Chaos and Kanji is the blog where I write about my adventures through Japan!

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Sunday, January 29, 2017

Just One Pack: 2016 Epoch Central League Baseball Card Gum

Let's start with the pack. The black borders at the top and bottom clue English speakers into what's inside. Other important information on the front tells you they're shiny player cards with a signature design. There are 36 cards in all, with six rare cards.
The back gives nutritional information on the left side, with a full checklist on the right. Each team has one SP'd card, designated by a star. Did I get an SP?
No. Atsushi Nohmi isn't exactly a high-dollar card in the set, but whatever, I opened one pack. You can see the gum package, too, completely isolated from the card. I wouldn't mind having an SP. But they carry a surprisingly high premium. 

The real surprising thing here is the lack of a Pacific League version. The Central League does have a bigger collector base, but they're missing out on the Fighters and Ohtani, just to get started. While these cards were packaged to be sold at convenience stores, the only place I've ever seen packs - and still do today - are at card shops. 
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8 comments:

  1. FujiJanuary 29, 2017 at 7:06 AM

    I wonder if the Japanese card shops go out and raid the convenience stores... like I used to do back in the late 80's/early 90's.

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    1. Ryan GFebruary 7, 2017 at 6:34 AM

      They might. But I know when it comes to Calbee that the card shops order their own stock, or arrange it through a supermarket. They have the actual boxes the chips come in. Given that Epoch already distributes to card shops, I wouldn't doubt them giving stores the option to buy this product too.

      Delete
  2. Tony BurbsJanuary 29, 2017 at 9:06 AM

    Those are some sleek looking cards!

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    1. Ryan GFebruary 7, 2017 at 6:35 AM

      They're decent, but honestly Japanese card manufacturers make cards "valuable" just by making those foil-board cards. It's so commonplace that I'm tired of it. BBM is mostly to blame - it's like the 1990s insert craze never ended here. Or at least BBM thinks it's still going on.

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  3. NPB Card GuyJanuary 29, 2017 at 11:01 AM

    How was the gum?

    Epoch released a different set last summer that was only Pacific League players. It was one of their ridiculously high priced boxes so they didn't miss out on the Fighters and Ohtani - they're making you pay a premium price for them!

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    1. Ryan GFebruary 7, 2017 at 6:36 AM

      I remember that set, though I obviously have kept my hands off of most of it. A bit unfair if you ask me.

      As for the gum, it's a nice paperweight on top of Nohmi right now. I still haven't touched it or the card.

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  4. SumoMenkoManJanuary 29, 2017 at 11:36 AM

    I like the looks of those!

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    1. Ryan GFebruary 7, 2017 at 6:38 AM

      As I mentioned above, they look nice, but aren't really special. If I could grab a set for $15-20 I might take it, but since it's only half of the NPB it feels like it's incomplete.

      Delete

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