It's pretty rare for an insert to command much attention these days, especially one without a serial number. It seems like you've got to have a relic swatch, an autograph, and a serial number before anyone will really get excited. There are some inserts that buck that trend, however, and command prices straight out of the insert-crazed 90's.
One that I've had my eye on for a while is the Kaboom! insert from Panini's basketball products. These have been released in a number of products over the years, and are nearly always a case hit or tougher to pull. The cartoonish illustrations and wild backgrounds seem to set something off in collectors, and the bidding on them is usually pretty heavy. My main goal was to get one of these inserts featuring a Houston Rockets player, which left me hunting for a copy featuring Dwight Howard or James Harden.
I eventually landed a James Harden Kaboom! from 2013-14 Panini Innovation. I didn't get a great deal on it, but I also didn't overpay, so I am pretty happy overall. This card features everything that makes the Kaboom inserts appealing to collectors. It was hard to pull, it's got a crazy colorful foil explosion in the background, there is the big KABOOM! banner, and Harden is displayed in all of his high-flying glory. It was really nice to be able to get one of these for my collection, after coveting one for so long.
I got a little more sorting done while I watched the UFC fights tonight. I am now approaching 3,000 cards sorted and entered into the Trading Card Database. So far things have been pretty easy, as I've had large blocks of cards from different sets to sort. Things will slow down as I get into bunches of unsorted cards from a variety of brands and sports.
Glad to see you utilizing the Database. It's a great tool, and after more than five years of being on every day I'm stillll discovering things it offers.
ReplyDeleteI pulled a LeBron Kaboom from a single pack purchase a while back. Good luck for me.
I am still getting used to working in the site. Maybe by the time I get through this project, I'll be pretty good at it.
DeleteThat LeBron pull is a pretty nice pull. Much better than 90% of the "hits" out there.
Great looking card, I hadn't seen these prior to your post. Congrats on the addition.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I like to see an insert every so often that can hang with the autos and relics of the world. It takes me back to the 90's, especially when it comes to basketball cards.
DeleteLove the Kabooms, congrats.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if this counts... but I've been looking for a lot of long lost 90's inserts that I couldn't afford back in the day. In regards to recent insert sets, there are usually one or two that grab my attention each year.
ReplyDeleteMany of the 90's inserts that I couldn't afford then are still not affordable for me now. The really tough ones have retained their value. I admittedly don't pay much attention to inserts from newer sets, but that's mostly because they tend to be fairly easy to get.
Delete