Unlocking the World of Trading Cards: Your Ultimate Guide to the Different Types of Products

The hobby of collecting cards is now more popular than ever across the entire globe, and it’s time for you to learn where to start with your “investment” so that you don’t get lost in the search!

 

We are Trace ‘n Chase, an innovative company that was born during quarantine, driven by our passion and desire to give countless sports fans in Greece and Europe the opportunity to discover the “hobby” of card collecting! To acquire unique collectible items that will decorate their office, home, or company while enjoying their favorite game!

So let’s just say you visit tracenchase.com, and after a bit of searching, you find what you want, only to read… some pretty unfamiliar terms:
“Hobby Box”, “Blaster Box”, “Retail Box,” “Gravity Box”, together with “Fat Pack”, “Multi-Pack Box,” “Fast Break Box,” “Blaster Box,” “Hanger Box,” “Champions Team Set” and the list goes on…”It’s all Greek to me!”

The trading card hobby has been flourishing worldwide in recent years, with demand for products at an all-time high. In Greece, new collectors are slowly entering the market, especially after the release of the much-anticipated EuroLeague cards and, as expected, they have many questions regarding these new products…
The biggest one? What is the difference between the various types of boxes?
Today’s guide will help you categorize the different box formats that a product can have. It’s important to note that not every product is available in all possible configurations.

Hobby Box

A “Hobby” box is the main item that most collectors refer to when discussing a box of sports cards. “Hobby” boxes typically contain a larger number of packs and tend to offer better odds for more valuable “hits” compared to retail products like blaster boxes. Devoted collectors seeking mid- to high-level cards, autographs, and cards with embedded memorabilia systematically chase “Hobby” boxes. These boxes are typically 1 to 2 times more expensive than retail versions, but the chances of scoring a great hit from a “Hobby” box versus a “Retail” box are significantly higher, justifying the extra cost. They also include a greater variety of cards, making it ideal for new collectors wanting to gather as many cards as possible!
For example, one of the world’s most popular series currently, “Panini Prizm Turkish Airlines EuroLeague” in its “Hobby” version, contains 10 packs of 5 cards, for a total of 50 cards, with an average of 1 autograph, 15 Prizm cards (a variant of the base card), 11 numbered cards and 5 inserts!
Premium card collectors who focus on renowned series like “Immaculate Collection,” “National Treasures,” “Topps Dynasty,” and “Upper Deck The Cup” have no other choice. These sets, along with most high-end card products, are distributed exclusively in “Hobby” format.

H2 or Hybrid (International) Hobby Box

A lighter version of a “Hobby” box, the H2 typically offers either fewer cards overall or fewer hits but it includes variations that are only found in “Hobby” boxes and occasionally even 1 autograph. It’s a middle-ground option between “Hobby” boxes and “Retail” boxes in terms of cost.

Choice Box

A “Choice” box is a more condensed version of a “Hobby” box, containing fewer cards but usually guaranteeing one autograph and some exclusive parallels or inserts. For instance, the “Prizm Basketball Choice Box” has 1 pack with 8 cards, including an average of 1 autograph, 2 silver Prizms, 3 colored Prizms (Blue, Yellow, and Green), and 2 other Prizm variations.

 

Fast Break Box

Another condensed version of a “Hobby” box is the “Fast Break” box, which also includes an average of one autograph, about 90 cards, and unique colored parallels (Blue, Red, Purple, Pink, Bronze, and Neon Green).

Blaster Box

A “Blaster Box” is a smaller box of cards, usually sold in retail stores, with fewer packs. Depending on the product and sport, there may be 4-5 packs or as many as 12-15. Typically, blaster boxes are lower in price per pack but often include special parallels or inserts.
For example, the “Prizm EuroLeague Basketball Blaster Box” has 6 packs of 4 cards (a total of 24 cards), with an average of 3 exclusive Prizms, 3 “other Prizms,” and 3 inserts, along with the exclusive “Ice and Green Pulsar Prizms.”

Retail (Gravity) Box

A retail box is something between a blaster box and a “Hobby” box. It was initially designed to be sold as an individual retail package. Unlike “Hobby” boxes, “Retail” boxes usually don’t include guaranteed hits, and unlike blaster boxes, they often lack any kind of bonus.
The main advantage of buying retail packs is that they can be significantly cheaper than “Hobby” boxes and they have many more cards. For example, the 2023-24 Panini Donruss Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Basketball Gravity Box contains 48 packs of 5 cards each, totaling 240 cards, with one Yellow flood per pack.

Mega Box

Mega boxes are more similar to “Hobby” boxes because they contain more cards and usually offer better-guaranteed parallels. These are also retail products but often include exclusive card variations, like parallels not found in any other type of box. For instance, the 2020-21 Panini Mosaic Basketball Mega Box includes 10 packs of 8 cards, totaling 80 cards, with an average of 1 Silver Prizm and 10 Mega Box Exclusive Mosaic Prizms per box. It also contains the exclusive Mosaic Pink Fluorescent Prizm!

Hanger Box/Pack

“Hanger” boxes are designed to hang from a hook or rack rather than sit on a shelf and often contain only two or three retail packs inside. Sometimes, they also include a bonus pack with retail-exclusive cards and are mainly intended for sale in retail stores. Single packs on the other hand are usually sold separately at retail stores and offer no specific upside other than the ability for someone to obtain cards from a bigger box.

Fat Pack / Multi-Pack Box

A “Fat Pack” box is just as the name suggests as it allows the collector to acquire a large number of cards from just one box, as well as exclusive parallels, inserts, and sometimes autographs. One of the most popular “Fat Packs”, the 2022-23 Panini Chronicles Basketball Fat Pack Box includes 12 packs with 15 cards, totaling 180 cards, offering collectors the chance to find Exclusive Teal parallels and Base Classics cards in Red, Blue (/99), Orange (/75), Purple (/49), Gold (/10), and Platinum one-of-one parallels!

Champions Team Set

Champions Team Sets are special editions that commemorate teams winning the league’s trophy with usually a 30-card box set featuring all key players, unique team highlights, celebration moments and tribute cards honoring players and coaches. It’s more of a special collectible for fans as it only contains cards from the winning team.

Panini Instant/Topps NOW cards/boxes

Panini Instant and Topps NOW cards and/or boxes are exclusive, limited-edition card series that capture the most significant, timely moments in sports and pop culture, available for a short window after the event occurs.
This series highlights key moments from various sports, while the cards are printed in real-time following major events such as game-winning shots or record-breaking performances. Each card is produced in limited quantities based on demand during a short sales period, making them rare collectibles as each card is available for 24 hours and printed only for those who order within that timeframe.
Both series are ideal for collectors who want to capture and own a piece of history, with each card or box being a unique reflection of real-world moments.

FOTL and Online Exclusive Products

Most of the “Hobby” boxes usually circulate online before the official release of the product in a special edition called “1st Off the Line” or “FOTL”, providing collectors with a unique way of obtaining truly rare trading cards.
Companies also occasionally come out with special editions that only circulate online, making these a highly sought-after product, tailored for passionate collectors, featuring a refined selection of premium content. Collectors chase exclusive parallels, ultra-rare inserts, numbered cards and rare refractors in these boxes that usually have a “Hobby” configuration.
Both these products are usually sold with a Dutch auction format (where bidding starts with a high price, incrementally dropping every 5 or 10 minutes until someone places a bid).

As with all products in the market, the different boxes have their pros and cons, so the most important thing to consider is what you’re looking for in a card box and what you’re willing to spend. These two factors will likely shape almost every decision you make when purchasing a box. If you love premium cards, “Hobby” boxes are likely your go-to, but if you’re a casual collector, there’s a variety of lower-cost box options available.

One thing’s for sure: Trace ‘n Chase can meet every need and taste!

Keep up with all products, blog posts and news posted on our website in order to learn everything about #thehobby!

Follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok and subscribe to our YouTube channel!