I thought I would start a thread about our most memorable experiences with opening our cards…
For me, physically opening the packs is a vital part of my collecting experience. Up until today I was feeling a little anxious about the progress of my XY6 Emerald Break set. I have only opened 4 boxes so far but had yet to open a pack containing the regular Rayquaza EX.
The Rayquaza EX is in my list of favourite cards made. As soon as I saw the artwork I fell in love. It truely is a beautiful card in my eyes.
So when my next shipment was delivered today I took a deep breath before I took off the seal on the first box. Surely this box will have one right?
First pack, there it is. I finally have opened my first Rayquaza EX and it’s a beauty. I quickly slipped it into a sleeve and take a few minutes to admire my new acquisition. The rest of the box was fantastic too. M-Gallade EX, FA Latios and Shaymin EX. The art in this set is fantastic.
It’s moments like these that reinforce my passion for this hobby. I’d love to hear if anyone has familiar stories. Whether they be a single pack, a tin, a booster box or anything related.
For the ranking of memorable experiences should we exclude the guilty feelings that follow… Usually when I figure I could have maybe paid off my debt or maybe uneglected some of the required maintenance on my vehichle?
I’m only partially jokiking… My favorite experience so far was getting to purchase my first order of booster boxes and tearing through them when they were delivered. I never had the opportunity before so it was fun to put a whole set together. The first time I purchased ine of each of the first four XY series from one site and they were just terrible pull rates. The second time I went with a different supplier for xy5 and bought multiples of the same set with much better results. The wreckage that was the empty booster packs along with the sleeved almost complete set of amsomeness made it the most memorable. Now I’m just waiting for xy6 english to come out!
I have a top 3 I suppose. The first time I manage to pull an ex card from an EX Series pack will instantly be my #1. I’ve opened a ton and never managed to get even one.
#1: First ever Japanese booster box I opened was Phantom Gate. This was also the first time I was actively following leaks on Pokebeach, eBay, etc. Pulled a UR M Manectric EX, got it graded and it got a PSA 10.
#2: First ever pack of XY Flashfire: M Charizard EX Version X - PSA 9, Sold it.
#3: My 5 Emerald Break boxes. Got a complete regular set, SR Winona, Shaymin, Thundurus, and UR VS Seeker. All are off at PSA now, absolutely fantastic pulls out of one of my favorite sets.
I remember when Dark Explorers came out. I split a case with two friends. I got one box. FA Darkrai, Regular Darkrai, SR Catcher. We drafted, I pulled a Regular Darkrai. I then one that draft and pulled a third Regular Darkrai in the prize packs.
Probably my Legendary Collection box back when I got into the hobby again.
I managed to pull both Charizard and Charizard RH. I also had an excellent variety of RH cards. Then a week later someone listed 72 RH cards (from two boxes) on eBay (obviously gem mint). Picked 'em all up and completed the master set for under $340.
This opening goes back to late 2013 when I was starting my booster box collection. Bought 2x 1st ed. Neo Genesis boxes, one is still sealed and second was opened because overall condition was horrible ( that said the price was also a steal ). Good thing the content was still in good shape.
Pulls were great: Lugia, Bellossom, both Typhlosion and duplicate Jumpluff+Kingdra which I still find hilarious. I don’t remember anymore how many hours I spent opening packs slowly and admiring the artwork.
When I was a kid collecting base set my brother and I bought 5 packs each.
He pulled 3 holos,
I pulled 4 rare trainers and an electabuzz or something.
Effin gutted.
About a year ago I bought 3 starters boxes from XY (these ones). I pulled Skyla full art from the first one, nothing from the second one and… Skyla full art from the third one.
I’ve had a favorite Pokemon pack opening and a favorite Yugioh pack opening. I’ll tell the favorite Yugioh one only if people are interested though.
I’ve probably told this story plenty of times before, but my most favorite pack opening was back when Shining Gyarados was first introduced in Neo and I heard how hard it was supposed to be. I thought it’d be great to have a 5th Gyarados card in my collection at the time but believed I would never get it. I had some money from my allowance as a kid and bought three packs and started opening them up in my mother’s van on the way back home. The first two packs had some pretty great cards and I felt pretty happy about it. But then I opened up the 3rd one and before me was an Unlimited Shining Gyarados card. I screamed in happiness and my mom was at first concerned for me but then was happy for me because she knew how much I liked the Pokemon.
That’s what started my Gyarados collection. Every pack opening since has been meh, and I generally don’t do packs anymore but will from time to time. Other memorable card pack openings was getting a Japanese Rocket’s Mewtwo from a Japanese booster pack as a kid, Scyther from Fossil, Dragonair from my first EVER pack, Giovanni’s Nidoking, Giovanni’s Gyarados, Misty’s Gyarados, and Dark Gyarados.
Bought some loose unlimited Chinese boosters on eBay… Pulled a Charizard which got PSA9.
Bought a Chinese 1st editon booster box - pulled a Charizard! Just arrived at PSA today.
Flashfire box - pulled both Charizards (gold one got a 9, normal one got a 10)
Phantom Gate box - pulled M Gengar, and FA Gengar. Sent in the FA to get a PSA 10.
Emerald Break and Double Crisis. Bought one box of each. Got the FA Rayquaza, M Rayquaza, and normal Rayquaza out of one box. Also got the Groundon and Kyogre out the other box.
Opening a fake booster box to find it full of weird little insects.
I would have to say opening a 1st Edition Neo Genesis Booster Box as a 10 year old kid that my Grandparents got me for Christmas. So pissed that I sold/traded the cards away. Also, all of the Plasma Storm packs I’ve opened probably 200+ packs. (5 Shiny Charizards). Lastly probably FlashFire/Wild Blaze. Nothing better than pulling Charizard Ex’s like CraZy! Grading them and hoping for PSA-10’s!
Graded 2 of the Shiny Charizards so far (Both 9’s)… Still after a PSA-10!
Flashfire- doing decent trying to get a PSA-10 Set of all the Charizards in the set. Have a ton of them at PSA now, hoping they come back as PSA-10’s! Including a FA Charizard Ex!!! PLEASE POKE-GODS!!!
I’ve been slowing down though over the last 2 months with Pokemon. Collecting Pokemon has started to become more of a job for me than a hobby. I also started Collecting Yugioh again + this time of year is great for Video Game Hunting. Also, waiting for Roaring Skies to hit. Hoping that my pulls are better than Emerald Break. As I was pretty Unhappy with my pulls from nearly 3/4 of a case. Also hoping that the Ultra Rares from Roaring Skies AREN’T fucked up like they were in Primal Clash…
My favorite box opening actually happened last night. I opened up two Topps Chrome Series 1 boxes.
The inserts to hit in these boxes are: Sparkle-Chrome (3 per box) & Tekno-Chrome (2 per box).
Box 1 = Venusaur Tekno
Box 2 = Venusaur Sparkle
Looks like there was .40% chance of me pulling the same tekno and sparkle between two boxes and I did it with both Venusaur and Dugtrio, pretty interesting (and apparently a .0015% chance of that happening)… disclaimer: I could be screwing those calculations up haha
