My 2012 Bowman Chrome Low end Rip and Flip

          With online forums based on the baseball card hobby, your introduced to a multitude of different collectors. Personally, I have always been a set builder and find great joy in organizing and completing sets. In the forums I have come across people's different approach to the hobby. The team/player collectors that strive to gather all the cards of said team and/or player. These Super collectors always give a great perspective to the Hobby. In addition when they share their collection, I always look in awe.  There are the business men who will just buy cards so they can re sell them. Which before my hiatus I have done, finding an ebay posting ending late at night there was usually a deal you could find. Knowing that you could sell the cards for more. Then there are the Rip and Flippers. Buying numerous cases and selling all their contents in hopes of a profit. While I wouldn't want to put my money in to 20 cases of baseball cards, their stories always intrigue me.

          I did not want to put the time and/or money into buying a case of Bowman Chrome, though I may try it when 2013 Bowman comes out next year. I did come into a free $200 dollars and decided to try my own small scale rip and flip. I knew it would be a gamble since with a small number of boxes there was a large hit or miss predicament. If I were to hit one of the high end ref Auto's it would easily skew my results since going into the breaks I had a small chance of hitting that type of card. On the end, I could just get common autographs.

          With the October 17th release of Bowman Chrome I decided to just go to the local card store and pick up 2 boxes. I figured with many of the boxes online around $70, I could easily pick up two boxes. They had just received shipment and were fully stocked and priced at $75, I had $250 in my pocket and decided to just pick up 3 boxes. With taxes it ended up being $247. I most likely overpaid since I could of gotten these boxes online at a cheaper rate, but may have had to wait to receive them. Plus I was supporting my local card store. Using these boxes I was ready to give this a try. 

STARTING POINT

Using $250 as my base point I will see if I can make my money back and some. I will be trying to sell and if the right opportunity arises trade to help me get back to and beyond my $250 starting point. I will be documenting all transactions here and will continue to comment along the way. Hope you enjoy and good luck to me, lol.

3 Box contents 18 packs, 4 cards per pack = 72 *3 = 216 cards

77      Base Chrome

103     Base Chrome Prospect

12      Chrome Refractor

3        Chrome Prospect Refractor

6        All-Star Futures Games Insert

3        Franchise All-Stars Inserts

1        Legends in the Making Die Cut Insert

2        Blue Refractor

1        Prospect Blue Refractor

2        Purple Refractor

1        Orange Refractor

3        Prospect Autograph

2        Prospect Autograph Refractor

In addition to the 216 cards also have $3 left from buying the boxes.

First Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome #49 Ivan Nova Base

$.50

Note: This card was part of another transaction for some Nova cards. Shipping and paypal fees were covered by the buyer. Any opportunity I have to move the base cards I will definitely go for it.

Where I stand: 215 cards and $3.50, long way to go. 

 Second Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autograph Refractor #NM Nomar Mazara /500 TEX

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autograph Refractor #JS Jorge Soler /500 CHC

$150.00

Will be subtracting $6.50 for paypal and shipping fees.

Thus, $143.50

Note: With these being the best 2 cards I pulled was hoping to make atleast half my money back. Thankfully, the Soler pretty much did that on its own. With these cards it is crazy how much difference a day makes, since the Soler Refractor sold for $250 the day before I got mine. Now all on ebay were around the $120-$140 mark.

Where I stand: 213 cards and $147.00

 Third Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Purple Refractor #77 Drew Smyly 57/199 DET

$5.50

Note: Again, I was able to add a Bowman Chrome into another deal. While selling some Topps Chrome added the Bowman Chrome Smyly. Buyer once again covered the shipping fees. I had listed all my colored on ebay right after I opened my boxes. Unfortunately, there were no takers when I had the said card posted. Now that people are getting their cases/boxes there has been a large number posted. I may look through to see if I can come across some deals to help me get up to the $250 mark.

Where I stand: 212 cards and $152.50

Fourth Transaction

 Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #MO Marcell Ozuna MIA

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #SD Shawon Dunston Jr CHC

$30.00 

Will be subtracting $3.00 for paypal and shipping fees.

Thus, $27.00

Note: Got lucky here to be able to sell these two auto's before the market really started to come down. There is a premium that you comes when a set comes out. During the release of Topps Chrome I really noticed how buying early will cost you that premium, so I knew I had to try and at least sell my bigger cards during this time. With only one Auto left I am a little over 70% there.

Where I stand: 210 cards and $179.50

Fifth Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Refractors #181 Adrian Gonzalez

$.75

Note: Added this cards to a deal with one of my favorite people to deal with via the online trading forums. I have dealt with this person several times and have always had easy smooth interactions. Even when there was an instance of the PO losing a package, he was very understandable. Ended up sending some other cards to make good.

Where I stand 209 cards $180.75

Sixth Transaction

 Sale:

48 Random Bowman Chrome Base (28 Veteran, 20 Prospects)

$12.00

Will be subtracting $4.75 for International shipping and paypal.

Thus, $7.25

Note: The buyer was looking for a lot of base, for what I assume is to put together the sets. I never know the best way to go out about these type of situations, with how to price properly for the seller and the buyer. Plus in this case I had the added obstacle of dealing with shipping to Canada, which always adds cost. I was looking to get around .15 per card, while not having the payer pay to much for the cards. I decided to use a blaster of Bowman Chrome as a starting point, there you get 24 cards for $20, so I had double the number of cards for almost half the price.

Where I stand 161 cards $188.00

Eleventh Transaction

Sale:

41 Veteran Base Lot

For $9.00

Will be subtracting $2.75 for shipping and paypal.

Thus $6.25

Note: These base lots are always tricky. Usually when selling a number of inserts or game used and auto's I try and discount or take care of shipping. However, when it comes to shipping base lots the price of shipping can sneak up on you. In this instance I was looking to get around $.15 back per card. At that rate I figured it would make sense to both parties.

 Where I stand $156.75 and yup, still a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome

Twelfth Transaction

Trade:

2012 Bowman Chrome Franchise All-Stars #CC Miguel Cabrera/Nick Castellanos DET

2012 Bowman Chrome Franchise All-Stars #GA Carlos Gonzalez/Nolan Arenado COL

2012 Bowman Chrome Franchise All-Stars #JB Adam Jones/Dylan Bundy BAL

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospects BCP117 Shawon Dunston Jr.     

2012 Bowman Chrome 215 Matt Adams RC

For:

2011 Bowman Chrome Prospects Green X-Fractors #BCP220 Matt Moore

$1.75 shipping/material

Note: Trading will also be a part of this mission of getting back to the $250. I will just subtract the cost of shipping/supplies. I have some nice Moore Auto's from 2012 Topps Chrome may bundle them together once spring training starts.

Where I stand $155.00 and

2011 Bowman Chrome Prospects Green X-Fractors #BCP220 Matt Moore

& a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome

Thirteenth Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Refractors #81 Drew Hutchison TOR

2012 Bowman Chrome Refractors #165 Ricky Romero TOR 

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP155 Art Charles TOR 

2012 Bowman Chrome Futures Game #AG Anthony Gose TOR

2012 Bowman Chrome

13 Brandon Morrow TOR, 29 Jose Bautista TOR, 79 Yunel Escobar TOR, 81 Drew Hutchison RC TOR

111 Colby Rasmus TOR, 124 J.P. Arencibia TOR, 165 Ricky Romero TOR, 179 Adam Lind TOR 

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospects

BCP118 Matt Dean TOR, BCP119 Kevin Pillar TOR, BCP133 Jon Talley TOR, BCP138 Chris Hawkins TOR, 

BCP155 Art Charles TOR

For $2.75

Note: Was able to add this on to a deal and buyer covered shipping.  As I get the large lot organized being able to pull team sets makes it easy to offer them. While this wasn't the largest of deals this small deals do seem to add up over time.

Where I stand $157.75 and 2011 BC Green X-Fractor Moore & a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome 

Fourteenth Transaction

Sale:
2012 Bowman Chrome Refractors #52 Norichika Aoki RC MIL

2012 Bowman Chrome Refractor #117 John Axford MIL

2012 Bowman Chrome Refractors #143 Rickie Weeks MIL

2012 Bowman Chrome Refractor #161 Jordan Zimmerman WAS

2012 Bowman Chrome Blue Refractor #27 Zack Greinke 103/250 MIL

2012 Bowman Chrome Purple Refractor 

#27 Zack Greinke 126/199 MIL

#174 Ryan Braun 84/199 MIL

#199 Wily Peralta RC 141/199 MIL

For $8.50

Note: Once again was able to add this onto a deal. Buyer covered shipping. Did not even realize how many brewer cards I had until I saw an offer for the cards, lol. Had a good number of 2012 Topps Chrome. Nice that I was able to get them to a team collector.

Where I stand $166.25 and 2011 BC X-fractor Moore & a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome 

Fifteenth Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome

BCP143 Alen Hanson PIT x4

BCP166 Wander Ramos WAS x4

BCP182 Gregory Polanco PIT x3

For $5.00

Will be subtracting $2.25 for shipping and paypal.

Thus, $2.75

Note: Not knowing that much about prospecting, I did come across one good way to gauge players in this set. I came across some case breaks in which you paid for a slot and then would draft names out of the case and you would get all that persons cards. While the big names were easy to decipher this showed me a good ranking of the majority of the prospects.

Where I stand $169 and 2011 BC X-fractor Moore & a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome 

Sixteenth Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Orange Refractor #65 Jimmy Rollins 14/25 PHI

For $22.49

Will be subtracting $5.24 for shipping/paypal/ebay fees

Thus $17.25

Note: This was one of the last of my big hits from my original boxes. Had the card posted since release on ebay as a buy it now or best offer so I am happy I was able to sell it. Paying all the fees that goes with ebay definitely took a good chunk out of the return on the card. However, that is a price that we pay for having the exposure that ebay provides. Getting ever so closer to that elusive $200 barrier as well. 

Where I stand $186.25 and 2011 BC X-fractor Moore & a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome 

Seventeenth Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP150 Kenny Vargas MIN

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP151 Camden Maron NYM

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP153 Luis Mateo STL

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP170 Austin Brice MIA

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP196 Montreal Robertson DET

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP204 Matt Hoffman DET

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP208 Theo Bowe CIN

For $6.00

Will be subtracting $2.25 for shipping/paypal

Thus $3.75

Note: A nice refractor lot that I was able to move.

Where I stand $190.00 and 2011 BC X-fractor Moore & a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome 

Eighteenth Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Refractors #183 Justin Upton ARZ

2012 Bowman Chrome Franchise All-Stars #GA Carlos Gonzalez/Nolan Arenado

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP175 Taylor Siemens ARZ

2012 Bowman Chrome Prospect Refractor #BCP193 Evan Marshall ARZ

For $2.00

Note: Another opportunity to add to another deal.

Where I stand $192 and 2011 BC X-fractor Moore & a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome 

Nineteenth Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Blue Refractor #164 Max Scherzer

$.75

Note: Again, added to another deal

Where I stand, $192.75 and 2011 BC X-fractor Moore & a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome 

Twentieth Transaction

Sale:

2012 Bowman Chrome Legends in the Making #TB Trevor Bauer

$.75

Note: These small deals will slowly add up, lol. 

Where I stand, $193.50 and 2011 BC X-fractor Moore & a ton of 2012 Bowman Chrome

Twenty First Transaction

Purchase:

1 Box of 2012 Bowman Draft Hobby Box

$70.00

Note: My goal was to get back whole by the time of the release of Draft. I came up a little over $50 short. However, I have a ton of great cards from Bowman Chrome, ranging from a ton of base to a nice assortment of colored refractors. As a result instead of getting another 3 boxes I decided to just get one box of 2012 Bowman Draft. I was extremely lucky/fortunate to hit a big pull that will put an end to this rip and flip. Since I am sure the sale of this card will net me the $250 that I started with. Here is the card:

I can't even imagine the odds of hitting this card, let alone of getting it from opening just one box. Sometime it is just easier to be lucky I guess. This was a fun attempt but I was very fortunate with the boxes I got during these breaks. 

THANKS FOR LOOKING!