Failed bulk box purchase

Okay, there is going to be a lot of text before we get to any cards.


I've posted before about buying bulk boxes of Browns on eBay, and being very lucky in getting a lot of cards that I needed for my collection. Well, my luck finally ran out.


I can accept that. I have an awful lot of different Browns cards, and so I just hope to see sets in the box that I don't have many cards out of. Usually these boxes have a lot of different cards, some duplicates, but a lot of different sets represented.


This box, however, was different.


Here is the heading from the listing that I bought:


Cleveland Browns Modern Era 1998-2015 300 Card Lot Including Stars


And the description in the listing:


You will receive a box of 300 Cleveland Browns football cards. These are modern era cards ranging in years from 1998 to 2015.  This is not just a box of commons, the biggest stars will be included. All cards are in near mint or better condition.  FREE SHIPPING!!!


It had a Buy It Now of $12.95 which I figured was fair with the free shipping. It looked as though everything should be post-expansion Browns where I have a lot of needs, especially in lesser brands, in inserts, and in parallels which I usually find in these bulk boxes.


The box arrived at my US mailbox while I was away in San Diego. I drove to my PO Box the day after I returned home. I was really looking forward to seeing what I would get in a random box like this. I opened up the box, it was packed pretty tight. I pulled out a small chunk of cards...and they were all from the same set.


Hmm.


Well, dumping out the rest of the cards, I saw that there were in fact different sets in the box, but not quite the assortment that I was used to seeing in these bulk boxes. I just hoped there were some cards that I needed.


Sorting the cards by set, this is the breakdown that I found:


2008 was represented by one set (Topps Finest), and had 3 different cards.


2011 was represented by one set (again Topps Finest), and had 2 different Peyton Hillis cards, one of which was an insert.


2012 was represented by two sets:
Panini Absolute with 2 cards, but they were the same card.
Panini Prizm with 1 card.


2014 was represented by four sets:
Bowman Chrome with 2 cards, but again the same card.
Panini Crown Royale with 1 card.
Panini Totally Certified with 6 cards, with 3 distinct cards being represented.
Topps Platinum with 1 card.


2015 was represented by 6 sets:
Bowman: 4 cards, 2 distinct.
Donruss: 17 cards, 5 distinct.
Panini Certified: 2 different cards.
Panini Contenders: 18 cards, 3 distinct.
Panini Prestige: 13 cards, 5 distinct.
Topps Platinum: 9 cards, 2 distinct.


So far, in these years we have 81 cards, of which 30 are different from each other. And nothing from 1998-2007, or from 2009-2010. I think the description would have been better off saying from 2008-2015.


I skipped 2013. It has more sets, but is where the pain really sets in.


2013 was represented by nine different sets:
Panini Certified: 29 cards, 4 distinct.
Panini Prestige: 23 cards, 6 distinct. (Almost a team set: missing the Barkevious Mingo RC.)
Panini Rookies & Stars: 40 cards, 3 distinct. (Multiple team sets minus Mingo RC.)
Panini Select: 15 cards, 3 distinct.
Panini Totally Certified: 1 card.
Score: 145 cards!!!, 10 distinct. (Again, multiple team sets minus Mingo RC.)
Topps: 38 cards, 7 distinct. (Guess whose missing?)
Topps Prime: 3 cards, 2 distinct.
Topps Platinum: 9 cards, 2 distinct.


So, 2013 was comprised of 303 cards, of which only 38 are different from each other.


In the breakdown above I have identified all the inserts or parallels that I received. One, which based on the rest of the box, must have been accidentally included. On the other hand, it is one that I already have multiples of and really doesn't have any value (not that I expected anything in this box to have value, just stuff that I needed and wanted).


Totals: 384 cards, but just 68 distinct cards. (Advertised as a 300 count lot, but even take off 84 extra Score cards and that would leave me with 61 of them!)


Again, looking at the description, "not just a box of commons, the biggest stars will be included."

Well, I don't expect the Browns to have big stars, and I guess there were a couple of Manziel cards, and a Kosar card. But again, not quite what I expected.


I laughed that there were no Barkevious Mingo RCs. They are so very, very valuable. (And I think that I have them from those sets already.) But I guess the package only advertised the biggest stars would be included, not that any RCs would be included.


I haven't yet left feedback on this purchase. It was packaged well, and arrived quickly. Technically they didn't promise different cards or anything different than what they sent. I think I have to leave positive feedback, but I kind of want to say something with it to express disappointment. What do you guys think?


Oh, and among the 68 distinct cards? I needed 5 so these are $2.59/card. I think I could have found them shipped cheaper.


Here they are, front and back!

2013 Panini Select #24 and #105

You know what? I'm always happy to add a Kosar that I didn't have to my collection.

2014 Panini Totally Certified #22-24

Will this purchase stop me from picking up Browns in bulk lots? No. Will it cause me to never buy from this seller again? Most definitely.