The evolution of the sports card industry continues to evolve to keep up with the ever growing demand of the hobby. Over the past years, this sports card industry has seen the introduction of a wide range of items that have become popular within the hobby. This includes the likes of sports card repacks and sports card hot packs while also seeing a huge interest in sports card case breaks.

Today we will be looking at sports cards repacks and sports card hot packs. Continue reading on to find out more about what does repack mean in sports card, what are sports card hot packs, are they worth purchasing and the difference between a repack and hot pack.

Sports Cards Repacks: What does a repack mean in sports card?

When it comes to the word repack in the sports card industry, it simply means the product is not the factory product that was released to the public, and the product was repackaged in another packaging to allow the new company to resell the product under their brand and logo. You may have seen this over the years when visiting Walmart and Target, with various products to include ones under the name Fairfield Variety Packs, that also may include one autograph or relic per pack. In addition, other brands also offer these types of products, while other types of repacks are also available that deliver high end buyback cards.

Types of Sports Card Repacks

Sports card repacks have been around for many years but are slowly becoming more and more popular among the industry based on the type of repack product it is. When it comes to these various repack sports card products, there are many types available including a wide range of products found on retail sports card shelving at stores such as Walmart and Target. In addition, large companies such as Dynamite Sports Card, Break King and Super Break. Here is a quick look at the various sports card repack products.

Retail Repacks

Over the years retail stores such as Walmart, Target and even Walgreens have sold various repacks within their stores. These products could include baseball card repacks such as the Walgreens Prime Packs or the Baseball Championship Collection. The list is long with many of the products often guaranteeing a relic sports card or an autographed sports card within the box. In addition to these cards, the product contains a mixed number of cards ranging from 10 cards upwards of 100 cards.

These cards will range from various sports cards of that one specific sport such as baseball. For example, a baseball sports card repack, may contain 50 cards to include cards from Upper Deck, Topps, and Panini to include products from 2000 to 2021. All manufactured products but repackaged together as another product.

Third-Party Repacks

In addition to retail sports card repacks, third-party repacks are also available and have grown to become a fan favorite of sports card collectors. These products to include products from Super Break, Break King and Dynamite King, include a wide range of products all repackaged and sold to the public in their own product packaging to include customized bubble mailers or customized sports card boxes.

These third-party repacks offer higher end cards such as graded sports cards, low numbered parallels, high-end autographed cards, and various high valued sports card. The third-party company then collects/purchases a high volume of these cards, repackages them, and then sells them by advertising a few of the high-end cards available. Often these cards repurchased are called sports card buybacks.

Over the years, these products have contained cards such as the 1986-1987 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie Card, BGS 10 Rookie Cards of Mike Trout, PSA 10 Rookie Cards of Zion Williamson, and other cards such as Logomans, Jumbo Shield Relics and vintage graded sports card. Landing a high grade from BGS VS PSA could land you a high dollar sports card investment.

Are sports card repacks worth buying?

Depending on who you may ask, you may receive various answers to this question, and it may change based on the repack product you are considering buying. For example, retail repacks often get overlooked due to being largely filled with simple base cards that have little no value. However, over the years many valuable cards have been found within these products due to rookies making a push increasing the value of their cards.

Meanwhile, third-party sports card repacks, are an interesting product that offers collectors a chance to hit a high end, high value sports card without purchasing boxes/cases of cards. One tip to remember though, these products will deliver you a hit, but it could be a low value hit that is packaged to help offset the cost of the higher end cards. While you are guaranteed a graded 9 or graded 10 rookie, or an autographed card, it may also be of low value.

In short, sports card repacks may not be for everyone, but they are worth doing some research on.

Are Sports Card Repacks a Scam?

The answer to the question whether or not repacks of sports cards are a scam, is no they aren’t. Each offer the collector of sports cards an opportunity to build to their collection of cards. While retail sports cards may deliver bulk base cards, they allow collectors to continue to add. In addition, finding the right rookie card or insert may allow you to have the card graded and produce a high sports card grade. Learn more about sports card grading by reading our sports card grading guide.

Higher end repack products from companies such as Sport Break offer a gambling style approach to the hobby while avoiding purchasing expensive boxes/cases of cards to be left with little to no value. As a collector, a bad hit within a product might make you think it’s a scam, a great hit will leave you speechless.

What is a sports card hit?

If you are wondering what a “Hit” is when referred to sports cards, it is often referring to a specific insert or product that is difficult to find. For example, autographed cards, memorabilia cards, relic cards, low numbered parallels, or other inserts. In addition, to the standard hit you may find in a box, many new sports card products will also offer a case hit. What this means is that one specific insert will have one card inserted per case of cards sold. These case hits are more difficult to find and often are more expensive.

Sports Card Hot Packs: What is sports card hot packs?

If you have been searching online on eBay and have stumbled on sports card hot packs, or mystery sports card hot packs or even football hot packs, you may have asked your self what is a hot pack? When it comes to these hot packs that are typically sold on eBay by sports card sellers and are either a sealed manufacturer product or a homemade hot pack that the seller is stating will contain a hit card (autographed/memorabilia/relic/insert/etc.).

How can they determine a pack is a hot pack?

This is a difficult question to answer because each seller may have a different method to their madness when tracking down one of these packs. Some methods can include slightly bending the packs, using various x-raying equipment (not common), and even weighing the sports card packs when they come out of the package. Lastly, some individuals will open a box of cards and if they do not hit the guaranteed autograph or memorabilia cards, they will assume the card is within the last pack. Of these cases, the most common is using a digital weight scale to weigh the packs.

Along with the hot packs that are produced by manufacturers, some sellers on eBay will sell their own homemade hot packs that they package using either sports card storage boxes or bubble mailers that will guarantee an autograph or memorabilia card within the pack. These types of hot packs that can be found on eBay, should be considered a repack since the cards are repackaged and then sold to sports card collectors.

Weighing Sports Card Packs

While frowned upon within the hobby, many reseller of hot packs use digital scales (jewelry scales), to weight each pack of the box. The weights will be recorded to determine common consistencies, with packs weighing, being determined to possible have an autographed card, relic card, and/or memorabilia card within the pack. Typically, memorabilia cards and relic cards are thicker cards that weigh more than an average card. In addition, sticker autographed cards that have the autographed applied to the card on a sticker will weigh more because of the sticker.

Are Sports Card Hot Packs a Scam?

The truthful answer can be both yes and no based on each circumstance. While the homemade hot packs may guarantee a hit (autograph, memorabilia, relic, etc.), there is no guarantee what type of hit it will be and what the odds are to hit the big hit they advertise to lure you into buying them. Be cautious with these hot packs and ensure you do the research before buying any.

Sports Card Repacks VS Sports Card Hot Packs

Looking at Sports Card Repacks VS Sports Card Hot Packs the two offer a unique approach to sports card collecting while each may appeal to a different buyer. In addition, homemade hot packs are very similar to repacks of sports cards but are usually individual sellers looking to move their collection of less valuable autograph/memorabilia/relic cards.