Wednesday, February 21, 2018

New record for longest time between getting a pack and opening it

I set a new record shortly before Christmas, that I didn't set out to set but did anyway.

All the way back in 2004, Upper Deck did a 90 card set documenting LeBron James' first NBA season. Each of the 82 games got a card, plus the awards he won got a card, and at least one "filler" card that was used to make the set 90 cards.

They didn't come all at once. As I recall, they would send some in waves. I got the first 55 cards as they came out, and while I don't remember the exact details, I never got the rest. I do remember we had to call them and complain to get them to send the rest of the cards to me. They did...eventually. I don't remember exactly when, but they came in a big clear heat-sealed pack. This was in 2005. Possibly even 2006, but I'm going to go with 2005.  But...in that time period, 2005-06, I was starting to lose interest in the NBA. I realize now that it was ME that had the problem. But, whatever, I stopped collecting the NBA in late 2006, but I had been unhappy with the sport and cards for a while beforehand. I didn't open the package that contained cards #56-90 and inexplicably a copy of card #54 but not 55. Until December 23rd, 2017. At least 11 years after I got it in the mail!

When I finished scanning my collection for the Database, I went looking for some peripheral stuff that I could post, and the box from UD- still in the mailing box they used to send it to me- was among the items I found. I finally opened the box and added them to my collection late on the 23rd.

I don't know the previous holder of the record. I used to blow through cards as soon as I got them, but when I was not really in the hobby- 2007 and 2008 - it changed. (I never truly left, but scaled way back, where I only got 14 cards in all of 2008 combined...less then I got new in this box, in fact) When I came back in full force in 2009, I did things differently. I took it slower. Instead of the average box taking me 5 minutes or less to open, I now spread it out over hours or even days. It's not uncommon for me to save packs now to spread out the enjoyment. I still have packs I purchased in 2013 at retail that I have not opened yet. Back then, I would just look to see what I got, but now I actually take the time to appreciate what I've got, and sometimes even read the backs.  The record from 1988-06 was probably about 2 or 3 days, as I would sometimes buy a box and save it to open in Lake George.

As I write this, on Christmas Eve, I know I also  still have some packs saved from a box I bought on Ebay in either 2010 or 2011.  I have two left and will open them in 2018, in theory.  But, that was planned. This LeBron set...totally unplanned. In fact, to be honest, I had completely forgotten I even had them until I opened the box and saw an extremely young LeBron looking back at me.

Here's a couple of examples of the cards that waited more than a decade for me.







There's a lot of gold foil that scans black on these cards.

The funny thing is...I'm not sure I included the first 55 in my official collection count. I had a tendency at that time to not count single player tribute sets. And I have absolutely no way of knowing short of doing a full recount. It's why when I say something about my collection totals, I say it's probably not accurate but I treat it as if it is. I don't think I counted the various oversize sets (except 1976-77 Topps) or the undersize sets either, back in the day. (Like the 1996-97 Collector's Choice Mini-Cards, which I separated) Eventually, when everything is typed into Excel, I will know. I'm going to let the computer count for me because I keep the number in three places and none of them match. I don't really trust my ability to get an accurate count, but the computer doing the real work should solve that problem. Cards #56-90 ARE counted, at least.

6 comments:

  1. It is amazing to think you could hold on to them for all that time and not look at them. And wow, was he ever young looking there! His kids look just like him.

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    1. Forgot I even had them! I still say LeBron could be the first player in NBA history to take the court with his son. I hope so actually!

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  2. That is a long time to wait, but it's a heck of a find. Maybe if UD didn't take so long to send them you would have opened and appreciated them right away. But hey, it's a nice surprise to find in your collection all these years later.

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    1. Very true! I'm glad I eventually got them, it would have been terrible if I never got them at all. Better late than never.

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  3. You've got some serious self-discipline. I have unopened packs... and I have unopened boxes. But the packs I've accumulated here and there as single packs. I can't remember the last time I started opening a box and then I took a break mid-box.

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    1. It's actually gone so far the other way from how I used to be that I sometimes only take one or two cards out of a pack and save the rest for later...once I get past this year, and my project of getting a new card every day, I think I will go back towards opening a pack fully when I decide to open it...I may still save a pack or two for later though!

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