The other day I decided to pick up some cards. It’s been a while since I’ve opened anything, so I grabbed a few boxes of modern product and, on a whim, stopped at a local spot to grab some good old junk wax packs.

Right away, I noticed something. The feeling I got opening those modern boxes was very different from the feeling I had with the old wax packs.

With modern cards, I often feel a little overwhelmed. There are so many parallels, inserts, variations, and short prints that it almost takes the joy out of simply appreciating the cards themselves. The experience feels less about enjoying the hobby and more about chasing value—searching for the card that’s worth the most or the one I can flip for profit.

But with junk wax? It’s a whole different vibe. There’s something calming about opening packs from the ’80s and ’90s. They bring a kind of relaxation that’s hard to find in today’s products. Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s the simpler design, or maybe it’s just the reminder of why I started collecting in the first place.

I cracked open a 1992 Upper Deck pack and pulled a Cecil Fielder card—just him sitting in a lawn chair. Back then, it was just a regular card. If that same photo were released in a modern set, it would probably be a short print variation with five different parallels, hyped as a tough pull. But in that moment, it was just a card. And that simplicity made me smile.

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy opening modern packs. There’s excitement and potential there. But more often than not, I’m left with a sense of unsatisfaction when the packs are empty. Meanwhile, junk wax—even with all its overproduction—offers a little piece of joy that keeps me grounded in the hobby.

Sometimes, it’s not about chasing the next big hit. It’s about remembering why we fell in love with collecting in the first place.

How about you? Do you feel the same difference when opening modern versus junk wax packs? I’d love to hear your take.