Is an unopened pack generally worth more than the contents of the pack? * POLL *

llafoe

Say you can't see any cards in the pack, is the "gamble" value generally worth more than the value of the pack opened?

esebille

No, like buying a lottery ticket.

grote15

Rarely.

bigdcards

I'm not sure you need a poll for this, but we'll see. I'll be shocked if anyone has an argument for opening packs in terms of value. I think of it like a theater ticket. It's entertaining and then it's done. You can win on the slots, but in the end they get just about everyone. Same deal here.

NVbaseball

Vast majority of unopened packs are worth near zero -- and their contents the same

orioles93

It depends if youre someone who gets your cards graded or not after pack rips.

But i would say no, even though i rarely buy unopened packs.

llafoe

<< <i>It depends if youre someone who gets your cards graded or not after pack rips.

But i would say no, even though i rarely buy unopened packs. >>



So you're saying an unopened pack is worth less than the cards inside the pack?

CocoaBeachDodgers

I voted no but misread the question. Can you officially change my vote to "Yes"

Can you say :

slot machine, crap table, handicaping horses, sports betting, bingo, etc.....

mattinglymint23

Do not open packs. Do not open packs.

If it helps I've adopted the view that I am a care taker of the packs and my job (which I pay to do) is to care for the packs and ensure their preservation.

I never let the packs I steward travel to the elephant grave yard (which is strewn with wax wrappers and cello shreds) - the hyenas and uncle scar are there.

We're expecting soon so please excuse the Disney reference

Do not open packs. Sell back to Steve if necessary.

Only applicable to pre-1980 And some non baseball post 1980

Dboneesq

I believe many people have misread the question. (Right Grote?)

YES should be the answer by most people.

jmmiller777

Yes it is. You are paying the price for the chance of pulling whatever key cards could be in that years set. Once that pack, cello, or rack is busted, then the price drops to the level of what those cards are. In some case when you get back into the 50's-60's you are dealing with rarity as well as the same dynamics above.

raiderguy10

<< <i>I believe many people have misread the question. (Right Grote?)

YES should be the answer by most people. >>



I think Grote was answering the question in the OP - the OP and the title of the thread contradict themselves.

CDsNuts

Is this serious?

rtimmer

There generally is a premium put across a pack that comes from the value of potentially pulling a high dollar card. Think of the 1986 Fleer boxes which hold 2-3 MJ rookies. Those 2-3 packs are clearly worth more opened but the remaining packs carry a premium for the potential of that card being present. So in an unopened 1986 Fleer box it would generally make sense to keep a pack sealed but let's say half of the box gets opened and no MJs are pulled then your packs actually make more financial sense to open.

This example of course assumes you can't tell what the top card is, because then of course the value of the opened pack is much more precise to predict.

grote15

<< <i>I believe many people have misread the question. (Right Grote?)

YES should be the answer by most people. >>



The answer to the poll question is yes but the answer to the question the OP posed in his first post is still rarely or no.

Edit to add: Raiderguy is correct.

itzagoner

if there is a NM-MT Art Shell rookie card inside your pack, then the answer is no.

llafoe

<< <i>

<< <i>I believe many people have misread the question. (Right Grote?)

YES should be the answer by most people. >>



I think Grote was answering the question in the OP - the OP and the title of the thread contradict themselves. >>



The poll question isn't contradictory.

cpamike

<< <i>Do not open packs. Do not open packs.

If it helps I've adopted the view that I am a care taker of the packs and my job (which I pay to do) is to care for the packs and ensure their preservation.

I never let the packs I steward travel to the elephant grave yard (which is strewn with wax wrappers and cello shreds) - the hyenas and uncle scar are there.

We're expecting soon so please excuse the Disney reference

Do not open packs. Sell back to Steve if necessary.

Only applicable to pre-1980 And some non baseball post 1980 >>




Mark, congrats on the impending arrival!!!

Are you sure you aren't my Alt, LOL. I couldn't have said it any better myself.

BTW, I saw that comment Paul.

fiveniner

Yes an unopened pak is worth more however if a unopened pak of value gets in my hands it gets ripped.This is just me!

scotgreb

The correct answer is yes; otherwise there would be no unopened packs.

bishop

I have a full Topps pack run. In my view each pack is worth more unopened than the cards inside would be worth after opening...with a few possible but unlikely exceptions


....so keep Tony away from your packs

cellos

<< <i>I have a full Topps pack run. In my view each pack is worth more unopened than the cards inside would be worth after opening...with a few possible but unlikely exceptions


....so keep Tony away from your packs >>



Nice! Any chance we can see a picture of the full pack run?

DCanfield

<< <i>

<< <i>Do not open packs. Do not open packs.

If it helps I've adopted the view that I am a care taker of the packs and my job (which I pay to do) is to care for the packs and ensure their preservation.

I never let the packs I steward travel to the elephant grave yard (which is strewn with wax wrappers and cello shreds) - the hyenas and uncle scar are there.

We're expecting soon so please excuse the Disney reference

Do not open packs. Sell back to Steve if necessary.

Only applicable to pre-1980 And some non baseball post 1980 >>

>>




Well brothers and sisters, the voice has been heard from the mountain above. You now know the eleventh commandment; Thou shall not open packs pre-1980 and some non baseball post 1980. Go forth and spread the word!

scmavl

Rarely are the contents worth more. But I open packs because those rare moments are FUN.

*see: PSA 9 Yount RC, Harper auto refractor, '89 UD Griffey*

Dboneesq

<< <i>

<< <i>I believe many people have misread the question. (Right Grote?)
YES should be the answer by most people. >>


The answer to the poll question is yes but the answer to the question the OP posed in his first post is still rarely or no.
Edit to add: Raiderguy is correct. >>


Sorry about that. I didn't realize the POLL and the question in the OPs thread were different questions.

bishop

cellos---that would be a lot of scans. Here are a few, if you want to see something specific, let me know;

Griffins

agreed with Al, a lot more pleasure looking at the packs sometimes. The cards are much, much easier to find.

Dboneesq

Nice collections guys. Anthony, I always like looking at that picture of your collection. (I still have that issue of Collectors Magazine you sent me.)

bigdcards

The potential for regret and disappointment is as impressive as that collection. Seriously that's a great collection and display. Excellent work.

fiveniner

<< <i>agreed with Al, a lot more pleasure looking at the packs sometimes. The cards are much, much easier to find.

>>




You are killing me having to look at the beautiful paks.

rtimmer

Oh wow very nice and reminds you of a by gone day.....when GAI was the place to go.

Goodsport40

Bishop, what is the background/story of the Topps Puffy stickers?

I have never seen those before. Thanks for sharing.

Robert

cellos

Nice collections thanks for sharing

summerof68

Simple answer: if the value of the cards inside the packs add up to a higher value than the packs themselves, then Jeff Fritsch would have opened all his '68, '69, '70, '73 & '75 cellos and had the valuable single cards contained therein slabbed and sold. And from what I see on ebay over the last two years I would say Fritsch doesn't open many of his cellos--and I would bet he even knows the "sequencing" from those specific years...

..."old-timers" in this hobby know where the value is. Its in the fact that the seal has never been broken!

ClockworkAngel

fiveniner, can I ask what that display is that has all your packs in it?

I want to get some sort of display case for my PSA collection for my office and have been wondering what my options are...?

grote15

I will offer one example where the cards within are worth more--if you get a cherry case of 75 minis the cards within are almost certainly worth more than the packs, but
you have to find the right case first and those are tough to find! LOL!

flatfoot816

Anthony--love that display. And like Doug said, that magazine you sent us is still awesome reading and drooling material. Thanks again!

and remember to tell your kids--

"just say no--to ripping vintage"

Griffins

I think this tells you everything you need to know about ripping packs!
Lesson from a pro

itzagoner

californiacards3

I have an example

2011 National Chicago

Legendary or someone have 4-6 full 1961 Fleer Basketball wax boxes

First Box sold if I remember right $35-40,000. The last box in the range of $27-33,000.

I was building the set at the time. I have now acquired the set with some blazers in PSA 8. Bought them off the grandson's selling their grandfathers collection at this year's national. SCORE!! Very pleased

I did not see the guy open the fleer box, but he probably had more money than sense. There are lots of whales out there. But it was like flushing $40,000 down the toilet or lighting it on fire. I saw the remnants, because a dealer was assisting this guy. I saw what was left. QC was not high priority for Fleer back before I was born in 1961.

It was sad. If I had the money for a 61 Fleer box. Would put it in a lockbox for my granchilden. They were gorgeous.

Most unopened stuff should remain just that unopened.

Most expensive pack ever personally owned was 1972 2nd series FB pack. Got a Bradshaw and a Unitas may have opened two got them cheap at like $60 a pop. Both were pretty badly OC.

Kinda on topic. Wish I had kept one of each of the 1972 FB and BB rack packs that my dad bought at a General Store in Radford VA in early 1973. Two large department store bags full. Those two 72 sets still the centerpiece of my collection.

Regards

Barry

dtkk49a

Makes a great wallpaper too !!!

bishop

goodsport...the Puffy Stickers, circa 1977, may or may not be a legitimate Topps test item. The packaging looks off and the players depicted have errors. However up close it looks like it could have been a rejected test item. I have had several people whose opinion I value look at it and the opinions are mixed. Whatever it is, I'm glad I picked it up, much like these items, which also may or may not be real Topps items








But we do know that errors alone in player identifications don't mean it is not really a Topps item, as evidenced by this set in which 3 of the 8 players are misidentified.




[IMG]http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img016.jpg?t=1336334638">

flatfoot816

Anthony! Forgot about that rip. well there ya go folks. Paid $750 for the pack and did not come close!

Dboneesq

<< <i>Anthony! Forgot about that rip. well there ya go folks. Paid $750 for the pack and did not come close! >>


Manny ... and opening that pack put too much pressure on your brain. Go back and look at that video again ... are you SURE that Bob Kauffman was the THIRD card in that pack? Did you have TWO "THIRD" cards? LOL

grote15

For the love of god, if you're going to open a vintage pack at least PM Moran first to see which cards will be inside the pack before opening it!