The cheapest form of gambling.

RonBurgundy

If you can get a box of 88 Topps for say, 5 bucks a box, how do you not buy it & see if you get a PSA 10 or two?

jeffcbay

With 1988 Topps, the gamble isn't in the box rip, it's in the cost of the sub. If you get a 10, you get triple your money. If you get a 9, you have a $0.25 card. Getting a 10 in 1988 Topps isn't a gimme.

Hallco

<< <i>With 1988 Topps, the gamble isn't in the box rip, it's in the cost of the sub. If you get a 10, you get triple your money. If you get a 9, you have a $0.25 card. Getting a 10 in 1988 Topps isn't a gimme. >>



That's exactly what I was thinking. I don't know the set well enough, but do the rookies and bigger stars(Glavine,Ryan,etc)...sell for that much even in Gem 10?

itzagoner

he said cheapest.

think husky women in oversized sundresses holding plastic buckets under both arms and dumping nickels into an entire bank of slot machines.

Hallco

<< <i>think husky women in oversized sundresses holding plastic buckets under both arms and dumping nickels into an entire bank of slot machines. >>



You had me at husky women!

fur72

I have bought alot of garbage 80's stuff in the past, including a unripped rack box of 88 Donruss still sitting on a closet. I have made some decent money getting starts and Hof'ers graded. But you also end up with a pile of crap.

MeteoriteGuy

I have thought about going for some rack pack cases for the same reason. Little more cost but you could find Glavine RCs and variations on the top of the packs and make up the $10-20 difference.

1989 Topps however might be more 10 friendly due to less of a border. Plus I know someone who is wanting a 10 Saberhagen.

Clear Skies,
Mark

Frozencaribou

how do you not buy it?

1) The threat of re-awakening the psychological trauma stemming from the 100's of hours spent organizing 3200ct boxes of 88 topps, all the while planning retirement.

2) The design is awful. I haven't been paying attention to new baseball, but I would bet there isn't an 88 topps themed heritage set.

3) The player selection is as awful today as it was in 1988. What did it have back in '88. Walt Weiss? No. Gregg Jefferies? No. What does it have today? Roberto Alomar? No. Heck, even OPC had Delino DeShields in its '88 product.

4) Because throwing out baseball cards feels wrong, and you'd have to be a pretty heartless person to give away this garbage.

5) Because speculating on condition rarities for '88 topps sounds as hilarious as it actually is. Do you really want to be the guy that sells '88 topps PSA graded low pop cards? Talk about taking advantage of the mentally challenged.

I could go on...

-FC

MeteoriteGuy

"Because speculating on condition rarities for '88 topps sounds as hilarious as it actual is."

lol

RonBurgundy

Oh yeah, no doubt there's a downside. But I was just in a shop today & offered $15 for 3 boxes. I figure the $15 is worth it just for the fun of busting them. And I'll wind up giving most of them back to the shop owner so he can give em away to the kiddos.

Very unBurgundy-like to roll with 80's stuff but I was just in a mood today....

Frozencaribou

And I was joking, for the record. Unopened boxes? Sign me up. I was just thinking about the 10+ boxes I opened back in the day and how drab they all looked, even back then.

Just think of junk wax like going to the movies. Hey, it may be a crap movie, but it is more about the experience than the investment.

hammered

Five 88 vending boxes for a buck and a half

I bought these and felt so guilty I actually offered the seller more $. He declined, saying he just wanted to clear up space.
I went through one of them and found a Mattingly and couple others in likely PSA 10. It's a very boring rip, though, and I don't know when I'll get to the other four.

Beck6

I bought a case of 1988 rak packs and subbed a few. Not one psa 10 in the bunch. The glossy all-star cards were very difficult to get without roller marks. I had a total of maybe 5 in the whole case without them and they were off center. Really boring rip, but the Glavine still gets over $20 in a 10 and last time I checked the pop report the Ripken was still really difficult.

Dboneesq

If anybody wants a cheap rip, there is a guy on eBay selling SEVEN '88 Vending Boxes for $30 SHIPPED!

Dpeck100

Frozencarabou,

That is the best post I have ever read on this board!!!

I threw out some 1989 Topps cards the other day becuase I needed the box they came in. The major league debut set commons. It felt wrong!

I agree with everything you said!

leadoff4

Okay unopened experts, I am going to bust some of this cheap unopened stuff I have. Which of these would be best: Topps: '88, '89, '90 & '91. Donruss: '88, Fleer: '88, '89, '90. I only have one box each of the '88 Fleer, '88 Donruss and '90 Topps. The '89 Fleer I have are rack pack boxes.

Dpeck100

Opening packs are fun just to see what you pull and $15 is a strong drink out and about.

If you sub any you have to 100% believe they are a 10.

Have fun either way.

dazedandamazed

Funny, I bought 4 rack cases a few months back ... along with (10) 87 Topps rack cases ... LOVE the junk wax
I actually like the design, and who can forget the HOT Sam Horn !!!

goye

oh the tradegy, pre psa 10 ryan time frame(or pop 1, I think)........88 topps rack cases.......I resorted to using scissors to slice and dice.......then I just moved to the kitchen and stood over the trash can, then i had to stop.....it wasnt even good practice........carry on

Frozencaribou

I'll see your Sam Horn and I'll raise you a Geronimo Berroa.

You know, I almost bought a Keith Comstock white letters error card on the B/S/T last month purely because I'd never seen one in my youth. I guess my 12 year old mind had never quite accepted that there was supply beyond the card section of my local Rich's department store.

And as a non sequitor, in all of my rack, jumbo, and cello pack cherry picking of my youth, I didn't ever see the type of absolutely ridiculous star showing packs that I've seen on this board. McGwire on the front and back of a cello? Montana rookie on the front and back of a cello? This is too much for my teenage memories. I was happy with an Ellis Burks or a Mattingly showing through the front of a score pack.

The only way to get a real star showing '88 topps card was by buying the 8 1/2 x 11 folders. Even then, I could never find a Canseco. It's okay, my favorite player was Galarraga and there were always about 20 of them left over 'cause no one else cared about the Big Cat.

Now I want those three boxes, Ron. Oh wait, I'll go to eBay and get a case for the same price.

-FC

calaban7

I screwed up on my post.--- Sonny

calaban7

<< <i>how do you not buy it?

1) The threat of re-awakening the psychological trauma stemming from the 100's of hours spent organizing 3200ct boxes of 88 topps, all the while planning retirement.

2) The design is awful. I haven't been paying attention to new baseball, but I would bet there isn't an 88 topps themed heritage set.

3) The player selection is as awful today as it was in 1988. What did it have back in '88. Walt Weiss? No. Gregg Jefferies? No. What does it have today? Roberto Alomar? No. Heck, even OPC had Delino DeShields in its '88 product.

4) Because throwing out baseball cards feels wrong, and you'd have to be a pretty heartless person to give away this garbage.

5) Because speculating on condition rarities for '88 topps sounds as hilarious as it actually is. Do you really want to be the guy that sells '88 topps PSA graded low pop cards? Talk about taking advantage of the mentally challenged.

I could go on...

-FC >>

RonBurgundy

Also picked up some minty looking 81 & 83 Fleer & 82 Topps sets for 60% off Beckett. Centering is spectacular on all of em

leadoff4

Again, which of these has the most chance for a possibly decent pull: 88 Donruss, 88,89 or 90 Fleer, 88,89,90 or 91 Topps?

csmtampa

I ripped a box of 88 Topps earlier in the year and subbed 3 of them in the group sub and all 3 came back tens. This was when 10's from 88 Topps were selling for a decent price, but I don't know how much there going for now.

Garabaldi

I will buy some of the 80's and 90's crap as soon as I can unload the 80's and 90's crap I have.

Beck6

<< <i>Again, which of these has the most chance for a possibly decent pull: 88 Donruss, 88,89 or 90 Fleer, 88,89,90 or 91 Topps? >>



88 Donruss has the Glavine, which is actually pretty tough to find in a psa 10 and sells well. Looking at that design might cause a seizure though. The 1989 fleer would depend on what kind of Billy Ripken is possible and probably has more rookies and variations than any of the other boxes. The 1991 topps Chipper Jones is a nice card and sells OK in a psa 10.

Probably the best chance of pulls would be the 1989 Fleer (Griffey, Johnson, Ripken Error, variations on Ripken, Johnson and a few others)

MDCards

"Again, which of these has the most chance for a possibly decent pull: 88 Donruss, 88,89 or 90 Fleer, 88,89,90 or 91 Topps?"

I'd say '89 Fleer

milbroco

What is the cheapest form of gambling?

Well it isn't smoking. At a convenience store two days ago, someone in front of me bought a pack if cigaretts at $6.89 for the pack! Thats a lot of money for a high risk gamble. Glad I never started smoking.





Oh wait a minute, you meant the other form of packs...............

Bosox1976

This thread made me root around in my basement until I found some old residual packs from when Bill LSU made the moving van run and sold boxes full of unopened junk wax. I finally finished my box this morning... Glavine could have used some flouride back in the day.

leadoff4

Mike, would this grade a PSA 9 PD(for the teeth)???

Bosox1976

Cavity creeps for sure...

Got this little strumpet too...

Sabrgeek

It's been too long since I've been to Nicks

Frozencaribou

Love the Manon Rheaume pose. Is she really doing the "fist on chin" pose? First time ever in hockey equipment?

detroitfan2

<< <i>

<< <i>how do you not buy it?

1) The threat of re-awakening the psychological trauma stemming from the 100's of hours spent organizing 3200ct boxes of 88 topps, all the while planning retirement.

2) The design is awful. I haven't been paying attention to new baseball, but I would bet there isn't an 88 topps themed heritage set.

3) The player selection is as awful today as it was in 1988. What did it have back in '88. Walt Weiss? No. Gregg Jefferies? No. What does it have today? Roberto Alomar? No. Heck, even OPC had Delino DeShields in its '88 product.

4) Because throwing out baseball cards feels wrong, and you'd have to be a pretty heartless person to give away this garbage.

5) Because speculating on condition rarities for '88 topps sounds as hilarious as it actually is. Do you really want to be the guy that sells '88 topps PSA graded low pop cards? Talk about taking advantage of the mentally challenged.

I could go on...

-FC >>



>>



Agreed, especially #2 and #4!

WalterSobchak

There might be some money to be made if you're willing to take the time..... but after all the money I flushed down the john on cards from the '87-93 era, the thought of purchasing any more makes me throw up in my mouth a little.

thehallmark

For those of you tempted to open some 1988 Donruss after reading this, I'm paying $25 a piece for PSA 10 MVP cards. Doesn't matter which ones.

Merry Christmas!

hammered

<< <i>Again, which of these has the most chance for a possibly decent pull: 88 Donruss, 88,89 or 90 Fleer, 88,89,90 or 91 Topps? >>




I'd also do the 89 F
The Griffey is the best card possible from the lot
Smoltz and Biggio aren't bad cards, either, and you could find an FF error or corrected variation


Why not open all 4?

goye

<< <i>I will buy some of the 80's and 90's crap as soon as I can unload the 80's and 90's crap I have. >>



pm sent.......

goye

hockey chick

gemint

<< <i>There might be some money to be made if you're willing to take the time..... but after all the money I flushed down the john on cards from the '87-93 era, the thought of purchasing any more makes me throw up in my mouth a little. >>



That's the dillema. It's likely throwing good money after bad.

I do have a box of 88 Topps lying around that I've been getting annoyed with trying to find a spot to stack it. Maybe I'll break it down and see if there's anything submittable. I know it's unsearched since I bought it from Price Club in 1988. So aside from the Glavine and Ripken, are there any other cards worthy of sending in if they are potential 10 material?

brian26

This thread has inspired me to break out my 88 Topps hand-collated set and look through it over the next week.

KeepItWarm

I recently sold 92 wax boxes of 1986, 87, 88, 89 topps for $400. I had to wash the guys car, buy his kids ice cream, and walk his dog for a week just to seal the deal.

I still have 3,000-6,000 loose cards from 1987 and 1988.

Serious question: What would be the best finds/toughest cards from those two years? Maybe I will look over the holiday break and post up what I have.

leadoff4

I paid $4/box which was okay but very good for the '89 rack pack boxes I thought.

RonBurgundy

I've got one 88 Topps box at my feet, ready to rip. I haven't been this excited since December 1987!

Frozencaribou

Let's see card by card of the entire rip...

Or you can just tell us how many Luis Polonia cards you got.

swartz1

<< <i>Oh yeah, no doubt there's a downside. But I was just in a shop today & offered $15 for 3 boxes. I figure the $15 is worth it just for the fun of busting them. And I'll wind up giving most of them back to the shop owner so he can give em away to the kiddos.

Very unBurgundy-like to roll with 80's stuff but I was just in a mood today.... >>




What kiddo wouldnt want a 1988 Matt Nokes rookie???

hotmush

New little one in the family so I'm cleaning out shelves for Curious George and Thomas books. Ripped a box of 88 Topps over Christmas. I holstered the half dozen HOFers, checked the error cards to see if I had any variations, and junked the rest in the recycling. But... I had a wonderful hour and a half. It sent me right back to my childhood. Boy it was fun. I checked, you can probably buy a box on ebay for under six bucks. But I'd pay it. It's more enjoyable than renting a video.

greencrow

What are the chances of pulling a NNOF Thomas in the 1990 set?

gemint

Just cracked my 1988 Topps wax box that I've owned since, well, 1988. Got a Matt Nokes!!! I also got one Ripken and one Ryan. Not sure if I'll submit them. How tough are they at granting tens for these cards? I've rarely ever submitted any cards newer than 1976.