When it comes to buying sports cards, there are two main types of boxes: hobby boxes and retail boxes. Hobby boxes are typically more expensive than retail boxes, but why is that?
What is a Hobby Box?
A hobby box is a type of sealed box that contains a predetermined number of packs of sports cards. Each pack contains a certain number of cards, usually between five and ten. The contents of each pack are usually unknown until the box is opened. Hobby boxes are typically sold in specialty stores or online retailers and are designed for collectors who want to build their collections with specific cards or sets.
What is a Retail Box?
A retail box is a type of sealed box that contains packs of sports cards that contain a higher ratio of base cards. Retail boxes are typically sold in larger stores such as Walmart or Target and are designed for casual collectors who want to quickly build their collections or complete sets of base cards.
Why Are Hobby Boxes More Expensive?
Hobby boxes tend to be more expensive than retail boxes because they offer more variety and higher quality cards than retail boxes do. Hobby boxes often contain rarer cards that can be harder to find in retail packs, as well as exclusive inserts such as autographs or game-used memorabilia pieces. Additionally, hobby boxes often contain more packs than retail boxes do, which means there’s a greater chance of finding rare cards in them.
The Quality Difference Between Hobby and Retail Boxes
Another reason why hobby boxes tend to be more expensive than retail boxes is because the quality of the cards inside them tends to be higher than those found in retail packs. Hobby packs usually contain higher quality card stock and better printing technology which results in sharper images on the cards themselves. Additionally, many hobby packs contain exclusive inserts such as autographs or game-used memorabilia pieces which can increase the value of the pack significantly.
Conclusion
Hobby boxes tend to be more expensive than retail boxes due to their higher quality contents and greater variety of rarer cards available inside them. They also offer exclusive inserts such as autographs or game-used memorabilia pieces which can increase their value significantly compared to regular retail packs. For serious collectors who want access to rarer cards and higher quality card stock, hobby packs may be worth the extra cost compared to buying individual retail packs.
Our Veteran and All-Star Hit Box Subscription boxes contain exclusively Hobby packs and we limit the number of Retail packs in the Rookie tier boxes. It's part of our commitment to quality and value.
