GAI is defunct for a reason. I thought about bidding on several of these GAI packs in the Memory Lane auction...but I was not confident that PSA would slab them to risk 4-figure $$$.
@mintonlypls said:
GAI is defunct for a reason. I thought about bidding on several of these GAI packs in the Memory Lane auction...but I was not confident that PSA would slab them to risk 4-figure $$$.
They are defunct and had a rather ignominious demise but at one point they were very reliable, particularly during the silver flip era. Mark Murphy and Paul Wright, the original authenticators for GAI, were both very highly regarded as pack experts at that time. I've never had an issue crossing GAI packs to PSA and Steve sold GAI packs exclusively before PSA starting grading them. As with any pack, each pack should be evaluated based on its own merits and attributes.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
What Tim said. The vast majority of my GAI graded packs came from Steve Hart, and from '03 to '06 they were the only game in town. As with anything, buy the pack, not the holder.
In regards to ML, I think it was a combo of right after the national, lack of marketing on the auction close, a few deep pocketed collectors having spent a lot in private deals over the last few months, and a whole bunch of auctions closing the same week, in the dead of August vacation season.
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
At the 1995 East Coast National Mark Murphy had a 1952 pack for sale for $1000.00. His only catch was, you had to open the pack right then and there in front of his table at the show. No one went for it.
I purchased 8 52 Topps packs wrapped in cello several years ago. (Still unopened). Since I didn’t know the seller, I arranged for the packs to pass through Mark Murphy. He was very gracious and professional, and confirmed authenticity.
I picked up the 1951 Topps wax pack of Berra that was GAI 8.5 on the Memory lane auction. I bid on it not thinking I would win. I am glad I got it. IT will fit into my 51 Topps wax collection I have of unopened HOFer's. Snyder, Wynn, Feller and now Berra. I have been picking these up over the last 10 years as they are still affordable.
"Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood."
Comments
Is GAI so despised that the 1952 pack would go for 70% less? The consigner could not have been happy with the hammer price there.....
GAI is defunct for a reason. I thought about bidding on several of these GAI packs in the Memory Lane auction...but I was not confident that PSA would slab them to risk 4-figure $$$.
They are defunct and had a rather ignominious demise but at one point they were very reliable, particularly during the silver flip era. Mark Murphy and Paul Wright, the original authenticators for GAI, were both very highly regarded as pack experts at that time. I've never had an issue crossing GAI packs to PSA and Steve sold GAI packs exclusively before PSA starting grading them. As with any pack, each pack should be evaluated based on its own merits and attributes.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
What Tim said. The vast majority of my GAI graded packs came from Steve Hart, and from '03 to '06 they were the only game in town. As with anything, buy the pack, not the holder.
In regards to ML, I think it was a combo of right after the national, lack of marketing on the auction close, a few deep pocketed collectors having spent a lot in private deals over the last few months, and a whole bunch of auctions closing the same week, in the dead of August vacation season.
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
At the 1995 East Coast National Mark Murphy had a 1952 pack for sale for $1000.00. His only catch was, you had to open the pack right then and there in front of his table at the show. No one went for it.
I purchased 8 52 Topps packs wrapped in cello several years ago. (Still unopened). Since I didn’t know the seller, I arranged for the packs to pass through Mark Murphy. He was very gracious and professional, and confirmed authenticity.
I’ve seen those before, but not recently. Very nice item, or items.
I picked up the 1951 Topps wax pack of Berra that was GAI 8.5 on the Memory lane auction. I bid on it not thinking I would win. I am glad I got it. IT will fit into my 51 Topps wax collection I have of unopened HOFer's. Snyder, Wynn, Feller and now Berra. I have been picking these up over the last 10 years as they are still affordable.
There are quite a few of videos on Youtube shows people opening 1952 Topps wax pack now.
For some reason vcp does not have 52 Topps wax pack pricing anymore
Ridiculous.