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Please post tips, ideas, lessons learned from ripping old packs

I've searched the forum and didn't see a thread on the topic. I have not had issues ripping early 90s upper deck. I ripped over 50 packs a year ago and none had stuck which surprised me. Figured this might be worth a discussion for the archives.

I will be ripping 93/94 soon and if the first pack I open seems problematic then I may try the ideas posted here and report back.

Thank you in advance.

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    JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,223 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Lesson learned; unless you got/get them very cheap........ don't do it!
    It's fun while your ripping, but usually you end up with garbage.
    At least with 93/94 stuff there's no gum or wax to ruin the cards.

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
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    totallyraddtotallyradd Posts: 928 ✭✭✭

    Quality control in the 90s was certainly better than the 80s and I've pulled some cards that have graded as 10s from both eras. But just because it came straight from a pack and went straight to a holder certainly doesn't guarantee a 10 if you were to send it in.

    As Joe said above, it will be a lot of fun, but ripping packs is always just gambling. If you want to do that for entertainment, go for it. If you are doing it for a payoff, the house almost always wins. Depending on what you are hoping to hit, you are beter off buying that card individually.

    I'd also highly suggest following a few others threads. UFFDAH's Ripping Journey and there is another I cannot think of the title of where they are ripping 1983 packs, cellos, and vending and trying to build an all PSA 10 set. Both are fascinating and give you an idea of risk / reward that comes with ripping packs.

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    PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,709 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2023 9:21AM

    @totallyradd said:

    I'd also highly suggest following a few others threads. UFFDAH's Ripping Journey and there is another I cannot think of the title of where they are ripping 1983 packs, cellos, and vending and trying to build an all PSA 10 set. Both are fascinating and give you an idea of risk / reward that comes with ripping packs.

    The common thread is an awareness that ripping and submitting is with few exceptions a losing proposition financially these days, and those pursuing it are aware of that and feel that the enjoyment justifies the cost.

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    GreenSneakersGreenSneakers Posts: 908 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2023 9:42AM

    For vintage stuff, it is always a bad idea financially. Except for the few times it isn’t.

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    JolleyWrencherJolleyWrencher Posts: 605 ✭✭✭

    I appreciate the tips and look forward to reading more threads.

    I really am doing it for the fun. If the card I'm after isn't in the quality I am looking for then I'm glad the next guy doesn't get disappointed and I'm glad the card will makes it way to somebody looking for it.

    Is there a hub for vintage ripping content? Would be neat to see videos overtime of rare cards ripped long after they were produced.

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    BBBrkrrBBBrkrr Posts: 959 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @GreenSneakers said:
    For vintage stuff, it is always a bad idea financially. Except for the few times it isn’t.

    This X1000. And most had gotten so expensive that it really made no sense with how vintage is being graded.

    It is a welcome sign to see a lot of unopened vintage starting to fall in prices though. Seems like everyone has figured out it's a waste of time and money these days, and have stopped buying/speculating as much. I only do vintage and have stopped buying any unopened.

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    RonSportscardsRonSportscards Posts: 804 ✭✭✭✭

    I recently bought an auction lot of random yr/make packs. 80's and 90's stuff with no real high dollar pulls expected.
    Just for the fun of it.
    The worst were the '92 Leaf and they're not even glossy. I couldn't even bend them in the pack. I didn't want to pawn it off on another collector so I ripped them. It was like all the cards welded together to form 1 solid 1/4" think card. LOL I doubt there was anything I could have done to fix that.

    Some others were Classic 4 and 5 Sport. Some of the cards were barely stuck together, but that little pop to separate them, did pull flecks off the fronts of some. Again, not sure anything I could have done. If I could have found a way to more gently separate the cards, I think the fronts were already damaged and starting to pull away from the cardboard anyway.

    A lot of the 80's and 90's stuff was considered worthless for so long, people would toss the packs around and not take care storing them.

    GL on your rip, and.......will you rip them already!! LOL
    I can't have unopened around me, it drives me crazy.
    The lot I bought even had some '87 Topps and '90 Fleer Baseball, with ZERO reason to rip, and they're still calling me. LOL

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    JolleyWrencherJolleyWrencher Posts: 605 ✭✭✭

    Today will be the day. Heading out to mix some feed at the neighbors and feed his livestock while he recovers from an ACL replacement, then heading to my Uncles for the NCAA women's championship game, then show him the graded goods from the first submission, and end the evening with ripping the box.

    As excited as I am, I am expecting this to be fun, not profitable. If it ends up being a lucky MJ scoring kings box, again, it'll be hard to prevent myself from buying another to see if lightning strikes me a third time.

    Cheers

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    Nathaniel1960Nathaniel1960 Posts: 2,313 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I discuss some of those issues on a rip video.
    ``
    1989 Score Rack Pack Rip
    https://youtu.be/YiohtlAf-8U

    Kiss me once, shame on you.
    Kiss me twice.....let's party.
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    balco758balco758 Posts: 1,314 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've had nothing but fun ripping 70's OPC, 2 75 mini boxes, 78 cello's and more than a few 81-83 Topps boxes.

    With exception of 78 OPC, these were losing propositions, but I did these rips mostly 7-10 years ago when prices were not so crazy.

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    pab1969pab1969 Posts: 1,087 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For vintage packs it may be very tempting but don't eat the gum!

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    GroceryRackPackGroceryRackPack Posts: 2,484 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @pab1969
    In 1987 I did a mail order for a few unopened baseball cell-o’s….78 - 82 - 83

    I pulled some good ones out of those packs, and Yes I had to try the gum, I thought the gum from 82 wasn’t too bad… the gum from the 78 & 83 cell-o’s -- um that was like a mouthful of broken razor blades… :)

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