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How reliable is GAI unopened pack grading?

Wondered if the boards knew how reliable is GAI unopened pack grading. Not so much as the actual grade, but if they are unopened and unaltered.

PackManInNC

Comments

  • I've never opened one, but I've sold lots of them and never a complaint... I think they probably went just like the card and autograph grading; good at first and terrible at the end.

    DesertIceSports.Com

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 22,515 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Good gravy train, how many grading companies exist now?

  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Quoting @grote15 from previous discussions on this topic ...

    The vast majority of packs in the earlier GAI holders with the silver flip are perfectly legit, but all graded packs should be evaluated based on their individual attributes and merits (or lack thereof).

    Murphy and Wright were the GAI pack authenticators early on during the 100XXX and 101XXX era. I have never had a GAI pack not cross to PSA. Virtually all of my GAI packs span the 100XXX to 103XXX cert run, which I feel is when GAI was at their most reliable as pack authenticators.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 27,571 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My main interest with unopened packs would be to buy some from the 1960's period and bust them.

    There are a number of videotaped live busts of these 1960's packs shown on Youtube. Every PSA slabbed unopened pack to me looked 100% legit based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    The other slabbed packs? Some of them were downright pathetic. Obviously resealed based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    You can draw your own conclusions from that. But for me, i'm sticking with only PSA for unopened packs.

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,477 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 22, 2019 5:29PM

    @stevek said:
    My main interest with unopened packs would be to buy some from the 1960's period and bust them.

    There are a number of videotaped live busts of these 1960's packs shown on Youtube. Every PSA slabbed unopened pack to me looked 100% legit based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    The other slabbed packs? Some of them were downright pathetic. Obviously resealed based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    You can draw your own conclusions from that. But for me, i'm sticking with only PSA for unopened packs.

    Do you have a link to a bad pack being opened?

    No grading company is perfect but this is also the reason why any pack needs to be evaluated individually.



    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.
  • stevekstevek Posts: 27,571 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @grote15 said:

    @stevek said:
    My main interest with unopened packs would be to buy some from the 1960's period and bust them.

    There are a number of videotaped live busts of these 1960's packs shown on Youtube. Every PSA slabbed unopened pack to me looked 100% legit based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    The other slabbed packs? Some of them were downright pathetic. Obviously resealed based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    You can draw your own conclusions from that. But for me, i'm sticking with only PSA for unopened packs.

    Do you have a link to a bad pack being opened?

    No grading company is perfect but this is also the reason why any pack needs to be evaluated individually.

    You have forgotten more than i'll ever know about unopened packs. I actually learned much of my info about unopened packs from you over the years on this forum.

    That being said, and I'm not being sarcastic at all, i mean every word of it. Your last post is helpful, but in my view it reminds me of those in the coin forum who are also superb experts on certain types of coins, for example on how to tell a fake 1909-S VDB from a genuine one. And that's fine to offer that great advice. However I'm just not going to take the chance of getting it wrong and blow say a thousand bucks on a raw coin. I'm just going to buy a PCGS graded coin and get the best deal on it that I can.

    I realize basically you just stated to follow the particular serial numbers and everything should be okay, and I know you mean well as you do in numerous posts on this topic. Sorry but I simply don't trust any grading company other than PSA for the type of packs I'm looking for. I just don't want to take a chance with any other brand, open it, and be hissed off as yell that it's obviously unopened and I'm stuck with garbage.

    I don't mind striking out on say a 1962 unopened pack with 5 commons. However I do demand a fair shake for my money considering the cost of it. Even a non-PSA unopened pack sells for decent money, and I just don't wish to go there, and I won't. I don't care what are the probably good serial numbers, etc. Anyone else wishes to do otherwise and they get a nice bargain out of it, then good for them.

    I've seen probably every unopened pack video, 1960's Topps baseball cards on Youtube. There aren't a lot of them. I don't feel like reviewing each one to find the pathetic ones, but it was at least a few that's for sure. One non-PSA pack was so obviously bad, I got hissed off at it, and of course it wasn't even my pack - LOL.

    Thank you for your continued great advice on here regarding unopened packs. I'll take what I need and leave the rest. :)

  • PROMETHIUS88PROMETHIUS88 Posts: 2,819 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:

    @grote15 said:

    @stevek said:
    My main interest with unopened packs would be to buy some from the 1960's period and bust them.

    There are a number of videotaped live busts of these 1960's packs shown on Youtube. Every PSA slabbed unopened pack to me looked 100% legit based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    The other slabbed packs? Some of them were downright pathetic. Obviously resealed based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    You can draw your own conclusions from that. But for me, i'm sticking with only PSA for unopened packs.

    Do you have a link to a bad pack being opened?

    No grading company is perfect but this is also the reason why any pack needs to be evaluated individually.

    You have forgotten more than i'll ever know about unopened packs. I actually learned much of my info about unopened packs from you over the years on this forum.

    That being said, and I'm not being sarcastic at all, i mean every word of it. Your last post is helpful, but in my view it reminds me of those in the coin forum who are also superb experts on certain types of coins, for example on how to tell a fake 1909-S VDB from a genuine one. And that's fine to offer that great advice. However I'm just not going to take the chance of getting it wrong and blow say a thousand bucks on a raw coin. I'm just going to buy a PCGS graded coin and get the best deal on it that I can.

    I realize basically you just stated to follow the particular serial numbers and everything should be okay, and I know you mean well as you do in numerous posts on this topic. Sorry but I simply don't trust any grading company other than PSA for the type of packs I'm looking for. I just don't want to take a chance with any other brand, open it, and be hissed off as yell that it's obviously unopened and I'm stuck with garbage.

    I don't mind striking out on say a 1962 unopened pack with 5 commons. However I do demand a fair shake for my money considering the cost of it. Even a non-PSA unopened pack sells for decent money, and I just don't wish to go there, and I won't. I don't care what are the probably good serial numbers, etc. Anyone else wishes to do otherwise and they get a nice bargain out of it, then good for them.

    I've seen probably every unopened pack video, 1960's Topps baseball cards on Youtube. There aren't a lot of them. I don't feel like reviewing each one to find the pathetic ones, but it was at least a few that's for sure. One non-PSA pack was so obviously bad, I got hissed off at it, and of course it wasn't even my pack - LOL.

    Thank you for your continued great advice on here regarding unopened packs. I'll take what I need and leave the rest. :)

    I don't want this to come out wrong, but out of curiosity, why are you looking at buying 60's packs and ripping them...unless you are selling spots? I'm not judging either way, just curious. With the surge in prices of unopened vintage recently, the odds of doing anything BUT striking out is extremely low.
    Again, not judging, just curious as the trend around here seems to be leaning the other direction.
    Thanks!
    Tim

    Promethius881969@yahoo.com
  • stevekstevek Posts: 27,571 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PROMETHIUS88 said:

    @stevek said:

    @grote15 said:

    @stevek said:
    My main interest with unopened packs would be to buy some from the 1960's period and bust them.

    There are a number of videotaped live busts of these 1960's packs shown on Youtube. Every PSA slabbed unopened pack to me looked 100% legit based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    The other slabbed packs? Some of them were downright pathetic. Obviously resealed based on the type of cards that came out of it.

    You can draw your own conclusions from that. But for me, i'm sticking with only PSA for unopened packs.

    Do you have a link to a bad pack being opened?

    No grading company is perfect but this is also the reason why any pack needs to be evaluated individually.

    You have forgotten more than i'll ever know about unopened packs. I actually learned much of my info about unopened packs from you over the years on this forum.

    That being said, and I'm not being sarcastic at all, i mean every word of it. Your last post is helpful, but in my view it reminds me of those in the coin forum who are also superb experts on certain types of coins, for example on how to tell a fake 1909-S VDB from a genuine one. And that's fine to offer that great advice. However I'm just not going to take the chance of getting it wrong and blow say a thousand bucks on a raw coin. I'm just going to buy a PCGS graded coin and get the best deal on it that I can.

    I realize basically you just stated to follow the particular serial numbers and everything should be okay, and I know you mean well as you do in numerous posts on this topic. Sorry but I simply don't trust any grading company other than PSA for the type of packs I'm looking for. I just don't want to take a chance with any other brand, open it, and be hissed off as yell that it's obviously unopened and I'm stuck with garbage.

    I don't mind striking out on say a 1962 unopened pack with 5 commons. However I do demand a fair shake for my money considering the cost of it. Even a non-PSA unopened pack sells for decent money, and I just don't wish to go there, and I won't. I don't care what are the probably good serial numbers, etc. Anyone else wishes to do otherwise and they get a nice bargain out of it, then good for them.

    I've seen probably every unopened pack video, 1960's Topps baseball cards on Youtube. There aren't a lot of them. I don't feel like reviewing each one to find the pathetic ones, but it was at least a few that's for sure. One non-PSA pack was so obviously bad, I got hissed off at it, and of course it wasn't even my pack - LOL.

    Thank you for your continued great advice on here regarding unopened packs. I'll take what I need and leave the rest. :)

    I don't want this to come out wrong, but out of curiosity, why are you looking at buying 60's packs and ripping them...unless you are selling spots? I'm not judging either way, just curious. With the surge in prices of unopened vintage recently, the odds of doing anything BUT striking out is extremely low.
    Again, not judging, just curious as the trend around here seems to be leaning the other direction.
    Thanks!
    Tim

    Selling spots? Not me.

    Only for the sheer joy of reliving a childhood memory of opening a 1960's pack with the possibility of finding a nice winner in there.

    I haven't even bought one yet. With the prices rising sharply, perhaps I never will. But maybe it's like the old saying, something about the chase is much of the fun. :)

  • BLUEJAYWAYBLUEJAYWAY Posts: 7,938 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I busted many a box of early 60's vintage wax. Course that was in the early 60's. Cards all gone now. Thanks Mom.

    Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
  • stevekstevek Posts: 27,571 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BLUEJAYWAY said:
    I busted many a box of early 60's vintage wax. Course that was in the early 60's. Cards all gone now. Thanks Mom.

    Yea, back then and earlier when the kids were away in the armed forces or college, and Mom was rummaging thru the kids belongings looking to throw out the junk, she would normally keep the stamps and throw out the cards.

    Turns out she should have done it the other way around. ;)

  • softparadesoftparade Posts: 9,267 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BLUEJAYWAY said:
    I busted many a box of early 60's vintage wax. Course that was in the early 60's. Cards all gone now. Thanks Mom.

    LOL familiar tale! All those curler wearing 60's moms dumping the goods...

    ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240

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