How Brian Gray Makes Money; Or How I Waste My Money

At the show Saturday before last, at which I got some amazing stuff, I also made one very risky and ill advised purchase. And it didn't pay off.

My favorite dealer, who I bought the box of Panini Classics from, had exactly one box of 2014 Leaf Best of Baseball Unopened Edition. I inquired as to whether he had seen anything good pulled from those and he said it was hit or miss. Like any card product I guess. He'd seen good stuff like Topps Tribute pulled as well as crappy stuff like Topps Pro Debut. He himself had pulled a box of Panini National Treasures from the football version of this Leaf repack product. He offered me a good deal on it as I am a repeat customer and was already buying the box of Classics. I knew...I KNEW that it was something I should pass on. "I should save my money to buy a whole bunch of singles", I told myself. Besides, I do not normally buy Leaf products because I can't stand Brian Gray. He's a jerk. But the gambler in me said DOOOOOO IIIIIIIIIIT!!!!! You could totally pull something like Five Star or Immaculate!!!!! So I gave in. 

I didn't get a box of Five Star or Immaculate.

I got a box of...

*drum roll*

2013 Topps Gypsy Queen!!!! Mehhhhh I mean Yayyyyy!!!!

I suppose I could have done worse. I could have pulled a $30 box like Pro Debut. At least '13 GQ is a $60-70 box.

Here are the mediocre as heck highlights.

Nice looking signature.

Oh and each box also comes with an authenticated Pete Rose auto because it's Leaf and of course it does.

You know, one of the 5.2 million autos Pete signed for Leaf last year. At least I didn't have an auto of his previously. However I don't collect slabbed cards as I feel grading is the biggest scam in the hobby, so I don't really have a good way of storing this. Therefore it is available for trade.

I don't blame the dealer for selling me the box. He didn't try to push me into buying it. He just answered my questions and I made the decision on my own. But I do blame myself for allowing the hobby gambler in me to take hold of my show purchasing decisions. And I do blame Brian Gray for being a pompous douche as well as flooding the market with the auto of the hit king, ruining it's value.

Oh well. Lesson learned.