Unopened Packs

Webhead1968 · November 13, 2006 8:01PM

If you had a unopened cello or rack pack and the top card was a very well centered (only an example) Rickey Henderson Rookie that might grade a 9 or possibly a 10 on a good day with a grader who just got some from his wife on his birthday during a full moon of a leap year and one baby zebra (Daffy Duck reference

) Would you grade the pack or rip it and grade the card?

lostdart58 · November 13, 2006 8:14PM

I think we will find that there are a fairly well divided group of rippers and non rippers here.

I am a non-ripper...................a pack COLLECTOR as oppossed to a pack ripper.

At one point I might get some of my vast pack collection graded.

fiveniner · November 13, 2006 8:29PM

I would rip.Unopened paks have a short life around me.Its just like betting on a horse sometimes you win sometimes you lose.

XanaduNow · November 13, 2006 9:50PM

Hmmm ... that's a tough call. I'm a ripper, that's just what I do. It's in my nature to rip. I've never known anything but ripping.

That being said, I would inspect that Henderson until my spleen bled. Loupe, binoculars, telescope, the Force ... everything I had at my disposal. If I still couldn't find ANY imperfections than I would scan the rack and measure the centering with pixels. If you still feel it's a legit 10 shot then I would rip.

Unopened material is one of the few things that more than likely won't lose its value. They're not making any more of it and the supply can only go down. That being said, unopened material with a star/HOFer/RC showing seems to have a ceiling on it that won't meet the ceiling of a PSA 10 graded example of the same card.

If you feel it's got a legit shot at a 10 I'd rip. Anything less than a legit shot and I'd wait. It's a nice item and you can always change your mind later on.

Actually, and more importantly, which is it -- a cello or a rack? I wouldn't chance opening a cello, everything I wrote above was assuming it's a rack.

Either way, nice find!

Arthur

Webhead1968 · November 13, 2006 10:28PM

Sorry, if I led you to believe that I have this pack. I was just using it as an example. I do have many packs with great cards on the front and just wanted to get everyone's opinion on what I should do with them...in general.

Also to answer another question, I don't think anyone grades racks so I guess it would have to be a cello.

Buying racks is a good idea because all you can do with them is rip!

lostdart58 · November 13, 2006 10:42PM

<< Sorry, if I led you to believe that I have this pack. I was just using it as an example. I do have many packs with great cards on the front and just wanted to get everyone's opinion on what I should do with them...in general.

Also to answer another question, I don't think anyone grades racks so I guess it would have to be a cello.

Buying racks is a good idea because all you can do with them is rip! >>

Racks can indeed be graded.....

Webhead1968 · November 13, 2006 10:45PM

<< Racks can indeed be graded..... >>

Thanks for raining on my parade

now I can't rip guilt free

lostdart58 · November 13, 2006 10:49PM

Estil · November 13, 2006 10:49PM

I'd keep it also; forget about grading, the simple fact of the matter is that packs are much, MUCH rarer than the cards themselves, especially the further back you go. I mean, why do you think this 1975 Topps wax tray goes for about as much as a NRMT complete set on Ebay?

1975 Topps wax tray; literally worth its weight in gold

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · November 13, 2006 11:06PM

I have a rare Bill Ripken version on rack that I dont have as a single. I almost opened it but my buddy talked me out of it as I have since then seen 3 more raw but not another on a rack. Personally I prefer racks with stars on top as cellos can easily be tampered. The key for me is having all 3 card on the rack facing the same was as a upside down card takes away a bit of eye appeal. I opened a cello with Bill Ripken on bottom to see what version it is but if it was a rare one on top it would stay unopened. As it was mentioned before there are more singles raw and graded than on packs. If you do open like Xanadu said, use the force. lol

Alfonz24 · November 13, 2006 11:40PM

lostdart,

that is an awesome Tom Hume!

lostdart58 · November 13, 2006 11:54PM

<< lostdart,

that is an awesome Tom Hume! >>

Bob Bonner Rookie card......

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · November 14, 2006 12:52AM

Wow a Dawson and Ripken jr. showing. Nice. I have yet to see a rack with 3 stars on top facing same way.

Webhead1968 · November 14, 2006 12:54AM

How is that rack only graded a 7? The Ripken card looks to be centered very well.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · November 14, 2006 12:57AM

<< How is that rack only graded a 7? The Ripken card looks to be centered very well. >>

I dont think GAI takes into acct. the condition of the cards inside. I have a rare FF version on a rack with the price tag and some color loss and it got a 9 !! Dont get me wrong I'm not complaining, just confused.

flatfoot816 · November 14, 2006 1:04AM

as a pack collector, I do not rip 'em. Especially if there is a HOF on top--always a premium. Ofcourse if you are in it for the $$ and are sure it is a high grade card, rip it and grade it.

flatfoot816 · November 14, 2006 1:05AM

oh yeah, the card itself has nothing to do with the rgade of a pack, or cello. Even raks with the dreaded machine ding can get a high grade

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · November 14, 2006 1:11AM

PSA does take into acct. the condition of cards showing. GAI does not (at least its not mentioned on their site).

Beezer12 · November 14, 2006 3:17PM

I collect unopened material simply because it was created for the sole purpose of being opened. Some kind of allure in the fact that a pack has survived intact, which also adds to it's relative rarity and collectibility. Paying a self proclaimed expert to assign a subjective number to a folded wax wrapper that was made to throw away in the first place is absurd to say the least. The only aspect of pack grading that has any worth is authenticating the seal integrity. If you are a card collector first then set the card free as it was intended

Webhead1968 · November 14, 2006 5:45PM

<< The only aspect of pack grading that has any worth is authenticating the seal integrity. If you are a card collector first then set the card free as it was intended >>

Well said!!

80sJunkie · November 14, 2006 8:41PM

ripitripitripitripitripit

Webhead1968 · November 14, 2006 8:57PM

<< ripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripitripit >>

what are you trying to say?

Estil · November 14, 2006 9:34PM

No, DON'T rip it open. You have a much rarer collectible that will only appreciate in value as the years go by.

yankeeno7 · November 14, 2006 11:09PM

I am a ripper. In fact, I just ripped one right now!

flatfoot816 · November 14, 2006 11:35PM

I encourage ripping. Makes my unopened collection that much more rare in the next 30 years when my kids get them. Maybe they'll be rippers too!!

XanaduNow · November 15, 2006 12:47AM

<< The only aspect of pack grading that has any worth is authenticating the seal integrity. >>

Beezer, I see where you're coming from but I respectfully disagree. Packs, much like cards, are collected for their individual characteristics. While I don't collect unopened material I would have to imagine that there are some out there who would much rather have a pristine copy of a particular pack as opposed to one that is ripped, dinger, soiled or torn. Single cards themselves are the same way. Sure, it's nice to know that the card you have is the real deal and not some counterfeit but most collectors also want the best possible conditioned example of the card, not just a mangled authentic example of it.

There are those that don't care what grade a pack gets as long as it is authenticated just like there are those that want to make sure their T206 is authentic and untrimmed. But there are also those who want the best possible example of the card/pack.

The wrapper might not have originally been intended to be graded and encapsulated but neither were the cards.

Arthur

spazzy · November 15, 2006 5:01AM

I would keep it unopened if it was a good rookie star. I would go out and buy a graded example of that same card which should pacify me for a few years....keeping it unopened and graded is the way it should be.If eveyone opened up the stuff we would not even have a subject like this. Respect the unopened.........

Unopened Packs

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