Unopened wax trays ?

tennesseebanker · August 16, 2005 7:46AM

Has anyone ever bought any of the unopened wax trays ? I have seen a few 78 football wax trays at BBCE Steve sells for 50.00 bucks, I believe. Do these things produce a lot more high grade cards ? I would think they would considering the protection it has and the price for three packs, considering you can get three packs for about 10 bucks a piece out of the tray.

spazzy · August 16, 2005 8:10AM

By all means, buy them from a legit dealer like Steve or Mark. Wax trays can be opened and ironed and resealed. It is such an illusion that the packs are pristine and tight because they are in that plastic wrap but beware...I have seen some bad ones at shows.

RedHeart54 · August 16, 2005 8:38AM

Generally, it's a good idea to keep these trays closed because they are very scarce in this form. (I'm mainly speaking of the pre-1979 trays.) I've never heard of them getting resealed but I guess it's possible. However, the cellophane on them by now is rather brittle so I can't imagine resealing is a particularly widespread practice.

chicago111 · August 16, 2005 9:50AM

I bought one of those 78 FB wax trays from steve. Cards were in excellent shape. However, the only "star" card i pulled was a Largent. I didnt have the cards graded but if you collect the 78 set i would say go for it. The cards were top notch.

One small note that has nothing to do with the "condition" of the cards..many were well off center. But, that has nothing to do with the condition of the cards. Sharpest corners ive seen in any unopened material.

Stone193 · August 16, 2005 10:23AM

I like the looks of a wax tray - especially the 3 pack ones with the cardboard tray and the cellophane.

From the earlier years, these are hard to come by - I think there was a 75T pack for sale - if I bought one, I would not open it - they generally go for more money than the individual packs - not true for 79T and newer IMO.

I just like the packaging - it's kind of like an "art form"

mike

CDsNuts · August 16, 2005 10:44AM

If you're looking for something to bust, you're going to overpay for a wax tray. You're better off with clean wax and racks from BBCE. The price of trays is driven by rarity rather than the condition of the cards inside.

Lee

tennesseebanker · August 16, 2005 11:21AM

Many thanks, Although I have not started a 78 set yet < I was looking for that to be my next venture. I am currently pretty busy with my 77 and 83 sets among others right now. However, the 78 and 74 football are two I would love to dive into. I think now after hearing from you guys I will stick to the racks and wax, I have bought four 77 racks from Steve in the past six months and each one yielded a psa 10.

BTW-that is a sweet 74 wax tray ! where did you get that picture of it, is it for sale??

RedHeart54 · August 16, 2005 12:18PM

<< <i>From the earlier years, these are hard to come by - I think there was a 75T pack for sale >>

I had posted about that last '75 baseball tray. It sold for over $700, the highest I've ever seen it go for and I've followed trays on ebay for five years. There was also a '76 football tray that sold last night for about $350 including shipping.

ldferg · August 16, 2005 12:20PM

i've had better luck with quality on the regular racks than with the trays.

ctsoxfan · August 16, 2005 12:47PM

<< <i>i've had better luck with quality on the regular racks than with the trays. >>

So have I. The wax packs within the tray can be tightly packed together; one I opened had that problem. As mentioned, you will overpay for one of these, and better values for unopened product exist elsewhere.

Dand52261 · August 16, 2005 11:58PM

Just love the wax trays have opened some 79 baseball with really bad o/c type cards. Would never open one of them again , especially anything pre 79. I have heard the 79 hockey wax trays have had problems with the cards coming out damaged from being too tight together. I would love one anyway, to leave unopened. I have never heard of resealing these. The plastic is usually so brittle.

RedHeart54 · August 17, 2005 9:54AM

The price so far of this hockey tray has surprised me. These have become plentiful enough that they can be had for just a little over $200.

1979 hockey tray

Dand52261 · August 17, 2005 10:27PM

I have seen a lot of these trays around lately. I think they only made wax packs in topps for this year and the wax trays. I have seen OPC racks before. One even with Gretzky on top. Maybe they just made a ton of these trays in 79 because they did not make racks and cellos in Topps. I don't know. I know I would like one and would never crack it.

Griffins · August 18, 2005 2:08AM

There was a wax tray of '69 Topps baseball a year or so ago. It went for far greater than the sum of the individual packs, from what I recall.

Dand52261 · August 18, 2005 2:10AM

Don't remember one that old. Not surprised it went for more than three loose packs

RedHeart54 · August 18, 2005 2:20AM

<< <i>I think they only made wax packs in topps for this year and the wax trays. I have seen OPC racks before. One even with Gretzky on top. >>

OPC made 1979 wax racks with four wax packs. They are similar to the more available 1980 OPC baseball wax racks. (OPC also made 1980 hockey wax racks.) And yes, they also made regular racks with visible players. About four years ago I was offered the Gretzky rack for $1500 (if I recall. Could have been more.)

<< <i>There was a wax tray of '69 Topps baseball a year or so ago. It went for far greater than the sum of the individual packs, from what I recall. >>

The '69 trays actually had 6 packs. I remember one selling on ebay for something like $2500. Seems I saw another one in a non-ebay auction sometime ago as well.

Unopened wax trays ?

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