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Great news for unopened pack collectors

Just returned from the National with news that PSA will begin grading unopened material in early 2006. From the sounds of things, PSA is going to find creative ways to include graded packs in the registry, this is good news for all us pack collectors! Here is to hoping this will do for packs what the registry did for graded cards! I also hope this will bring new material into the market as some pack collectors do not trust GAI. As always, if you have any 1971 topps baseball unopened packs, please let me know.

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    rbdjr1rbdjr1 Posts: 4,474 ✭✭
    What is your opinion of GAI (i.e., grading 70s packs)? I have maybe a couple of dozen 70s GAi wax, and for the most part, they look ok to me. You seem experienced in the "wax pack arena", do you not trust GAI graded packs?

    T~I~A


    rbd



    1976 Topps Baseball # 1 Registry (Looking for # 51, 182, 308, 585 (Torre), 609 & 621 in PSA 9 or 10)
    Note: I have 654 PSA 10s & 9s (with the remaining 6 above at PSA 8)

    1961 Nu-Cards FB # 1 Registry (Looking for # 118 raw mint or PSA 9 or 10)
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    jrdolanjrdolan Posts: 2,549 ✭✭
    Cool! I have a lot of '70s cello and rack packs with Bench, Rose, other Reds on the front, and a smattering of wax packs from the same era (sorry, no '71s). I was never tempted to send them for grading, but this would make me reconsider.
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    wonder what that will do to gai's values on the unopened that they have graded. Obviously, with them being the only game in town right now, they command higher prices, wonder what the psa 8 unopened vs. the gai 8 unopened will mean in price differential.
    The Link below will take you to the PSA Boards 1952 Set Build, I also have made 5 slideshows each slideshow is 100 cards long, card numbers 1-99,100-199,200-299,300-399, and 400-407
    Link To Scanned 1952 Topps Cards Set is now 90% Complete Plus Slideshows of the 52 Set
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    rbd-

    I have not had any problems with GAI, but there have been others that have had horrific experiences...ie GAI lost thier vintage packs! The grading seems fairly consistent, but I have had issues with their holders....some packs move around too much, and when you have a vintage pack with gum inside that is hard as a rock it can literally poke holes in the pack in shipment (I have had this happen to me). This small hole can turn into a rip, ect. over time which can devalue the pack. I spoke to Joe Orlando personally about this, and they are taking great pains to ensure they have holders that can minimize or eliminate this issue, PSA will be getting input from collectors on this as well.

    See we are going to get jr's material out and graded.....hopefully ALOT more will come out!
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I wonder who they are going to get to grade these?

    Murphy? First name to come into my head.

    mike
    Mike
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    ctsoxfanctsoxfan Posts: 6,246 ✭✭
    I also wonder if this might be a serious blow to GAI - the only reason most non-dealers used them was to grade packs and unopened material. They might not be able to build their business on friendly dealer grading alone.
    image
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    That is THE question Mike, if PSA is serious about this they will need an appropriate expert, this will be the only way to ensure that the PSA brand reflects quality pack grading services.
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    ctsoxfanctsoxfan Posts: 6,246 ✭✭
    Jayhawk and Mike - I'll bet they have this planned already, and have someone / some people in mind to give this the authenticity that it needs to succeed. They wouldn't have changed their mind on this issue (as they did) without giving it some serious thought.
    image
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    I agree, Joe Orlando indicated the first part of 2006, I would imagine when they make the official release public they will also state the lead authenticator for the service at that time...I can't wait!
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    FYSFYS Posts: 194
    Good news. This was actually reported on the SGC site a few days ago.
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I also wonder if this might be a serious blow to GAI - the only reason most non-dealers used them was to grade packs and unopened material. They might not be able to build their business on friendly dealer grading alone. >>


    CT
    I agree - I should've worded that - "I wonder who they GOT?" You know they wouldn't announce a venture like this without having an implementation plan fully executed beforehand.

    mike
    Mike
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    jrdolanjrdolan Posts: 2,549 ✭✭
    Does GAI grade rack packs? They're not quite like wax or cello, which they scrutinize for signs of being opened and resealed. You can't open and reseal a rack pack that I'm aware of, since the cards are in three separate sealed compartments.

    Perhaps the size of an unfolded rack pack isn't an issue for GAI, which has holders for everything (including my Honda Civic). But PSA is less inclined to create a new slab unless there will be plenty of demand for it.
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    Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,351 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Does GAI grade rack packs? They're not quite like wax or cello, which they scrutinize for signs of being opened and resealed. You can't open and reseal a rack pack that I'm aware of, since the cards are in three separate sealed compartments.

    Perhaps the size of an unfolded rack pack isn't an issue for GAI, which has holders for everything (including my Honda Civic). But PSA is less inclined to create a new slab unless there will be plenty of demand for it. >>


    image

    Here ya go JR
    I think they would grade the Titanic and bag it if you can find a way to get it to them! image

    mike
    Mike
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    ranarana Posts: 242


    << <i>As always, if you have any 1971 topps baseball unopened packs, please let me know. >>



    Be prepared for this one to nearly break the bank:
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5223950574
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    To the question about Mark Murphy grading their packs I don't think that will happen since reports are that he is out of the hobby. There was a booth with his name on it, but he did not show up the entire week so you do the math.
    "Why is it that Superman could stop a bullet with his chest, yet he ducked when somebody threw a chair at him?"
    "
    " Go ahead and get your fancy barely visible cell phones that get the internet, play DVD's, and can speak 5 languages. As for me and my Atari cell phone it works, it weighs 7 pounds, it is 14 inches long, and it looks like I could call in an airstrike from a remote desert it is so large!"
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    FYSFYS Posts: 194


    << <i>

    << <i>As always, if you have any 1971 topps baseball unopened packs, please let me know. >>



    Be prepared for this one to nearly break the bank:
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5223950574 >>



    Not so quick. Typically you have to divest your own business to eliminate conflicts of interest when starting a new venture. I think there is a significant amount of circumstantial evidence that says it is Murphy going in with PSA. How much sense does it make for the Baseball Card Kid to go out of business? He was THE place to go not so long ago?
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    slvnumber2,
    He actually arrived saturday afternoon at the National and all of his stuff was setup on one side of the GAI booth....come to think of it, would he be setting up there is he was going to jump to PSA? Possibly I guess.......we shall find out in due time.
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    StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭
    What did I miss about BBC Kid? He had a bunch of binders that looked like a team checklist book for several BB teams that were stacked on his table, said free sample on them. Did not look at them though.

    Stingray
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    packCollectorpackCollector Posts: 2,786 ✭✭✭
    doubt it will be the bbckid. he started with gai and left as there is too much conflict of interest . maybe things changed since the fire destroyed his inventory but I doubt that psa want to pay him enough to authenticate exclusively considering how difficult it is already going to be for them to make pack grading profitable
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    julen23julen23 Posts: 4,558 ✭✭
    Mark Murphy was NOT at the National. I purchased 5 boxes of '84 donruss over the phone from him saturday, he was at home in san diego taking my order. He said he just couldn't make it out this year.

    Perhaps you're thinking about "Wax from the Past", Ryan Rutter was set up at the GAI area. He owns Wax from the Past and is a grader for GAI.

    Julen
    image
    RIP GURU
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    StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭
    I saw I table, I am pretty sure, that was labled at BBC Kid. Just no one there.

    Stingray
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    jrdolanjrdolan Posts: 2,549 ✭✭
    Stone, that GAI rack pack holder is about the WEIRDEST slab I have ever seen. Do they slab baseball bats and home plates, too?

    What's the difference between a 7 and 8 on a rack pack, anyway? A couple wrinkles in the cellophane?
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    julen23julen23 Posts: 4,558 ✭✭
    If you look inside the National handout that lists vendors, he is not on the list.

    Julen
    image
    RIP GURU
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    StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭
    Maybe I am mistaking, but I could have sworn there was a table that had a sign that saide BBC Kid with just one table, with a bunch of bound books on it that were for different teams and appeared to be a checklist type book. They had a sticker on them that said "free". Did anyone else see this table?

    Stingray
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    julen is right--that was ryan rutter set up at the gai booth--i should know--i only stopped there like 50 times during my two days there (fri and sat) to drool over that unopened 58 topps wax box that some guy in china was supposedly flying in to buy for 250 grand. i'm sure u guys saw this box--did anyone else stop to talk to ryan and hear the story about that box and the 3 or 4 others he had on display there????? the box was shrink-wrapped closed (so we couldnt see the packs that supposedly were resting inside) and he took it out of the display case and let me pick it up--it was heavy--but did it really have 24 five card packs inside or was it filled with rocks???? i'm sure it was legit--i spoke to ryan at length on friday and he seems like a good guy, a very interesting guy to talk to. it was the first time i'd met him. as for mark murphy, i've met him a few times and find him much less engaging than ryan--ryan is definitely more approachable and down-to-earth. and julen is also correct re murphy's no-show at the national--i emailed mark a couple weeks back and asked him if he could bring a pack i was going to buy on his website to the show so i could save the six bucks shipping, but he said he was only going to the national for the first day or two to look around and not set up (even though he was on the exhibitor list); and that reminds me: discount sportscard co (aka "dsl sports" on ebay) out of irvine, ca-- they were also listed on the exhibitor list--but were nowhere to be found--were they in a different spot than what the list said or was i just blind??????

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    looking for 58 and 59 topps baseball in psa 7 and 8
    56 topps pins
    always looking for 1958 and 1959 topps baseball in psa 7 and 8
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    mikelowell25mikelowell25 Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭
    And heres another oldie but goodie; hard to believe its already been nine years since they started and about a month since they stopped (well, sort of)....
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    esquiresportsesquiresports Posts: 1,360 ✭✭✭
    Thanks for digging this up. Fascinating read. Interesting that "PSA to start grading packs" thread got two pages of replies in 2005 and "is BBCE drying up?" got about 50 pages in 2013.
    Always buying 1971 OPC Baseball packs.
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    cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Thanks for digging this up. Fascinating read. Interesting that "PSA to start grading packs" thread got two pages of replies in 2005 and "is BBCE drying up?" got about 50 pages in 2013. >>



    Plus, no mention of Steve as being the choice to grade the packs. BBCE has come a long way in less than 10 years.
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
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    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,522 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ryan Rutter...I remember when he was posting on here. Passed away way too soon.

    Mark Murphy. He was the unopened king for a while, before fading away into oblivion. Never a real personable guy to deal with, IIRC. I'd prefer dealing with Steve any day.


    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.
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    mikelowell25mikelowell25 Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭
    No problem scott!! You can find a lot of interesting stuff by doing a search for all the threads youve posted in over the years!!!! image

    And yes, I too was surprised to see this garnered only two pages of replies back in the day; I bet it gets more replies tomorrow than it did in total back in 2005!! (Or maybe not, but we shall see).
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    flatfoot816flatfoot816 Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭
    how and when did Rutter die??
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