1977-78 OPC WHA Box Break from BBCEX

Onlypsahockey

Just received my 77-78 OPC WHA wax box from Steve Hart. Thank you Steve if you're reading this. Thought I'd crack it "Live" so to speak as I enjoy when others open their material here.

Ok, the package arrived via UPS ground and was dvd in 2 days. The box was well packaged, securely incased in a fed-ex bubble mailer and surrounded by a gazillion packing peanuts.



First impression of the wax box: NM-MT Obviously direct from a case then shrink wrapped to protect it. Scotch tape seal on box clearly in place below shrink wrap.

Let the games begin...back soon.

Onlypsahockey

Removed the shrink wrap and found one thin crusty yellow piece of tape holding the box closed. Slit the tape with a razor to reveal absolutely beautiful 48/12 card packs stacked tightly inside. This is why you should buy unopened products from a reputible dealer like Steve Hart.



NOTE: Is it me or did they use a pic of Bobby Orr with the Black Hawks for the wrapper image?

Onlypsahockey

I'll be starting with the top left stack of 8 packs and working my way left to right stack by stack.

There aren't any huge money cards in this issue. What I'm looking for are hi end gradeable cards for my registry set. This issue is famous for the copyright line on the back bottom of the card being cut in half or being at the top of the card. About 60% of the cards I've seen have this problem even when the card front is perfectly centered.

I guess the big cards in the set would be the Howe, Hull, Mahovlich and the checklist. But again just looking for cards that won't come back (MC).

Onlypsahockey

First pack... Nicely sealed on the back. Both roller lines matching up. Pack pulled open with the slightest resistance as expected.

12 cards inside images facing the pack back. All cards are clean and crisp with very nice corners.

11 commons and Gordie Howe. Howe was the 11th card in of 12.

Miscut ratio: 8/12 MC including the Howe.

So this pack yields 4 potential additions to my registry.

Of those 4 ...3 are OC on the front....result 1 card for submission.

Onlypsahockey

Pack #2...13 commons

8 MC....5 potential submissions

of those 5....3 are OC on the front

pack result 2 possible submissions.


The next 6 packs I'll group into one post.

Onlypsahockey

BTW 28 year old gum taste like roof shingles!

Onlypsahockey

Pack #3...13 commons....6 MC....4/7 OC on front...3 possible subs
Pack #4...12 commons & Mahov...11 MC including Mahov... 2 poss. subs.
Pack #5...11 commons, Hull & checklist...8 MC including Hull & checklist...2 possible subs of remaining 5
Pack #6...12 commons and a Howe...11 MC but not the Howe. Howe is an 8 or longshot at a 9. Definite submission.
Pack #7...13 commons...9 MC....2/4 OC on front...result 2 poss. subs.
Pack #8...13 commons...9 MC....1/4 OC on front...result 3 poss. subs.

Results first 8 packs... 2 Howes, 1 Hull, 1 Mahovlich & 1 checklist.
Of these 5 key cards 1 Howe is gradeable.

Of the 103 cards in the first 8 packs 68 are MC on the back.
Of the remaining 35 cards 17 are possible submissions.

Here's a scan of the good Howe and a scan of the back of the MC Howe. (The copyright line up top should be at the bottom.) This card happens to be a true MC also (L/R)

Onlypsahockey

Okay I'm starting to hallucinate from eating the gum.

I'm gonna put on some Floyd and lie down.

I'll crack the rest later tonight or tomorrow.

I'll post the results here if anyone cares. I can't tell if I'm boring the
crap out of you guys with too much info or what.

LMK by posting here if I should post the rest of the results or not.

Thanks, Bob

Now where's my Wish You Were Here CD

eyebone

Bob:

I feel your pain--those '77-8 WHA cards are absolute murder to find with properly centered backs aren't they? The box break might be a bit more "exciting" if there potential were high end cards, as you mentioned.

Your taste in music is simply first class though; man, that Wish You Were Here album holds so many great memories.....

Good luck with the set submissions.

Eyebone

NickM

Keep the break coming.

But no more eating the gum. We want you to survive to the end of the box.

Nick

julen23

bob,

can i buy some of that gum from you?

Julen

ldferg

the design looks like the 78 donruss kiss cards

sagard

The Howe card shows a rink with clear boards. That is about as cool as it gets.

ldferg

anymore scans? keep the post alive. this is sweet.

studentT206

I don't collect hockey at all, but this is how a thread should be. Great job. If you are going to "eat" anymore gum, do it with people you trust like acid. Seriously, did you really eat that sh!t? My best friend says that if I ever bust an old 60's or 50's pack he WANTS to try the gum. Want a dumbass, but I love him.


D

TheCARDKid

The scans are great. These box break threads are always really cool.

They bring out a sense of excitment and fun, and that's what the hobby is all about. I opened an '89 Donruss box this afternoon and had a neat time, even if it's a $9 box. No Griffey, but seeing Ricky Jordan, Canseco 40/40, Donnie Baseball....it takes me right back to a saturday afternoon in '89 opening this stuff up.

Careful with the gum!

rvc

bob, keep them coming!

Onlypsahockey

Due to popular demand the break will continue live. I always enjoyed when others opened their product and shared with the board members here. I was hoping you guys were enjoying it and not getting bored by my MC counting.


Anyway, the CU site has been 504'ing me since last night. This is the first time I could get on. I'm going to open the rest of the box in 8 pack stacks continueing across the top with the top middle stack next.

I noticed in the first 8 packs that a couple of the packs seemed to have identicle cards in them. To verify this I'm going to list the card #'s in each pack in order from back of pack to front. Just a hunch but I think many of the packs may have the same collation. Also it seemed like there were 8 or so MC's then 4 or so cards cut rite per pack. This would explain why about 65-70% of the cards out there are MC. They may have worked off three sheets with 2 being MC. If that makes sense. Or should I say they stuffed the packs out of three sources with two of those three being MC.

Back in a bit.

Onlypsahockey

I think Anders ate "the gum" also!

Onlypsahockey

Okay 2nd stack of 8 packs opened and here's the results. I was going to list each card # in each pack to see if there was a certain order or if certain cards were in certain packs. The placement appears to be totally random so I won't bore everyone with a bunch of useless #'s.

Pack #1.) 12 commons & Mahovlich...6 mc...7 ok...5 poss. subs. of those 7 including the Mahovlich. (top left in scan)
Pack #2.) 12 commons & Hull...7 mc...6 ok...5 poss. subs. of those 6 including the Hull. (top center in scan) Note: 2nd & 3 rd cards in this pack were upside down.
Pack #3.) 11 commons, checklist & Howe...7 mc including Howe...6 ok...3 poss. subs. of those 6 including the checklist. (top right in scan) heavy print dots in the pink may keep her out.
Pack #4.) 13 commons...10 mc...3 ok...1 poss. sub.
Pack #5.) 13 commons...6 mc...7 ok...3 poss. subs. of those 7. Two of them are card #6. This pack had 3 sets of doubles. There was a damaged card in the pack #35 Ftorek bent from the top left down to his right glove. Looks like it may have been picked up off the floor at the factory. (bottom center in scan)
Pack #6.) 11 commons & a checklist...8 mc...4 ok...4 poss. subs. of those 4 including the checklist. (bottom right in scan) print dots also.
Pack #7.) 13 commons...8 mc...5 ok...3 poss. subs. of those 5.
Pack #8.) 12 commons & Mahovlich...9 mc...4 ok...4 poss. subs. of those 4. The Mahovlich is MC on the reverse L/R & T/B. It's about 1/99 L/R on the front. (bottom left in scan)



1st 8 packs yield....103 cards...68 mc....35 ok....17 poss. subs.
2nd 8 packs yield....103 cards...61 mc....42 ok....32 poss. subs.

totals 16 packs.......206 cards...129 mc...77 ok...49 poss. subs.

Approximately 65% MC's.

Just a note the MC's seem to run in 4 card bunches in the packs.
Example: 2 cards ok, 4 MC's, 4 ok, 3 MC's


Be back later tonight with the next stack of 8 packs. That will be the top right stack in the box.

Please post your thoughts or comments. It was great to read all the comments today.

Thanks, Bob

eyebone

The Hull you have scanned looks very nice....a 9 perhaps? What is the back like on that card, Bob?

Eyebone

Onlypsahockey

Here's the 3rd stack of 8 packs.

Pack #1.) 13 commons...9 mc...4 ok...0 poss. subs. of those 4.
Pack #2.) 12 commons & Howe...11 mc including Howe (top right in scan)...2 ok...1 poss. subs. of those 2.
Pack #3.) 11 commons, Hull & checklist...10 mc including the checklist (top center in scan)...3 ok...1 poss. sub. of those 3 the Hull (top left in scan).
Pack #4.) 13 commons...11 mc...2 ok...1 poss. sub. of those 2.
Pack #5.) 12 commons & Mahovlich...9 mc including Mahov. (bottom right in scan)...4 ok...2 poss. subs. of those 4.
Pack #6.) 13 commons...9 mc...4 ok...4 poss. subs. of those 4.
Pack #7.) 12 commons & Howe...8 mc including Howe (bottom center in scan)...5 ok...3 poss. subs. of those 5.
Pack #8.) 11 commons, Hull & checklist...9 mc including Hull (bottom left in scan) & the checklist (not in scan)...4 ok...4 poss. sub. of those 4.



That puts me halfway thru the box with these results:

1st 8 packs yield....103 cards...68 mc....35 ok....17 poss. subs.
2nd 8 packs yield....103 cards...61 mc....42 ok....32 poss. subs.
3rd 8 packs yield....104 cards...76 mc.....28 ok....17 poss. subs.
totals 24 packs.......310 cards...205 mc...105 ok...66 poss. subs.

Approximately 65% MC's.

JrMacdaddy

It was mentioned that the dasher boards on the Howe card were clear. It was told to me growing up that there were only two arenas in the world that had the clear dasher boards. One was in Japan and the other was in the arena that Gordie Howe is pictured.

Anyone care to venture a guess about the name of the arena?

Bob, great thread. I love reading stuff like this. Too bad about the number of MC cards.

Onlypsahockey

Eyebone, I agree the Hull has a shot at a 9. Here's the back.



The Hull that came out of the last group is probably an 8.

Thanks, Bob

Onlypsahockey

Mark,

Great trivia question. I wish I knew the answer.

as for the MC's...I knew the miscuts would be around 60-70 %. If I can get close to wrapping the set without MC qualifiers then I'll be happy with the box. If any of the key cards pull 9's or any commons pull 10's then I'll be very happy.

Thanks, Bob

rvc

way to go bob! the next box i crack i am going to do the same type of thread . this is great stuff, nice hull pull!

Onlypsahockey

Just noticed in the last 8 packs that there is a definite sequencing to the cards in certain packs. I've been keeping a record of the card #'s and where they are in the packs. The two packs with the Howe's are nearly identicle in card order.

Pack #2.) 4-29-1 (Howe)-28-57-16-24-23-30-54-51-20-7.
Pack #7.) 25-4-29-1 (Howe)-28-57-16-24-23-30-54-51-20.

But the pack with the Howe from the 2nd stack of packs has every other card matching the above two Howe packs.

Pack #3.) 65-17-58 (checklist)-4-37-1 (Howe)-18-57-33-24-11-30-15.

So there is a definite sequence to the card collation. Only took me half a box to notice. LOL

The Hull packs also match up every other card.

Hull Pack... 50 (Hull)-66-9-31-2-41-26-36-45-58 (checklist)-63-37.
Hull Pack... 13-20-43-10-51-50 (Hull)-47-9-59-2-52-26-39.

I haven't picked up a sequence in the other packs without Howe, Hull or the checklist. They appear to be random.

Onlypsahockey

rvc,

That'll be great. We can all enjoy a box break this way. It feels like I got more bang for my buck by sharing it here.

Thanks, Bob

Onlypsahockey

Well, the packs not containing key cards also run in the same order.
One of the packs I defined as "13 commons" matches every other card in one of the Hull packs. So I'm sure if I tried to match every other card in any pack I would find the same run elsewhere.

Example:

13 commons...7-21-66-60-31-8-41-49-36-40-45-22-63.
Hull Pack.... 50 (Hull)-66-9-31-2-41-26-36-45-58 (checklist)-63-37.


Enough with the numbers. Time for some scans.

Onlypsahockey

Anyone into goalie cards?

Onlypsahockey

Here's a few NHL stars who made the jump.

Onlypsahockey

Some shots of WHA jerseys you don't see too often.

Onlypsahockey

That's it for me. Back at it tomorrow.

Thanks, Bob

sagard

<< <i>It was mentioned that the dasher boards on the Howe card were clear. It was told to me growing up that there were only two arenas in the world that had the clear dasher boards. One was in Japan and the other was in the arena that Gordie Howe is pictured.

Anyone care to venture a guess about the name of the arena?

Bob, great thread. I love reading stuff like this. Too bad about the number of MC cards. >>



Obviously I know after spending so much time as a youth watching the "Tourney" there. I had know idea the clear dashers were so rare. My question is why and who were the Houston Aeros playing there? Fighting Saints?

JrMacdaddy

Yes, Fighting Saints on their second go around. They have the Red and White uniforms. From 1972-76 they wore the blue and white. They folded in 1976.

They gave it another go around when the Cleveland Crusaders re-located for the 1976-77 season but weren't able to make it and foled for the second time.

Blue Saints



Red Saints

phreakydancin

Bob, did you see this auction? m_t_g failed to note "WHA" in the auction title. It's one of only fourteen 9NQ's graded for the entire set.

#49 Al Smith