Baseball card product question

[tomschepker]

So I spent a good two hours today at a local card shop examining "product" to scout what I might like to buy as the season draws near. Now I know that most here are primarily hockey folks but I have to ask-what baseball products do those who buy them buy and why? What would you suggest?

Having not collected for several years and being out of the "product" loop, I was amazed at how similar most of the products really are, yet how many variations along similar themes at differing price points I saw and heard about today. I think I'd be happy with something that closely approximated artifacts or certified for hockey in terms of hit ratio and parallel occurence as well as value to something in the limited range as an upper end for regular buying purposes-but left the hobby shop fairly confused as to what the baseball equivalent might be as well as if that was really of interest to any other baseball collector.

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

[stackthepads40]

I broke a box of baseball on the site way back in the day. 2011 topps Allen and Ginter. Interesting stuff. Got a cool jack lalaine film cell relic card. From the breaks I've seen of A&G, it has been hit and miss. The designs are cool, but it seems the cards have little value.

Everyone wants Bryce Harper and Steven Strasburg cards so lots flock toward Bowman cards since the is the rookie/prospect division of the baseball realm.

If you want middle of the road, topps lineage and heritage are cool sets that aren't too much more than the base series 1 & 2 sets.

If you want to go bigger, look at Marquee and Triple Threads or Tier 1. Much more $, but nothing says awesome like the chance of getting babe Ruth, Mickey mantle, ect memorobelia cards.

If you want some really off the wall stuff, look at Goodwin Champs. They consider it a baseball product, but it has cards from almost every sport. What other set has famous horse hair samples or dinosaur teeth redemptions and entomology cards with real insects? Go on YouTube and watch some videos of those mail days. Crazy stuff!

I hope this helps. Not much really stacks up to artifacts , etc. they love to go big or go home with baseball products.

[flyerstakedown716]

I have mixed reviews on Topps Tier One. Strasburg / Harpers cards are popular now. I personally like the boxes that have the bats / baseballs(just minors I think)but they aren't for everyone. Baseball has been kinda down lately except for the high end products.

[tomschepker]

Thanks guys....I am getting a little bit of local feedback too and it kinda seems that baseball is not only polarized over the rookies vs. stars issue (seems that products have one or the other and not both) but also by the price point issue of a given product.

I've been getting a nice re-introduction to the product at one of my local shops as far as what the products have been yielding for "hits" over the last few years, so I guess I'll be experimenting with a few different things this spring.