I hear it’s a safer bet just to buy that EX that you want instead of opening the packs.
The only thing is, you can get that $50 dollar EX for $4.18 if you are lucky.
So the question is: Should you buy Boosters/Blisters/Boxes or buy your cards individually?
As a collector?
For the most part I buy packs/boxes right one a set comes out. But after it’s been out for a month I re-sort to mainly singles. As most of the prices go down and the pull rates decrease aswell.
It depends on what you value and why you collect. I’ll talk specifically new sets.
It is ALWAYS going to be cheaper to complete a set just buying singles, especially with an English release, less so but still true with Japanese releases.
But if you enjoy the pleasure of anticipation, the gambling aspect, and the joy of pulling your own rare cards then the extra you spend on buying booster boxes to open is worth the extra money. If you can relate to those 3 things and can afford it then I encourage anybody to spend the money on boxes.
If you don’t enjoy those things, or don’t value them enough to spend the money then just outright buy the singles.
Opening packs has a special magic about it.
There’s no 50 dollar cards from the newer sets. Maybe plasma storm charizard.that’s a 1 in 72 chance just to pull a SR and there are 3 in that set. It’s always cheaper to buy singles.
There are still some under 40. It has gone up overall I paid 30-35 for mine when it came out and I haven’t checked prices. Buying packs to get 1 really valuable card isn’t worth 95% if the time.
Thats not entirely true. %90 of the time I pulled a FA or UR card out of 4 or even just one pack.
No what I said is still true you are missing what im saying. I’m saying that 95% of the time the card you pull
regardless of it being a FR, SR or UR will not be worth anywhere near that $50 mark. The ultra rare pull rate
has been upped since LT where you can get 7 or 8 per box which means your one out of four is true. However
pulling ultra rares more often doesn’t mean they are worth more. Some of the EXs are worth 7 or less which
means you might a small amount of gain (trade or montery) if you buy one pack.
Almost everyone will agree its better to buy singles for completing sets or even just getting what you want.
Packs are only worth it if you want to pay for the fun of opening a pack.
The contents statistically don’t justify the expense at retail prices. So you’re investing in the entertainment.
well put. When I was making complete ungraded sets I would do two parts to make the best of both worlds. I would save up
for a booster box of the coming set. I would open it and keep the pulls. Then you have a good starting point to buy what you
need. Purchase the C/UC/R from charizard authority or troll and toad. Then just pick up ultra rares on auction. You’ll get
a complete set for around the cost of 3 booster boxes.
I completely understand where you’re coming from. I guess im just lucky. Every FA and UR and even Secret rare ive pulled from a couple of boosters at a time. And I even have doubles of some secret rares such as Gold Zekrom and Silver Dialga, again a couple of booster packs at a time. I pulled the doubles of PF FA dialga the same day out of the same batch of only 4 booster packs. (it was awesome)
The quality of your pulls are lucky but the frequency isn’t. I said the Ultra rare pull rate was increased so pulling an
ultra rare every 3-5 packs is the new normal.
I was just using $50.00 as an example, I’m sorry.
More like $25-30, though. 
One in 108 pack chance bro. It’s one in 3 boxes, not one in 2.
I follow a simple rule: Open packs if you are going to be excited over Commons and Uncommons.
This is especially true where C/U cards are difficult to find. Namely, the PCG era. However, many of these packs are too expensive and rare to consider opening. Even so, there are niche sets where I can easily justify opening packs, and be happy with average cards.
Thanks. I get confused with the new pull rates and the sr looking cards that aren’t SR
fuck packs. $6 a pop in aus. Boxes are a better option.
Is it cheaper to purchase singles domestically for you, or is it cheaper to find a US seller and just eat the shipping expense?
It’s cheapest to find a small reseller here. Booster boxes end up costing around $145 including postage here.
Retailers typically sell single boosters for $5-6.