I’ve always been curious about the vintage break world. But truth be told, I have never joined a break, modern or vintage, until now! Here’s a quick take on my experience joining a break of a 1956 Topps complete set through Cardhound sponsor T206cards.com

Full disclosure, in case you’re wondering: this article is not a paid spot for T206, and I purchased my spot at full price just like anyone else. 

Vintage Breaks vs. Modern Breaks

First things first: I’m not much of a gambler, nor do I collect modern cards. So while box and set breaks have been gaining in popularity, especially in modern circles, it just never grabbed my attention. Sprinkle in a few stories of shady breakers, sleight of hand, and card switcheroos, and it just did not appeal. Enter, vintage breaks!

A local collector friend of mine talked up his great experiences joining vintage breaks with Burl’s Sports (another Cardhound supporter). And so I decided to give vintage breaks another look. Once I listed out some of the upsides of vintage breaks vs. modern, I decided to give one a try:

• Vintage cards, not modern.
• A known “checklist” of hits (as opposed to a modern box break).
• Trusted breakers–I would wallet vouch for T206 and Burl’s, and supporting them with a break buy every here and there fits my risk profile and my hobby ethos in general.
• Price point that keeps it “fun”–I decided on the T206 1956 Topps break because it fit my meager budget. There are breaks for every price point and risk / reward tolerance. In addition to the cover image Mickey, there were several other higher-end graded cards in the break including Ted and Jackie, below.
• Odds that aren’t ridiculous–there are many cards in a ’56 set I’d be glad to own, even if “overpaying” for the privilege.

The Vintage Break Process

1. Find a break you want to join. The links above will take you to menus of several different breaks with prices from $40 to $175 as of this moment. Good breakers provide a detailed breakdown of the main “hits.”
2. Buy a spot or get a discount on multiples. Most also offer a first-timer discount or coupon code.
3. Watch for email regarding when the break is full and when the randomizer will run.
4. Watch live if possible–that’s half the fun!

Justin Farber from T206cards describes the process this way:

“Participants purchase a spot or multiple, each guaranteeing them one random card from the set. For this break, each spot receives one random card from this curated complete 1956 Topps set, which includes a total of 55 graded cards.

After we fill, we will schedule a time to stream live and notify all participants at least 24 hours in advance. The list will be randomized and each spot will be assigned a random card from the set. A spot will be awarded the Mickey Mantle card, a spot hit the Aparicio RC, etc.

We utilize the Random.org randomizer, starting off by using 2 dice with a 9 roll minimum to determine the number of list shuffles. The randomizer run will be performed by a trusted video runner and streamed live in our Facebook Group and on our YouTube Channel. A video recording and randomizer results are posted immediately after results are completed.”

If you don’t catch the live feed, you’ll get an email; you can watch the video later if you want; and your card(s) ship a couple days later. Easy!

What’s Skunk Protection?

Like with any aspect of collecting, there’s some lingo. In break world a big term is “skunk protection.” This means if you get skunked (i.e. if you don’t hit a graded card in this case) you are entered into yet another smaller break for some “bonus cards.” Here is the skunk protection list for the break I joined–not bad! Again per Justin Farber:

“All spots that hit raw cards in the main break will be entered into a separate, second randomizer run that will run the day after the main break.

First off, the process through T206 is simple and transparent. As a first-timer, I never felt lost or confused. I paid (one spot–I’m cheap!) with Paypal and received instant confirmation and details via email.

The break closed about a week after my purchase, and I had a couple of days’ notice of the livestream. I made an appointment because I wanted to be in on the action.

I wasn’t able to watch live but tuned in right after it ended and watched from the beginning. In the intro Justin explained the process of 3rd party randomizing and the various ways in which the results are shared / archived after the fact (Youtube, Facebook, Excel).

So . . . I hit card #1, a graded William Harridge. Not Mickey Mantle or Jackie Robinson . . . but with one spot and tiny odds, a graded HOF card is perfectly acceptable. Did I make my money back? No. Does a box of new cards typically pay off? No. Was it fun watching folks hit the big cards? Yes. If nothing else, the process was fun–and watching live would be even more enjoyable. And most importantly, I had confidence at every turn that the break was run with professionalism, integrity, and accuracy. I’ll be a return customer for sure.

Will I Join Another Vintage Break?

For sure. The process was easy and transparent. And I can choose a cost / risk / reward that fits my budget. But like with everything else, moderation is key with my little budget. If you’re a high roller and have the cash to spare, I’m guessing that improving your odds with more spots makes the chase that much more exciting.

If you have hit it big in a break, comment below. And if you only have a stack of commons to show for your efforts, share those stories too.

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