Topps NOW Shohei Ohtani Blue Pack: Rip It or Flip It?
Unlike Shohei in the photo above, you scored! Like the rest of the collecting world, you bought (at least!) one of the 600,000+ Shohei Ohtani Topps NOW cards in September, but unlike the majority of us, you were also one of the lucky buyers to receive a coveted "blue pack" containing either a parallel, short print, or autographed card.
HOLY MOLY! Just pulled out of a Topps now pack by the biggest ohtani fan I know; my mom! 🔥🔥🔥 card! pic.twitter.com/idYJmFTHDp
— Texans SB szn (@TexansDynasty7) October 8, 2024
Now there's only one question, but it's a biggie: Rip It or Flip It?
The Case for Ripping It
The main reason to Rip It is also the main reason your hands might have been shaking when you realized what arrived with your purchase. Maybe, just maybe, Topps had anointed you (!) the Chosen One to receive the 1/1 inscribed auto.
The FIRST to ever do it…50/50 for the one and only Shohei Ohtani!! 🔥
— Topps (@Topps) September 20, 2024
Someone who buys the Topps Now base card from Ohtani’s historic night will receive this 1/1 inscribed autograph card! pic.twitter.com/qtze0tTXpJ
Without a doubt, this will be a life-changing card for whoever pulls it.
- If they were an Ohtani collector before, they are now the GOAT of Ohtani collectors. They are holding in their personal collection a card that would not be out of place at the Hall of Fame or even the Louvre.
- And if they wanted to sell...good lord! What kind of price tag are we looking at? As crazy as it sounds, a cool million dollars is hardly unthinkable.
Obviously, this specific pull is the ultimate longshot, but what could be more exciting than opening a pack you know might change your life?
"But it probably won't."
Okay. But it might!! Plus, just imagine the massive FOMO you'd experience knowing someone else, however much they paid you, was at this very moment opening YOUR pack!
The Case for Flipping It
The realists among us know very well that as coveted as these blue packs are, the MUCH greater likelihood is that they will yield a parallel or SP that, while cool, will be the farthest thing from life-changing. Very likely, for 99% of collectors if not more, their pull will be worth considerably less than what they could get today for that unopened pack. Much like a new car loses value the second you drive it off the lot, these packs become far less valuable once opened.
Still, there is one way these packs are very different from new cars: you may not have a week (or even a day!) to contemplate your decision. Whatever your pack is worth today, it's value will go down considerably the instant someone pulls the coveted 1/1 inscribed auto. Why? Simply because most blue pack buyers are buying specifically for the chance to land this incredible card.
So What Should I Do?
So am I saying Flip It NOW? Not quite. First off, I should be clear that I'm neither a Financial Advisor nor anyone really who is qualified to provide potentially life-altering advice to our readers. I'm merely a guy who writes about baseball cards. But second, and this is where things still stand as of the publication of this article, as more and more collectors open these packs and don't pull the 1/1, the value of YOUR pack goes up!
Ultimately, like most big decisions in life, there are pros and cons either way. You could Rip It and change your life, or you could Rip It and regret it. Similarly, you could Flip It for a quick payday, or you could Flip It and know you might have just handed someone else "your" winning lottery ticket.
In the old days, collectors didn't have to make such decisions. On the other hand, in the old days, who could have imagined a pitcher going 50-50! Good luck, whatever you decide!
Jason A. Schwartz is a collectibles expert whose work can be found regularly at SABR Baseball Cards, Hobby News Daily, and 1939Bruins.com. His collection of Hank Aaron baseball cards and memorabilia is currently on exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, and his collectibles-themed artwork is on display at the Honus Wagner Museum and PNC Park.