Greatest Wax Pack Find

gosteelers

Just wondering if anyone had any amazing stories to share relating to finding rare wax packs? I'm talking vintage or modern found at, for instance, a garage sale or department store. I still can't figure out how I missed all of those 1986 Fleer Basketball packs. I must have been blinded by all of that amazing 1986 Topps Baseball product, I have a ton of that!

Mark

CDsNuts

A friend of mine has this fantasy that he walks into an old pharmacy and there's a full box of 86/87 Fleer behind the counter. He tells the old lady there that he'd like to buy the box, and she goes "That'll be $10,000". I always get a laugh out of that.

Lee

Stone193

A great "find" is beyond the reach of most mortals...I guess?

I do have my big whine...BBCKid had a really good find of 52T 8 pack cellos that he broke up and was selling the packs which were clean as can be - for about 1700$ - I thought that was too much to pay...now, of course, my thinking was....BAD!!!




This was the find that produced the PSA 10 Pafko I believe that went for about 100 grand.

mike

goudeygold

86-87 fleer?!?! I'm always fantasizing about going through crap at an old country estate auction only to find an old box of goudeys all wrapped up in their crunchy old wrappers. agh... screw winning the lottery fantasies!!!

GG

Stone193

<< <i>86-87 fleer?!?! I'm always fantasizing about going through crap at an old country estate auction only to find an old box of goudeys all wrapped up in their crunchy old wrappers. agh... screw winning the lottery fantasies!!!

GG >>


GG
Do you remember the T206 "find" in a barn back in the early 90s? Some of the cards looks like the day they were printed. I saw some at the National in 92 - they were expensive back then - probably cheap compared to today?

mike

stevek

The exact same thing is happening right now. There will be some product either from this year or a few years back which is selling for cheap that will turn out to be extremely valuable in ten years or so. The big question is which one? If you find out let me know - LOL.

Stone193

<< <i>The exact same thing is happening right now. There will be some product either from this year or a few years back which is selling for cheap that will turn out to be extremely valuable in ten years or so. The big question is which one? If you find out let me know - LOL. >>


Steve
Don't some people believe that product from 1995 was drastically underproduced in anticipation of weak sales after the BB strike?

mike

stevek

Good example Mike. I notice on ebay how high those 1995 sets sell for - wouldn't be surprised if they are a LOT higher ten years from now.

gosteelers

Stone,
Nice picture of the '52s. I guess you regret not getting one for $1700? When did he sell these?

Mark

Stone193

<< <i>Stone,
Nice picture of the '52s. I guess you regret not getting one for $1700? When did he sell these?

Mark >>


Mark
He bought them in 1996 - 84 packs. And definitely yes...on the regret. Considering all the crap I bought.
My guess is that the packs would get at least an 8 from GAI - that would make the auction value today in the 6-10 grand area?

mike

Stingray

I wonder how many of them have been opened on the 52s and were the packs ended up being sold.

Stingray

WinPitcher

That guy Jason had a great find recently parlaying 70 dollars into 1300 or so with that 72 cello....

steve

ndleo

I did find a 1976/77 Topps Basketball box at a hobby store a few years ago. The box was worn, but the packs looked great. I asked the owner how much and he said that no one likes those big basketball cards......$100.

I pinched myself a couple of times and then handed him the $100. He was a huge hockey guy and didn't really care for BKB.

I heard that there are still some finds to be had in Pennsylvania. I was at a show in Lancaster and this guys had a bunch of nice early 1970's boxes. He told me that he purchased them at an estate sale for a former drug store owner.

CDsNuts

I recently went to the local card shop and found all these boxes that were 15 years old for under $20!! I think I'll send them in to GAI.

Lee

RipublicaninMass

I am a real estate broker/mortgage broker here in Mass. I sell many houses in the boston area, many of which used to be old corner grocery stores back in the 40's and 50's. Most of which need entire rehab, so the walls, floors, and attics are ripped apart. I have found a few neat items, but I tell all my customers how much I love baseball cards. I also say I would appreciate, if the found any cards, to call me. No luck yet. I found and old case of coke bottles, a few beat up plates, a worthelsss painting, an old chemistry set (very cool but worthless), large six gallon glass water jugs (like poland springs but unlabeled and glass) an Arab Dinar form 700 AD. But no cards, I am still waiting for that case of 52 topps. I promise to bust every pack here on the board!

envoy98

Oh boy... my jaw hit the floor when I saw those 52T packs. Those look like brand new! Looks like grammy has a nice stack o' cash sitting there too, she's got quite the smile on her face...not as big as my smile would have been getting those though.

Fabfrank

I've told this story before, but I'll share it again. Only because it keeps me humble. In the mid-80's I had established relationships with the area Walgreens, Woolworths and McCrorys store mangers. During this time it was very difficult to get Donruss and Fleer Baseball product. These stores were able to get the product, but it was always hit and miss. I made a deal with the mangers to LMK when the product arrived and I would buy it all. I would load the cases into my car so they didn't have to hassle with stocking the shelves. They even gave me a discount (25%??) and I would tip them in appreciation
In early 1987 I went to the local McCrorys and asked when the new baseball product would be in. The manger told me soon, but he was having trouble moving some old product. He brought me out to the candy aisle (where they also displayed all the wax packs of cards). When we got there the stock boy was sweeping up loose packs on the floor and dumping them into the garbage. The manager said "You see my problem. I have these wax boxes stacked so high that they touch the ceiling. The loose packs fall to the floor and it's easier just to throw them away instead of re-stocking them. I have all these boxes on the shelf, plus an opened case and 2 sealed cases in the back room. Take them all and I can give you a good price." We discussed price, but I just couldn't use the product. He came down to $9 per box and I still refused. I just didn't think I could turn around and sell the product.
I guess you are wondering what this worthless unsellable product was? 1986 Fleer Basketball
Can anyone please show me the " shoot yourself in the head" graemlin?

CDsNuts

Yeah, a most, if not all of the 86/87 product was distributed to the 5 and dime stores, and I think retail was .33 a pack. Most of us weren't as close to buying them as you but we all could have easily had several cases. I heard a rumor that a large percentage of them were destroyed because the stores couldn't swell them and Fleer didn't want them back. That's alright, we probably would've all cashed in way before the cards reached $100 a pack.

Lee

Stone193

<< <i>Yeah, a most, if not all of the 86/87 product was distributed to the 5 and dime stores, and I think retail was .33 a pack. Most of us weren't as close to buying them as you but we all could have easily had several cases. I heard a rumor that a large percentage of them were destroyed because the stores couldn't swell them and Fleer didn't want them back. That's alright, we probably would've all cashed in way before the cards reached $100 a pack.

Lee >>


That would be the reality Lee
As they climbed in value, no one would've dreamed that they would reach 3-400 per pack! When they were in the 1-150$ range, people would open packs right in front of the BBCKid - it was good PR for Murphy. He would take a pic when a guy pulled a nice Jordan! But wait, no pics when the Jordan came out dinged, OC and rough cut? Oh well. This product has condition problems written all over it.

Frank
The product was going for 9 bucks a box in St. Louis in 1987. No one wanted it. It looked like crap to a lot of guys and basketball wasn't that popular anyway. Still, great story!! Thanx for sharing.

mike

Fabfrank

The product was going for 9 bucks a box in St. Louis in 1987

Hi Mike. He came to that number because that was what I paid for the baseball product. If you remember at that time Donruss and Fleer were retailing at the chain stores for .75- $1 a pack. I believe Topps was going for .35 cents a pack. My connection would give me the Fleer and Donruss product at the same price as Topps and than discount from there.
The part that really hurts is that a week later I reconsidered and went back to get the cases. The manager told me he just sold all his inventory that morning

bowdowntome

Interesting.
There is a local (tiny) grocery store down the road from me, that closed down in March due to the owners' passing. It had been in business since some time in the mid fifties, and was a hotspot for tourists since it is located on Route 66. This weekend, and next, they are auctioning the stores entire contents, lot by lot. Some of the locals around here, who knew the owner for many many years, say he had a basement full of "stuff", besides what was displayed in the actual store. What exactly the definition of "stuff" is remains to be seen. Not that there is likely much chance of finding old unopened ballcards there, but that remains to be seen. I'll be in attendance, checkbook at the ready.

Stone193

Does anyone remember last year when Mr. Mint picked up 52 Berk Ross packs? No one had ever seen them - some guy who owned a shoe store died at like 100 and they found them in the back. I want to say it was in a 120 count box and a few were opened. Berk Ross were sold in small boxes like the old cellos and the 51s were in two card panels and the 52s were singles.



For what Mr. Mint sold the box for...the mark up by others is quite high IMO. What is of interest...no one had ever seen packs before this.

So there is still all kinds of stuff out there waiting to be discovered?

mike

MajorDanby

fab...that's quite a story.

How are those 87 donruss and fleers doing for you??

Don't hit yourself hard for that....you didnt have a crystal ball to figure out how 1.) the hobby would end up the way it is today 2.) that michael jordan, ewing, wilkins, etc would be hall of famers and 3.) that any basketball set would be worthwhile to invest in.

Fabfrank

MajorDanby- You have to remember, back than there was no official basketball set printed since 81 (I don't consider those Star Cards official). Essentially any player who joined the league between 82-86 had their RC or First card in that set. It took me a week to realize that there was virtually no downside for me to the deal. Forget the fact that the product exploded. I know I would have flipped the boxes for quick turnover and never have held them to the level they reached, but it's nice to dream.

Axtell

I have a similar story to frank about the 86-7 fleer basketball, but turned out I bought a box. I was leaving the (at the time) local baseball card/coin shop, and a friend of mine and I had a few bucks left in our pockets. We headed to the mini-mart that was right next door and we each picked up a box, even though neither one of us had a vested in interest in basketball cards, we just wanted something to rip. I think we paid like 10 or 11 bucks (It couldn't have been much more than that).

Fast forward a decade or so and I'm cleaning out and organizing a big rubbermaid box of cards and low and behold, there's the lot of cards...had nearly a complete set and 2 jordans. Submitted both Jordans and they both pulled 8s. About the only good story I have about wax

I remember distinctly buying a ton of packs of the 1985 football product with that same friend, and selling my dupes back to the card shop owner for something different...I think all in all I had ripped about 3 wax boxes....man would I like to have those dupes now!

Carew29

I can't really call mine a find, but there was a baseball card shop in Glendora,CA, back in the early 80's that was owned by a Pawn shop owner from a nearby city. He had some sort of a connection with somebody in Canada. I bought two of the 5 boxes he had. One being a 1973 OPC BASEBALL BOX and the 2nd being a 1975 OPC BASEBALL BOX. As i was making good money in construction at the time and was still single, i paid if i recall correctly around $13 a pack for the 73' BOX and around $17 a pack for the 75' BOX. They are completely unsearched and i still have them in my safe. I have seen lately what the GAI packs have been going for. If PSA ever goes down that road i would consider submitting them for grading.
I was a witness about 4 years ago at Frank and Sons when a couple of guys i had seen frequently there open a box of 1961 cello baseball packs and pulled 9 Mantles out of that box. And if i didn't see it myself, i wouldn't have believed it!! Talk about a find!!