right now, didn’t used to be like that. So I still haven’t dove into wax... if I had more money available I would

[@brandonovre1272]

Great advice! I try to do the same thing, but what I like. I still feel the need to bust packs every once in a while, but who doesn’t. BTW I would love to see a PSA collection video from you! Keep up the great content!

[@RRsports_]

Thanks! Yeah I am a sucker for ripping some packs. I actually am going to start a monthly video probably where I buy random hobby packs to help fill the void 😂

[@ryanra44]

I couldn’t agree more. I never buy hobby boxes and rarely do a break once every 2-3 months. I will only buy retail if I buy it at the store. I am on the singles train. My new hustle is grading with SGC and getting my cards back in a few weeks and using those profits to grade another set and buymy PC Cards and other investments. At the point now where I don’t spend my own money anymore

[@RRsports_]

Let’s gooo! This hobby is all about finding ways to grow your collection to what you want it to be and I’ve told people before SGC provides a good role in this hobby still! And this is a perfect example of it. Thanks Ryan!

[@nicknite10]

PSA or BGS is the way to go if you are tryin to resale. SGC hardly selks,as they all over Ebay just sitting there. I been buying graded cares for years, so I know all about graded cards. I personally only buy PSA 10s and BGS 9.5+.

[@ryanra44]

@@nicknite10 you simply are misinformed. Their are tons of sales of SGC cards. They actually have the most sales and are the most trusted with vintage. They also have a ton of sales with modern cards. Why don’t you compare sales of topps 2021 and see how they perform. Oh wait. There aren’t any PSA or BGS cards to compare because they are so backed up they haven’t even graded any. PSA and BGS are making moves to signal to collectors that they don’t want to be in the business of grading base rookie cards and other raw cards that sell for under $30 raw. Someone is going to have to take over that market. HGA, CSG, SGC. One of these companies can take over this market. If you have been buying and selling graded cards for as long as you say, you would know SGC more accurately grades than PSA which allows a much wider tolerance on centering. No one ever claimed SGC sells for the same as PSA, but to say they don’t sell is an uninformed statement. They have lots of sales every singles day that range from 60-100% the value of PSA sales

[@erikdmckenzie]

This was such a good video to watch. As I’m newer to the hobby I tried out box breaking and buying a few singles. But this video really solidified that I should put more of my time and money into more singles and buying raw/grade over boxes.

[@ajsvariety8620]

Ugh, I needed this video, seriously. I have lost a lot of money on boxes. I have horrible luck. I see all these guys online ripping packs and finding amazing cards. Has not happened to me. I've found a few decent cards, but nothing crazy. I need to start looking into singles. I don't want to say I'm addicted to ripping packs..but.. Thanks man!

[@RRsports_]

All good brother! Ripping is straight addicting. Been there, done that! The chances of pulling that life changing card is gone, but you’ll save money in the end and have a better collection! It was a DIFFICULT switch for me but it was necessary! And the best thing I’ve done

[@chasebogen5125]

Love it!! I feel like I have got great deals Over the last 6 months All bgs 9.5 and psa 10's. BREAKING IS GAMBLING!!! IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AT CASINOS Just gamble on the sports you love and then buy singles with your winnings. That Jaun Soto and Luis Roberts MVP

[@ZacBohl]

Great insight! I’m at the crossroads now and changing my mindset to follow your message. Unloading the good to chase the great.

[@RRsports_]

Definitely zac! Just saves you a lot of money and the chase isn’t much of a chase...More of a mission!

[@vintagesanctuary]

Awesome message! Congrats on transforming your habits and hence your collection! :)

[@RRsports_]

Thanks!! It was very tough to do, but 1000% would do it over and over and over again

[@billyworks3702]

I’m in agreement with you. Get the singles both raw and graded. Including Retail ripping at retail cost is the way to go if you enjoy pack pulls as well.

[@ToxikGamesX]

Just started this hobby and you set me on an amazing course. Love it

[@RRsports_]

Awesome! It is a VERY enjoyable hobby is you go after it the correct way

[@baddoni12]

Same here. Bought packs, blasters and tomorrow comes a hobby box. Want the experience once and then I’ll buy more singles too. Video made a lot of sense and pushed me in a good direction for the hobby!

[@StrategyVault]

Yep, been collecting/investing for over 30 years. Went on a Bender for about a year in early 2000s buying cases for several thousand per. Cracked them, then listed on eBay. Packaged up lots of team sets etc. Overall, it was a wasted year. Broke even at BEST. But all the work and time was enormous. Now I only buy singles I think will appreciate. I also try to find single raw to occasionally send for grading if they scope out...if not, I resell raw.

[@RRsports_]

Thanks for sharing Paul! That must’ve been crazy to try to get through all of those cases by yourself WOW! I am in the same boat, very rarely will I “gamble” my hard earned money anymore

[@StrategyVault]

@@RRsports_ yes, I am a hockey guy, so was buying cases of Upper Deck and SP Authentic. Looking for the holy grail. Ironic thing is, had I held on to a few cards (Ovechkin and Crosby Young Guns) the effort would have been worth it. But as you know at the time, nothing seems certain in the long run. You never know who is truly going to be great. You just want to rip, sell and move on. But I am 100% with you. But singles. Flip the modern stuff (or most of it), and funnel any profit into HOF/Iconic players👍🏼

[@RRsports_]

@@StrategyVault that’s crazy!! Those young gun cards are awesome. But I am right there with you, I totally understand why you sold. If you’re in the hobby and havent regretted a sale, you’re boring! Ha

[@FDLrick]

Sounds like a good plan. My plan 12 years ago was to spend $1000 a month on Investment graded (PSA/SGC) Vintage HOF'ers centered with nice eye appeal. I enjoy the hobby and that is what it is to me. I didn't buy these cards like one would buy an ounce of silver. I enjoy art, history, sports, the players...and I do not like losing money...so, after going thru the junk wax era, I decided since I like cards, my ne plan would have to be revised. So 12 years ago I made a commitment also to only buy singles, graded singles , of Vintage Tier 1 and 2 HOF'ers. I stuck with the plan, and it worked for me. During the last few years my collection has gone up 5x.....and on some cards 10x and beyond, and they're still going up while modern is starting it's downward descent. Quality over quantity. If I had $500 to spend on a card, I spent it all on one card, a Tier 1 Vintage HOF'er. It seems during the past 6 months, these type of cards doubled and tripled in value....it's crazy to see a 59 Clemente (PSA 8) centered go from $300 just a few years ago to a recent sale on PWCC for $5000. It's that way across the board. It's got to cool off eventually but, if you weren't in it up until about 6 months ago, it will now cost you 2x to 5x more. Example: recent PWCC auction a 59 Brooks Robinson (PSA 8) nicely centered sold for over $1500 plus. This was a $200 card 6 months ago. Stay with your plan.....you'll learn a lot without the stress of high risk. You'll live longer, too.

[@RRsports_]

Love this comment Rick! Vintage cards have really driven the market as of late for sure! Those 86 fleer Jordan’s selling for 700k has people buying up HOFers left and right. That is incredible that you’ve been buying singles for as long as you have. Can’t even imagine the value increases on those cards! Thanks

[@adrianortiz5147]

I started breaking boxes 3 months ago and I wanna say I spent around 700-800 on opening boxes ! Sometimes my luck was great but then I stopped Bc I didn’t wanna spend all my money on them Bc it’s a huge gamble ! So I recently started buying singles to grow my collection & it’s been so much fun!!

[@tcgcollectables1975]

you have to admit chasing that one card then you rip yourself and you pull it in person yourself is such a rush and joy i love it but you're completely right

[@RRsports_]

Oh FOR SURE! Love ripping. I’d do it every day if I could afford it. It’s just a really bad buy at the prices they are at now

[@beyazertan]

Started this year with collecting basketball stuff. Bought too many boxes and it was fun opening them but not even getting quarter of the € i have invested in. A few days ago i bought my first graded card that i wanted and thats the way to go. Good video thx!

[@RRsports_]

Love to hear it! Haha basketball prices for boxes are ABSURD. Close to 0% chance you make your money back.. it’s CRAZY especially these 2022 prices on hoops and donruss WOW

[@Ecohoneybear]

This is the single greatest video on the hobby I’ve ever seen.

[@RRsports_]

💙💙💙💙💙

[@mattistnick410]

Agree. Been in trade since 1990. Singles are the way to go now but a few years ago buying donruss here and there gets a lot of 2017 rookies!! There is a place for both. But gambling on breaks. Forget it!! Like your content.

[@timczifrik7715]

Hey... you have some great points here..!!! Very good. I thank you for this and putting things in perspective for me. lol. Over the years I have spent outrageous money on cards that are worth pennies on the dollar.

[@Biogirl1971]

Nothing new LOL but then again the hubby and I have been collecting 40+ years...you are on the right track though!!!

[@Dfour34]

I’m just so in love with the hobby. It’s caused me some problems financially but this video helped a lot!

[@seanathleticsraidernation8695]

Love your perspective and I recently a few months back started only collecting singles I want. I don't miss a show man amazing channel. I ripped 4 2020 topps chrome and close to 30 plus cellos and there is no way I broke even let alone made money. Got some really cool cards but 90% is not what I wanted ata all. Now I collect 90% singles and rip a box every now and then but usually a blaster or mega just for fun and don't break the bank.

[@RRsports_]

Thanks Sean! It’s definitely a good change To make if you really want to see gains in your collection. Best decision I have made!

[@campbe00]

Great video. Love this perspective. I have begun selling a lot of the biggest raw cards I own with the plan of investing into graded cards of players I love and believe in. I could grade these cards I own but going to narrow it down to a couple I really want graded (of players I love like Luis Matos...). PS: I love breaking and will likely continue 1-2 breaks a month but it’s all about budget! They are for FUN but high chance of trying nothing. Appreciate your comments on hobby boxes and sunk costs etc.

[@RRsports_]

Thanks Colin! Selling your raw or lower end priced cards to obtain those bigger cards is important! I’d sell 5 Luis roberts raw (unless I think they will gem) to get 1 Luis robert PSA 10 any day! Breaking is so fun, I wish the prices were where they used to be! But I’d probably still be breaking every night if it were 😂

[@markspeltz2074]

I've learned in a similar way since jumping back into the hobby. Yeah, ripping boxes and packs is fun, but got tired of getting stuck with cards I don't want (and have practically zero value!). Selling smaller cards now to move up to larger and trying to focus only on RCs, or maybe 2nd & 3rd year cards of the goats if the price is right.

[@RRsports_]

Exactly mark! I have probably 15-20k cards in my closet worth less than $1 each... no chance in hell I sell them ever 😂 probably just end up donating them haha

[@RRsports_]

Selling smaller cards to afford bigger cards of huge tho! Has helped me a lot this year

[@seamhead23]

Good points, but the prices you purchased those cards at are not available now in March of 2021. Thank you for the advice, I will definitely use your strategy for cards older than 2019. Great Videos!!

[@crackingpacksandlifehacks8209]

Great stuff man! I honestly watched this video twice and have left it playing in the background while doing stuff a few times. I can't wait to see your collection continue to grow over the years!

[@RRsports_]

Thank you!! Really appreciate this 💙

[@Biogirl1971]

Buying singles is the way to go for sure...prospecting can be very lucrative but we are collectors with good careers BUT if you want to invest it is the best way..remeber buying TONS of Soto's,Tatis, Acuna etc. The hubby was buying a lot of Trout's when everyone was going nuts over Harper (who is not a bad purchase these days)

[@RRsports_]

Your hubby made a GREAT decision to buy trout

[@danielraleigh8790]

Good video. Enjoying your hobby on a budget is very freeing. You don’t have guilt from over spending and you can set some boundaries that allow you to have fun. And every now and then you can swing big for a good deal and still feel great.

[@RRsports_]

YUPP! Very little guilt, I used to be broke ALL the time. Some month I still am 😂 but this Helps so much

[@ThinkSnow]

THANK YOU! So sick of these Hedge Fund bros manipulating the market. So great to see real people trying to enjoy this hobby.

[@RRsports_]

Right! And the hobby is all about enjoyment, gotta do the little things that will make it enjoyable. Wasn’t sure it was possible at first but I’m so happy I made the switch

[@villedealz_904]

Dude this is great content, but new collectors love to rip too lol

[@RRsports_]

Oh of course! Just my advice if you actually want to grow your collection 🙌🏻

[@brigades6438]

Good video! but what flew by you at 2:17? Looks like dust or a reflection but it like flew behind something in the back then between your mic. It just immediately caught my attention. 😂

[@RRsports_]

Haha I have NO IDEA! It cut the clip so maybe that? Maybe I’m living with a ghost haha

[@andrewharvey193]

Haven’t found a solid KZbin that talks about cards but I’m definitely gonna keep an eye out for your videos.

[@RRsports_]

Thanks Andrew! Appreciate that brotha

[@chuckplayford3994]

Hey Ryan, I've been buying single cards more now for the same reasons you pointed out. Buy a Hobby box and get nothing but commons. I was buying into breaks last year quite a bit, wasted a bunch of money 💵. Sad to say it was a costly lesson to learn! Gambling on the 1 of 1 Auto cards that never came. I totally agree with your strategy, pick up what you love or think will go up over time. Looks like you're building a nice collection, where did you get your case. I've been looking for one of those? I've got close to 200 slabs that should be protected. Cheers, stay safe.

[@RRsports_]

Thanks for the comment chuck! Yep... chasing those massive cards in breaks is what I used to be obsessed with. It just doesn’t happen.. I still watch THOUSANDS of breaks and those cards are still so so so rare. People don’t understand that. I’ll link the case I have! I actually bought the wrong size (reason I use bubble mailers on it) I’ll link you the correct size.

[@RRsports_]

www.harborfreight.com/4800-weatherproof-protective-case-x-large-black-64250.html

[@joeestrada1340]

Perfect timing. I opened a box of Panini Revolution basketball yesterday and pulled nothing good. I turned to my wife and said "I'm not buying hobby boxes anymore. It's not smart." Hoping my will power to not buy boxes is as strong as yours. Haha Another issue is condition of the card. I opened a bunch of Hoops packs looking for Lamelo. Got one, but the edges were rough and was way off center. Total waste.

[@RRsports_]

This is so accurate. Quality has been driven down with the production be ramped up! When I 1st sorted all of my cards from 2017-2019 I’d say at least 60-70% of my cards were grade-able (9-10 at least). Now even with Topps series 1, I don’t have even 1 rookie I would feel comfortable sending in. I think it’s Topps and paninis way of pop control honestly. The price of the PSA 10 will keep going up because of this

[@petecabrina]

Just looking to get back into the hobby after 20 odd years it did not take me long to realise this after a week of research, the cost of chrome boxes plus the amount of variations and versions of cards, you are clearly better off just buying the cards you want already graded. As someone interested in F1 though it is even daunting just buying the graded cards, due to the different variations and even the insane costs of some which do not even have any age yet. Some of the F1 2020 stuff is just insane but I imagine this is more of an exception due to it being new and the increased popularity.

[@tomkuhnsiii]

Can you do a grading video? Card prep, how to send, where to send, cost involved? Thanks for your info. Watch all the time. Very helpful

[@RRsports_]

I do need to make a new video with more detail... I do have a pre-inspection video tho!

[@tomkuhnsiii]

Great thanks!

[@chonger]

i agree buying singles is good! you dont have to wait for psa to grade your card and also you are guaranteed what you want. its also fun to do the research into a player and then trying to win bidding wars on ebay. currently i only have 3 slabs - tyler herro, acuna, and pete alonso, but im going to keep it growing. hahah but at the same time ripping boxes is so fun and addicting

[@jpelli7115]

So true. I saw people buying bowman boxes for $250. I was like, dude, you can buy a psa8 joe Montana rookie for that price. Which was one I picked up at the time. Singles are the way to go. Great video

[@RRsports_]

Thank you brotha! Prices are even worse this year too... Topps chrome baseball just released at $350...

[@elitehunters732]

I’ve been preaching this for over a year, and it falls on deaf ears lol. All I get now is “damn you got a killer collection!!!”

[@RRsports_]

Preach!

[@manuelpaniagua3238]

This has inspired me to stay disciplined buying singles.

[@RRsports_]

Goood! Your collection will thank you for it :)

[@MattCouden]

Great video and tips...having collected back in the 90s, I overbought stuff in the junk wax era and ended up with a lot of junk..so when I got back in the past year I was way more focused on getting very specific graded cards.

[@RRsports_]

Being specific with your money is key! You’ll save SO MUCH. Thank you Matt!

[@TacoFactss]

You just changed the game for me. Real eye opener. No more breaks or boxes.

[@RRsports_]

The collection will grow… QUICKLY

[@TacoFactss]

@@RRsports_ and it won’t be piles of trash paper

[@kill1052]

I buy many singles. But I also love the middle tier boxes like one and one for NBA and I'm currently saving up for two boxes of NFL one. Earlier this year I bought a box of NFL honors and got a Tua auto. Shortly afterwards I sold my first 2 cards. A psa 8 leborn bazooka rookie and a luka concourse for 360 and 225 respectively. Off my initial 75 dollar investment it garnered a 510 dollar profit. I used 100 of it express submission to psa on my Tua. My point is, if u understand who to buy and sell at an ideal time, its like money in the bank. I pulled a 2002 topps chrome black refractor of Tom Brady out a single pack. For over 18 years it sat in a binder until I showcased it to someone who informed me that it has major value. Eventually it will be submitted for grading a long with my huge back log of other singles that I've acquired since getting back into the hobby. If a collector decides to buy boxes or into breaks, don't expect to hit. My biggest hit so far was in NBA noir.. I pulled a Zion Williamson horizontal spotlight signature. Its worth between 2,500 and 3,000 but my price tag into the break was 175. Sometimes u have to guage the risk with the reward. And some times u have to go months without any transactions. I could go on and on about my personal experiences but it would take away from the fact that budgeting is key.... never spend above ur means and try to enjoy the hobby... good day

[@RRsports_]

Enjoying the hobby at the end of the day is what matters! And a lot of that revolves around being able to afford the hobby. That’s awesome that you had that old TB sitting around 💪🏼 breaks can pay off in a big way every once in awhile but you just can’t put any money into breaks you cannot afford to lose. So many angry people in break rooms and it’s like... you lost your gamble, it’s sucks, but don’t blame the breaker lol thanks for the comment

[@kill1052]

@@RRsports_ u got it. Nice channel

[@vdubpowered]

I still have a bunch of cards I accumulated back in the mid 90s. Jordan, pippin, pistons holo Rodman, Joe Montana, Steve young, Jerry rice. I’ve been picking up a few cards here and there. I have one of the big BCW card boxes with NBA,NFL,NHL,NCAA, WWE, AEW, WCW

[@lawzedj2201]

Watching this video change my mind set on buying boxes thank you for doing this video

[@Luis_mora7]

Thanks for the info! I only just started a few days ago; I opened some packs and I quickly realized that it was NOT the move... now I’m buying cards of players I want to hold onto and cards I like and it’s WAY better IMO.

[@RRsports_]

Definitely! Ripping is fun but just not as satisfying all the time. Gotta get some guaranteed stuff!

[@Luis_mora7]

@@RRsports_ definitely man! The nuggets are my team so I’m focused on just buying some RC of Jokic, Murray and MPJ for now! Keep up the great content man!

[@MF_GRlM]

Such a dope video super helpful and insightful appreciate it🙏

[@arturogon2452]

Great video for a rook like me doing the mistakes you talk at the beginning. Which place you buy most of your graded cards? Thanks for your help man!

[@RRsports_]

Myslabs is incredible! No stupid eBay taxes… buy a lot on their. eBay is still where you will find the best option tho

[@caffeine--racefuel2777]

Dude I’m right there I did my first brake this week and fell in love! But I came up empty handed in all of them. But Trying to really build my pc and this video is what I needed to see

[@rickmiles5297]

I 100% agree singles are the best bang for your buck. And as an added bonus you get cards that you actually want.

[@willmatic2k608]

Made the same mistakes when I started collecting but I’ve moved on to buying singles now and my pc is doing much much better.

[@RRsports_]

RIGHT! Crazy how much growth your PC can have when you use your money wisely

[@timbarraco2813]

who is your fav to collect - just curious!

[@willmatic2k608]

@@timbarraco2813 Big Mets fan here so i collect alot of alonso and i also collect the obvious Sotos, Tatis and acunas. I also have big hopes for Vlad Jr so i try and collect those mostly. also going hard on Alex Bregman lately! you can get Vlad and him for almost nothing and they both have HUGE upsides.

[@timbarraco2813]

@@willmatic2k608 I’ve gotten back into collecting this year and start collecting mainly prospects as far baseball. Julio Rodriguez being my #1 PC. I’m also collecting Cristian Hernandez (cubs), and Armando Cruz (nationals). I think I’m just starting to realize funny enough is that it’s going to take probably six years to know if these guys are any good or not!!! This is a long term game in that regard - longer than I anticipated!

[@shag813]

I picked up a corey seager rookie psa 10 and couldn't be happier!!!

[@RRsports_]

Very nice! Corey seems to be back on track to whet everybody expected him to be! A couple injuries really hurt him the last few seasons

[@ianmcintyre8368]

Thanks Ryan for all the advise! Getting back into the hobby recently, I still love to rip but it’s almost never worth it. Picking up what you want specifically requires a lot more discipline but it’s definitely worth it long term!

[@lucascarrillo7232]

Where do you certify the baibol cards

[@Just_in75]

You are so right. Just buy the single. Targeted money is smart money. Breaking is for entertainment.

[@RRsports_]

YUP! Exactly right. Buy what you WANT. Do the other stuff for fun... don’t expect anything out of it

[@shinderscards1813]

I am new to the hobby and starting to invest more money dude to the proven market. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.

[@RRsports_]

Good luck! It’s an awesome hobby, very easy to get lost

[@memphisrainezzzz7040]

this video is gonna help me start my Justin Herbert collection thank you 🙏🏽

[@snarez1337]

I switched to scouring The Bay and less breaking and will agree with a lot of the stuff you said, and still did/do the occasional break and when you could find it and I had the itch to rip buy a blaster box. A friend and I would rip hobbys once a year as a special occasion thing.

[@RRsports_]

Yep! Bowman and Topps chrome are usually my exception products... but even know it’s hard to justify buying wax at these prices! The collector side of me still has to do it on occasion for fun!

[@margauxosselaer2053]

Thank you for the information , it opened my eyes on the card collecting......regards from Belgium , Europe. Stay safe 🤜🤛

[@RRsports_]

Thank you Margaux! You are very welcome, a lot to learn in this hobby. Stay safe 👍🏻

[@jamestaffae5178]

Finally someone who is up front and honest about the hobby. I laugh at all of the young guys on KZbin who are wasting money ripping open box after box. Even some of older guys my age who are doing this for investment purposes are idiots. Collect what you want because you like the card or player. If those cards go up in value… great, but if they don’t you still have a ton of nice cards that bring you fond memories or a least a smile. For me I buy singles, more specifically “auto patch” cards of those NFL players I grew up watching. The card must have the auto on the card (I don’t collect stickers) and the patch must be 2 colors minimum. This makes it a bit more of a challenge to find the perfect card and prevents me from buying everything I see.

[@danield8094]

Maybe I should be thanking the flippers. If I could find retail at Target every time I walked in there, I'd be broke.

[@ericyahnke6991]

This!

[@0ptimal]

That's what happened to me in 2019. Shelves were always stocked, and you couldn't really flip them for profit like today. So seeing how bad I was losing I gave cards up completely, next thing I know it's two years later and I realized I left right when the card market went berserk.

[@brianbrandt4062]

Absolutely on point, fun to rip sometimes, but gotta going into that finding the value in the entertainment of it. Pulling something big should be looked at as a bonus. Keep what you want sell of what you can after that

[@RRsports_]

YUP! Gotta go in with the fun mentality or you’ll end up like all the old people at my shop cussing and yelling over bad pulls xd

[@AZWldctFan]

I don't like your shirt but I like your videos! Congrats on growing your collection, you have some cool slabs!!! Bear Down!

[@RRsports_]

Ahhhhh boo! I still root for U of A when they are not playing ASU tho 👍🏻

[@shanodr]

wow, thank you boss big help! im starting to collect but i think im doing it wrong for the last 2 months, ill change my strategy

[@redcapesports]

Dude this video was great! - Mitch

[@RRsports_]

Thanks Mitch! Appreciate it brotha

[@jessenunez2306]

I pulled a $800 card and also wasted a decent amount buying back into raw stuff to open. Big time okie mistake but you live and learn

[@jamesadams6626]

Lol. I felt same way. Looking for blaster. Mega. Hobby box. 🙄

[@RRsports_]

It’s just ridiculous these days! Whether you can’t find anything or can’t afford it.... it’s usually one of the two with wax

[@jcbuckeye]

I only buy raw cards when I buy the matching printing plate I think printing plates are the true rarest form of a card

[@12KNgo]

Hey Ryan, I’m pretty new to the hobby - started in December 2020 and I’ve been spending a stupid amount of money on boxes at resell and breaks. I’ve been trying to set a budget but I haven’t been able to follow it the past couple of months. After watching this video though, I’m going to make it a goal of mine to stick to a budget for April. Maybe do like 1/4 for breaks and 3/4 for singles. Bc I still do enjoy breaks and the ppl I break with on Instagram are solid ppl. But thanks for the insightful video! I’ve subscribed and look forward to more great content!

[@RRsports_]

Definitely I think that’s a good idea! Breaking is still super fun, and if you enjoy that... do it!

[@brockman562]

I've definitely scaled back on packs and boxes. I've pulled some good cards, but mostly I've lost money. I only pay for packs/boxes once in a while now just for fun, knowing that I'll not get my money back. singles is what it's all about.

[@samphillips897]

If Ed Sheeran and Andy Dalton had a son. It would be you. Hahah great vid man!

[@RRsports_]

Lmaooo I’ve heard this before, thank you!

[@faction4hobbies784]

Wow, I'm in the same boat! Got back into hobby through breaks and figured would be better off buying hobby boxes but don't have the same luck as breakers...lol. Appreciate the insight, thanks for sharing!

[@willzsportscards]

Breaks are like lottery tickets...a tax for the poor. I'm being brutal here, but honest. I do like unopened stuff still, but that's only if one keeps it unopened! The boxes are like ETFs or mutual funds...spread out your risk. Protect you from 'black swan' events a bit...like um...Deshaun Watson! As an aside, I'd add for PC I'll buy mostly 9s that look like 10s and for investment purposes I'll buy 10s......the returns long term say go big if you can.

[@RRsports_]

Thanks for the insight will! I agree wax investing is something I still want to get into. Just hard for me where prices are at! Crazy... if the market ever TANKS, people will lose a lot in basketball and football at least

[@RRsports_]

Hopefully that never happens again!

[@jerryrichardson7265]

Great video! One of my favorite channels I subscribe to for sure!!🔥👍

[@RRsports_]

Thank you Jerry! Really means a lot 💙

[@itsahobby2475]

Good video. From phoenix as well and Since I been collecting into this hobby I could never afford the hobby boxes so buying singles was the way to get the cards I want and now it's going very well for me cause most are at psa and I know I will get some great results have huge cards out there and I just buy graded cards since psa has closed down since July 1 but I do buy very cheap raw cards to try and resell to buy my next investment. Keep grinding 📈

[@eddymontiel4153]

I’m going on my third fat back cello box😂😂In 2 weeks just slightly addictive💀luckily I’ve made my money back on the last 2, with crazy melo pulls and a green lebron Prizm

[@watching789]

This is facts it sucks how grading prices went up. I still buy a hobby box here and there maybe a break or two once a month but I usually buy singles