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MTG graded packs

tmmoosetmmoose Posts: 253 ✭✭
in Buy, Sell & Trade - Cards & Memorabilia
Am I alone in thinking graded MTG booster packs are a bit of a strange thing: isn't there a fairly good chance that, because of the way they're slabbed, some of the cards will be damaged? The pictures I've seen make them look a bit squished in.

As far as I can tell it doesn't guarantee the pack is unsearched either. Anyone else have a different view?

Comments

  • TromagicTromagic Posts: 200
    I agree with you.
    Since kadacards sold lot P9 alpha/beta sealed with Global Authenticated. It mean you can t trust Global Authenticated to find out fake cards or recolored cards.
    I bought this savanah lions from him graded with GEM and i can see the rebaking job in the seal image
    I wonder how they could have sealed this.
    I think it s even more difficult to see an open and resealed booster.
    So i would not trust a sealed booster with Global Authenticated.
    If the booster was sealed with PSA i would trust them.
    PSA are better than me to see recolored / fake cards since i sent them cards that looked real to me and they sent them back to me ungraded with recolored or authenticity ?
    Also i saw other big collector that got cards returned by PSA with recolored on it.
    So they are the most trustable compagny i think.
    But i don t think they grade booster.
    I don t know if the cards would get damaged by the seal though ... I hope not at least image
    Collecting MTG cards from Alpha to Antiquities.
  • ThulnanthThulnanth Posts: 502
    Hey All,

    I often wonder about graded MtG packs too - how do they know they're not searched? To be honest I assume that if someone has unopened packs they'll search them and open all the good ones while getting the bad ones graded. As much as I love unopened packs for the nostalgia, I wouldn't go near one with a 10' pole - way too risky.

    Back in the day (around Revised) I remember several stores that would actually search the packs and list the rare right on the pack wrapper, to prevent people searching them!!! Cards sold so well then that every pack still went out; probably wouldn't work today. I also remember around late 1994 looking at buying an unopened pack of Arabian Nights just to save it unopened. The store let me search it and I saw the rares were a Mjiae Djinn and a Bazaar of Baghdad - "crap rares", so I passed...

    Oh, and as for GEM grading slabbing that Savannah Lions - you do know that "GEM" grading is a complete joke, right? Do a search for them in the sportscard threads if you want to see all the credibility that "GEM" has in the industry image

    Take it easy,
    Jared
    "You consider me the young apprentice,
    Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes,
    Hypnotized by you if I should linger,
    Staring at the ring around your finger" - Sting

    Ray Thiel (1964-2007) - the man who showed me more wonderful games & gaming sessions than I ever dreamed possible... you ran out of hit points too young, my friend.
  • MunchjsMunchjs Posts: 101
    I too do not trust boosters. I was able to easily search them. Regardless, even searched the rares will have the roller marks. I do have a collection of starter decks and have pulled many nice power nines from them. I tried calling PSA about grading the decks since they are the same size of cellos, but they could not tell me whether they would be able to do them. Does anyone here think they can be graded?

    Jason
    Seeking 1984 Donruss PSA 10

    Unopened 1975 material

    UL Magic the Gathering
  • ThulnanthThulnanth Posts: 502
    Hey Jason,

    I would guess not. I tried the same thing a while back with GAI and they couldn't - the starters are CLOSE to the same size as a cello, but just a bit thicker. As such, the case won't close without major damage to the deck. Since the cases need to be snug to prevent movement of the cello, there isn't much play in the sizes available; add to that the low demand for MtG graded decks, and they most likely won't order up a new size just for them. Sorry.

    Take it easy,
    Jared
    "You consider me the young apprentice,
    Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes,
    Hypnotized by you if I should linger,
    Staring at the ring around your finger" - Sting

    Ray Thiel (1964-2007) - the man who showed me more wonderful games & gaming sessions than I ever dreamed possible... you ran out of hit points too young, my friend.
  • AlphaInvestmentsAlphaInvestments Posts: 96
    I wouldnt touch graded packs with a 10-foot poll with a squirrel tied to the end......................

    image

    -Rudy
    Owner of the only solid PSA 10 alpha set BUT only 23% Complete...(not including duplicate 10's)

    Currently 95 Alpha 10's so far...

    8 x Alpha PSA 10 Hypnotic Spector
    3 x Alpha PSA 10 Icy Manipulator
    2 x Alpha PSA 10 Demonic Tutor
    1 x Alpha PSA 10 TimeWalk
    0 x Alpha PSA 10 Black Lotus image
    image
  • ThulnanthThulnanth Posts: 502
    I'm not sure I'd touch a 10' pole with a squirrel tied to the end...

    Take it easy,
    Jared
    "You consider me the young apprentice,
    Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes,
    Hypnotized by you if I should linger,
    Staring at the ring around your finger" - Sting

    Ray Thiel (1964-2007) - the man who showed me more wonderful games & gaming sessions than I ever dreamed possible... you ran out of hit points too young, my friend.
  • NicksBetaMagicNicksBetaMagic Posts: 33
    Just got my graded packs back from psa. ; (

    They were neither graded nor packed/encased. : (

    I did get a refund for the grading fees but the size for both the pack and starter were too big for their current configuration. The lady I spoke with about getting an encasement that would "freely" fit and allow the booster pack to sit freely inside the encasement said that it took years and many emails from the sports world before they made new cases to fit the baseball/football wax packs. So, with that, my idea about sending in sealed boxes of vintage Magic cards to be graded will not come to fruition. Unless of course I can convince PSA to spend the money in developing new cases. Which I HIGHLY doubt. Not sure why it would cost PSA a lot of money to make these? It is after all a piece of plastic! Just mold a new piece that fits! Gheez...
    "Only the dead have seen the end of war." - PLATO -
  • ThulnanthThulnanth Posts: 502
    Sorry to hear things didn't work out. Your experience is pretty much what I figured (see post above), but I was hopeful anyway.

    If PSA does ever change their mind, be sure to let us know image

    Take it easy,
    Jared
    "You consider me the young apprentice,
    Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes,
    Hypnotized by you if I should linger,
    Staring at the ring around your finger" - Sting

    Ray Thiel (1964-2007) - the man who showed me more wonderful games & gaming sessions than I ever dreamed possible... you ran out of hit points too young, my friend.
  • NicksBetaMagicNicksBetaMagic Posts: 33
    i will definately keep trying and keep you guys informed.

    Happy Collecting,

    Nick
    "Only the dead have seen the end of war." - PLATO -
  • NicksBetaMagicNicksBetaMagic Posts: 33
    After 2 MONTHS in the hands of PSA, I have finally recieved my non graded starter and booster pack in the mail. I am now going to tear into them like its Christmas Eve!!! Maybe I'll get that elusive PSA 10 Bog Wraith that I can taunt Beta Bob with. : )


    "Only the dead have seen the end of war." - PLATO -
  • tmmoosetmmoose Posts: 253 ✭✭
    How did you go from 'encase in a slab forever' to 'rip on sight' so fast? image I have some sealed stuff which keeps calling to me but I have managed to resist so far!

    Let us know how you get on... It might mean my packs survive a bit longer. image
  • NicksBetaMagicNicksBetaMagic Posts: 33
    Looks like I did pretty good!!!

    The Starter has a 10 Demonic Tutor and 2 ALPHA rares!!! An Alpha Illusionary mask which will get a 9 easy and a Purlace that might fetch a ten. Didn't know that Alphas got stuck in with Beta stuff.... Booster has a 9.5 - 10 Roc of ker Ridges, it could've been worse I guess. But the Starter I am VERY pleased with. Going to send them back off to PSA for another 2 months. yay!!!

    As far as the encase forever thing. I was told that this summer they will look at making cases for magic packs. Then I will send in some for PERMANENT encasement... i think...

    Nick
    "Only the dead have seen the end of war." - PLATO -
  • betabobbetabob Posts: 7
    Nick, You hurt my feelings. I thought we were all in this together, helping each other. Wouuldn't you want to share the Bog Wraith with you buddy Bob?
  • ThulnanthThulnanth Posts: 502
    Hey Nick,

    Nice pull on the starter - congrats!! Wizards did put some Alpha rares in the Beta starters, so it is not impossible to rip one like yours. Be sure to let us know how all the singles grade out.

    Oh yeah, one more thing...


    No wraith for you, Bob!!! image


    Take it easy,
    Jared
    "You consider me the young apprentice,
    Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes,
    Hypnotized by you if I should linger,
    Staring at the ring around your finger" - Sting

    Ray Thiel (1964-2007) - the man who showed me more wonderful games & gaming sessions than I ever dreamed possible... you ran out of hit points too young, my friend.
  • tmmoosetmmoose Posts: 253 ✭✭
    Like thulnath says, early on the 'spare' alpha rares were put in beta packs to use them up, rather than throw then away. There was someone on ebay who was selling beta starters he guaranteed to have Alpha rares in them. They were going for a small premium over beta Starters. You are the first person I've heard of who actually opened one of these hybrid packs in modern times. :-)

    Would you each keep the Bog Wraith for six months of the year in some kind of shared custody agreement if you find one? image
  • ThulnanthThulnanth Posts: 502
    Clearly the only way to decide is to play for it - sealed Beta starter each, 1 match, best of 3, winner take all.

    That's just how we roll around here image

    Take it easy,
    Jared
    "You consider me the young apprentice,
    Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes,
    Hypnotized by you if I should linger,
    Staring at the ring around your finger" - Sting

    Ray Thiel (1964-2007) - the man who showed me more wonderful games & gaming sessions than I ever dreamed possible... you ran out of hit points too young, my friend.
  • tmmoosetmmoose Posts: 253 ✭✭
    ... But you have to get the cards slabbed before you play to keep them safe. image
  • NicksBetaMagicNicksBetaMagic Posts: 33
    Well, sorry, Bob, no Bog Wraith. But wait! what is this...???... could it be!!!... the first 10 Obsianus Golem!!! Stayed tuned...
    "Only the dead have seen the end of war." - PLATO -
  • tmmoosetmmoose Posts: 253 ✭✭
    Don't worry Bob, I'm sure he's just winding you up!
  • tmmoosetmmoose Posts: 253 ✭✭
    So, in the spirit of opening packs I opened the second of two packs of Antiquities I bought from the same seller recently. Unbelievably 5 of the 8 cards were identical between the two packs, and they were mostly ones I already had. I know commons are supposed to be common, but come on, I think out of 3 packs I've opened at least 3 cards have been the same across all of them.

    I have so many Staffs of Zegon and Feldon's Canes, I'm thinking of wallpapering a room in them!
  • ThulnanthThulnanth Posts: 502
    HAHAHA,

    I remember back in '94 when we were buying Antiquities packs how upset we got at pulling the same cards over and over again. After that set WotC changed the alternate art from rares to commons, just to help a little image

    Take it easy,
    Jared
    "You consider me the young apprentice,
    Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes,
    Hypnotized by you if I should linger,
    Staring at the ring around your finger" - Sting

    Ray Thiel (1964-2007) - the man who showed me more wonderful games & gaming sessions than I ever dreamed possible... you ran out of hit points too young, my friend.
  • NicksBetaMagicNicksBetaMagic Posts: 33
    HEY GUYS!!!

    I'm putting some great dual lands up for auction. More to come once these sell but spread the word and maybe I'll throw you a bone, or maybe a PSA 9 Ironclaw Orc!!! ooooooohhhhhh....aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh.....

    Hope all is well,

    Nick
    "Only the dead have seen the end of war." - PLATO -
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