Opening (Mail) Day

When 2018 Topps first came out, I debated whether to get Opening Day instead of the flagship set, since the inserts for OD were so much better than the main product.  But if you buy one box of Opening Day (roughly $25 each), you basically get the whole base set.  So then completing the inserts is tougher unless you want multiple base sets, and not that cost effective.

And since the designs were the same, why not do the regular base set and get the OD inserts to go with it?  I actually started with the Team Traditions and Celebrations when I found a bunch of them very cheap.  I was down to four. 

I ended up trading for both Series 1 and 2 flagship base sets without much trouble.  Guess I'll be doing the same for Update unless they come up with some original insert ideas all of a sudden.  So now what?

Then I was on eBay looking for something else and decided to see if I could find the whole Opening Day set and inserts together for an economical price.  And I did - they arrived today.

I found the base set and the four basic (non-exclusive) insert sets for basically what one hobby box would cost with normal shipping.  Cards 1-200, with a top-loadered Ohtani, the Mascots, Team Traditions and Celebrations, Before Opening Day, and Stadium Opening Day sets all came in a nice clean 400 count box packed in three inches of styrofoam peanuts and an outer corrugated box.

So now I've got all of the Team Traditions & Celebrations set (except King's Court, OD Parade, Rally Monkey & Sweet Caroline) available for trade.

These should fill out the eventual two row shoe box I'll use for 2018 Topps nicely.

Thanks again to eBay seller bolynick for a great buy!