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What is X - Out Box?
mexpo75
Posts: 1,912 ✭✭✭
I was looking around BBCE inventory and saw some boxes which were wrapped that were X - Out. What exactly odes that mean and does it hurt value? Thanks.
PackManInNC
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mexpo75
Posts: 1,912 ✭✭✭
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It was a retail return that Topps repackaged for closeout sales at the end of a given sports season. Yes, it hurts value, but I'm not sure how much.
X marks the spot where nothing is guaranteed.
doesn't mean that it couldn't be a stellar box, but there's way too many "what if's" and tend to be handled far too much for my likings. i tend to stay far away.
BBCE has a blog posting on their site about the History of the X-Out. The only thing in that post I noticed a discrepancy on is that it states X-outs will not be labeled FASC...I saw a BBCE FASC X-out on eBay just last week. My take on the X-out: You could just as likely get a fresh box as a you could a melded together box. Many of the returns to Topps were full boxes/unopened cases that were marked as an X-out. I think someone is just as likely to get a non X-out box that has been melded together as well. Again, that's why the FASC is just the most viable option to avoid all the unknown.
Many of the 83-88 Topps football and hockey were easy to search. This resulted in many
"Frankenstein" boxes. Once the season came to a close Topps would accept partial boxes,
cases and full boxes and cases. If the cases that were sent back were sealed, then Topps would
stamp it Final Sale or something simaliar. The problem with accepting "unopened" cases is
that they could have been re -glued shut. The point I'm trying to make is that "Final Sale" cases
and "X" boxes should be approached with caution. BUYER BE WARE!!
I know that BBCE used to wrap x-out boxes FASC if that is what came out of the case they opened. IIRC, there was a group break on here years ago that produced some FASC X-out boxes. I believe they no longer will label X-out boxes FASC, hence the policy on their website.
Don
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That product was so unpopular that I highly doubt anyone tampered with packs back then. Boxes were always closeout at shows for $5 in the late 80s. Nobody was chasing anything. If they were then there wouldn't have been buybacks from Topps. This is especially true for Football and Hockey.
That said, I have done well opening closeout boxes. And wouldn't hesitate buying them again, especially on the cheap.
As with 89 Upper Deck low# boxes which are easy to search for the Griffey Jr.'s,
many of the 80's Topps football wax was easily searched as well. Thus the reason for my
comments on "X-Out" boxes. I've seen collectors buy several boxes 84 Topps F.B. "X-Outs"
at one time and not get a Marino rookie.
How could the 1989 UD low # Boxes be searched?
I was wondering the same thing. How are low# boxes easily searched?
The sequence in 1989 UD was discovered, usually based on one of the first packs in a new box. I can remember dealers mixing up packs after unwrapping a new box to dissuade those in the know.
I remember that too. It was something like the 4th pack down was the griffey pack. Dealers would mix up their boxes and brag about it so we would buy packs still.
Ahhh......the good old days.......
A lot of the X-Out boxes were probably Steve Myland's inventory at one time because he purchased much of Topps' closeout early to mid 1980's inventory at the end of each year.
https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/news/daveadamsscore
True. He along with Fritsch and a coin dealer in RI were three of the top closeout purchasers from Topps in the 80s. Trainloads.