Are these real? 1971 Topps FB cellos
BoyHowdy1188
Posts: 15 ✭
Can anyone with some knowledge of old Topps cellos help me out? I have the opportunity to purchase these '71 Topps FB cello packs, 9 in all. I am attaching images, lmk if you think these are real/fake etc...any thoughts is appreciated, thanks.
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Comments
I know nothing about sealed packs but the fact the cards on top look mid grade at best would make me think these are not from the factory.
I wouldn’t pay more than the value of the raw cards shown.
HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
That's a good start, thanks for your opinion, appreciate it.
Not an expert here but it seems a real coincidence that all the packs have HOFers on top. Also, the one PSA graded '71T FB cello on eBay has the card on the back facing out.
Again, to me a red-flag with all the stars showing but these are supposed to be from some long time collector that he inherited...As far as graded cellos, I have seen some in auctions with the card on the back, showing the back not the front of the card.
https://sports.ha.com/itm/football-cards/unopened-packs-display-boxes/1971-topps-football-2nd-series-unopened-cello-pack-psa-nm-7/a/50074-81735.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
Big nope. Not even close. No chance.
Looks like a scammer bought a complete set and tried to make packs. Really bad fakes nothing is correct with them.
Agreed. The sides of the packs don't have that zebra striped vending pattern. The seal on the back seems too cloudy. If you look at the top edges of the packs, the cards all seem different lengths too.
Great, thanks so much for all your feedback, a huge help. I noticed issues with the back seals.
hey @grote15
What do you think 🤔🤔🤔???
I'm not too sure 📦📦📦...
Though A Fun Rip👌👌👌...
ask your self this question ? If you owned some nice vintage packs with stars on top, why wouldn't you have them graded?
Indeed, if legit they’d be in a big auction by now and the owner would need to hire security to get through the mob.
Not legit. Avoid these as well as the 71 and 72 baseball cellos I've been seeing pop up on ebay. Dead giveaway is placement of the gum. Seals and patterning of the card stock on the sides are all wrong, too.
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.
Wouldn't the gum be on the back of the cello or would that interfere with the sealing process?
Hi Mike,
It's in the middle of the pack but not in the exact middle like these.
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.
I asked this person several times that exact question. Always get a different excuse. At one point though, he reiterated that they took these, and a bunch of other packs to a local card shop who proclaimed all legit!! lol when pressed, he started spouting off that he was going to put them in with a major auction house who told him they worth over 1 million$. When I simply asked which auction house, then he said he couldn't tell me, that they wanted him to sign a NDA?? It's a long weird story that if someone wants the whole thing, send a PM. And yes, all those '63 and '72 Baseball cellos showing up lately on Ebay, are his! He sold, then re-listed several of the '63 packs, they only difference is he removed the sticker that wsa on the packs originally. Again, if anyone here wants more info, just ask. I was 90% sure they weren't legit, just wanted more info if possible. Thanks, Steve
This is significantly more legit than those "1971 FB Cellos":
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
My dad was an auctioneer and when he was young a pitchman and he believed that people don't buy things, they buy stories.
Well...this story is worth more than the purported "million."
Well, if you only had 6 months to live, you'd never get them back on time
If I only had 6 months to live and the packs were legit I would probably open them, and I usually never open any vintage unopened packs , but I know everyone looks at unopened in different ways as to open or not too
As many have stated 100% fake for multiple reasons
Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972
These are 83T cello packs:
Very well stated and very accurate. People buy stories and experiences, not things.
This is a pretty complex and unique statement. If I knew that I had only 6 months to live via accurate diagnosis, heck ya I'd rip everything I've got and post about it here before I croak. Y'all might crap your pants at some of what gets posted.
By the way, he listed them all on Ebay...
The Bradshaw fake cello went for close to $500. Rest of the Packs averaged around $200 each
Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972
Are $500 packs sent for authentication like cards?
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
Looks like the person used saran wrap. The corners looked damaged on all of them with uneven wear throughout. Nothing looks right about them
No doubt some breaker will buy them and sell spots for $150 a spot.
Looks like a great way to get rid of commons. Put one star card on top and the rest will be low graded commons below. I guess in my younger days I might have fallen for that.
yes thats quite plausible and highlights how sleazy this hobby is at every level.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
Yes, the last time I communicated with this person, I basically told him I thought the only "value" these packs had was in the low to mid-grade star card showing. Thanks everyone for confirming what I thought.
Well, he is at it again lol
https://ebay.com/itm/377050185892?
https://ebay.com/itm/377050180145?
lol here’s all you need to know about his wax packs too
Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972
By listing these on here, I'm trying to make sure nobody wastes their $$ on his listings.
What is the purpose of posing the packs between two signed baseballs?
I guess at least you could get an OJ football with the pack. LOL
Anyone check his completed sales over the last 90 days? Total is well over 40k.
A's World Championships-1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1989
Shameful. Someone needs to get very angry and go teach this criminal a lesson.
Been going on 10+ years. As long as eBay makes money, they have no interest in stopping the fraud. A long time ago I tracked sales of an eBay account selling fraud 1986 Fleer Basketball and 1979 Topps Hockey. Over a 3 month period the guy make 250k. Five years later, he was still active and selling.
Yup, I sent numerous requests to Ebay regarding his re-listing of previously sold packs, they did nada!
I guess he didn't have any luck selling them @ $1500 each lol
https://ebay.com/itm/377062771921
https://ebay.com/itm/377062773833