1981 Topps Rip - UPDATE - Poppage!

Nikklos

So I am through 14 packs of a 1981 Topps Baseball Grocery Rack pack box. 99% garbage, of course. Maybe 10-15 commons that could score a PSA 8 or higher. Have to check the pop report to see what (if any) is worth submitting. And these five which I considered Card Saver worthy:

EDIT: I have no idea why they posted upside down! Sorry.

dtkk49a

I think the Palmer and Gibson cards have potential. I also like the Molitor.

lightningboy

The Gossage looks very solid to me. Best centered of the group.

Statman

Grocery racks are tough to find good cards in - much like cellos. But i like the Gossage the best and then Molitor. The Raines might even be worth submitting.

It may just be the pics, but the Palmer and Gibson don't look as nice as the others.

Great set with relly nice grades hard to come by.

nopenotyet

"And these five which I considered Card Saver worthy"

That is funny. Same here. Some cards I won't get graded but want to still save them, so they get at least the luxury of being placed in card savers and tossed in the box of 'card saver worthy cards that will sit in this box forever'.

Nikklos

The second tier is penny sleeve-worthy! Then, of course, there is just throw in a box-worthy. The scans make the corners look fuzzy but all the corners appear sharp in hand. I really appreciate everyone's opinions and input.

I didn't notice it before but the Gibson scan shows a fisheye under the Topps logo.

BrownBlueGreen

Raines is a 9 at best but still a $20 card if it is.
Gossage and Molitor are only worth subbing if they are surefire 10s. Otherwise, not worth the sub fees.
Gibson worth a shot. Even an 8 would cover the sub fees plus a few dollars.

Nikklos

Here are the packs per request. 1981 Topps Grocery Rack Packs have a very unexciting look.

mygotta

I like the grocery racks and sorry I did not get a chance to pick up some from BBCE.

Can anyone tell me what years specifically they made grocery rack packs from?

Nikklos

<< <i>Gossage and Molitor are only worth subbing if they are surefire 10s. Otherwise, not worth the sub fees. >>



Totally agree but I will say this - Gambling on unopened material is a two-part process. The first part is ripping it and the second part is gambling on the grading fees. One thing I have learned is that there are no surefire 10s.

spazzy

Have you found a Henderson Yet? They are pretty hard centered.

spazzy

<< <i>I like the grocery racks and sorry I did not get a chance to pick up some from BBCE.

Can anyone tell me what years specifically they made grocery rack packs from? >>



Steve at BBCE has straight from the case marked 1981 wax boxes for 100.00. I think those would be very interesting if you get a good rotation box. I still think its a good value under 3.00 a pack for a 31 year old product from topps.

In the 60s they sold rack packs with 3 cello inserts . Around 1981 they did the same thing and called it a grocery rack because they had less cards than a regular rack pack.

Nikklos

14 rack packs so far no Hendersons. Got about 5 Dick Dragos though.

RookieWax

<< <i>Steve at BBCE has straight from the case marked 1981 wax boxes for 100.00. I think those would be very interesting if you get a good rotation box. I still think its a good value under 3.00 a pack for a 31 year old product from topps. >>



I agree 100%. There is great value in many not so overproduced (and even in some overproduced boxes) from the 1980s and early 1990s - the last era when there was still originality in the card designs and the base cards were still enjoyable to pull. That stuff is starting to dry up as well, as sealed cases of many products from those years rarely show up anymore.

Foo3112

Ive gotten tempted to rip my 81 Wax Box at times but these kind of threads keep me in check with why I never do.

Tough break but Im sure it was fun regardless.

Marc~

ldferg

Decent centering on the Gibson, should keep it from a qualifier. I've never pulled one worthy of a 9. Keep us updated on the rip. Interested to see if a Henderson is pulled. The Molly and Gossage do look nice.

BrownBlueGreen,
Do Gibson 8's bring grading fees? I've not kept up with many 8's.

Foo,
I've ripped two of the 'from sealed case' boxes and the box looks good, but the contents were not as expected condition-wise. Gum was OK, but centering was not.

BBG,
I noticed your 81 set sold. I should have pulled the trigger on it.

BrownBlueGreen

PSA 8 Gibson including shipping costs usually sell between $15-20. 9s go for $75-100.

spazzy

How about an update on the rip!

Nikklos

More items of interest from the packs I've opened. The following cards are extremely low pop commons. Corners are sharp and I don't see any surface issues. But if they're not 10s, they are worthless. Wonder if they are worth submitting.

Edit - sorry that the photos came out sideways. Not sure what I am doing wrong. I know it is hard to tell their condition based on the scans but thought I'd share the photos. I was surprised at how few of these there are in PSA 10.

ldferg

From this batch, I think the Dauer looks the best.

lfa2mfg

The Romo might be worth grading....that is one tough card to find centered. even with a soft corner it looks pretty good.

ClockworkAngel

I have played the "it's only worth submitting if I get a 10" game too often and lost so I wish you luck. It's risky. The Walling is blurry but looks good based on what I can see. So does the Dauer. The Romo's bottom edge is too damaged. Don't think you have a shot at a 10 with any others

Good Luck!

Nikklos

The $6.50 February special this month makes it tempting to submit some junk - even if I lose a couple bucks!

spazzy

Hopefully a grader is feeling good that day..its worth the 6.50...would be nice to see a 10 to get the bseball season going!

Nikklos

Placed 2 orders a week ago - the CC renewal and the $6.50 Feb. Special. The $6.50 special popped already and is below. Included are some of the 1981 commons in question:





NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1970 TOPPS 566 GENE ALLEY
MINT 9 1977 TOPPS 152 GAYLORD PERRY
GEM MINT 10 1979 TOPPS 500 RON GUIDRY
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 479 EXPOS FUTURE STARS T.RAINES/R.RAMOS/B.PATE
GEM MINT 10 1981 TOPPS 639 CARNEY LANSFORD
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 197 JIM KERN
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1981 TOPPS 314 RICH DAUER
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 167 TERRY WHITFIELD
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 28 ENRIQUE ROMO
NEAR MINT 7 1981 TOPPS 439 DENNY WALLING
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 180 RICKEY HENDERSON
MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 180 RICKEY HENDERSON
Total Items: 12

Edit: 1981 Lansford is a POP 1 - but not sure whether it is now a POP 2 or if this is indeed the 1...

Gosh, I hope they didn't mess up and put my CC Renewal sub on the 30-day pile and my $6.50 sub on the 7-day pile. The CC Renewal sub is the good stuff!

totallyradd

Good hustle on the Lansford! As I a kid I loved that guy because he played for one of my favorite teams, but mostly because we had the same birthday.

Goldlabels

<< <i>Placed 2 orders a week ago - the CC renewal and the $6.50 Feb. Special. The $6.50 special popped already and is below. Included are some of the 1981 commons in question:





NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1970 TOPPS 566 GENE ALLEY
MINT 9 1977 TOPPS 152 GAYLORD PERRY
GEM MINT 10 1979 TOPPS 500 RON GUIDRY
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 479 EXPOS FUTURE STARS T.RAINES/R.RAMOS/B.PATE
GEM MINT 10 1981 TOPPS 639 CARNEY LANSFORD
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 197 JIM KERN
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1981 TOPPS 314 RICH DAUER
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 167 TERRY WHITFIELD
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 28 ENRIQUE ROMO
NEAR MINT 7 1981 TOPPS 439 DENNY WALLING
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 180 RICKEY HENDERSON
MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 180 RICKEY HENDERSON
Total Items: 12

Edit: 1981 Lansford is a POP 1 - but not sure whether it is now a POP 2 or if this is indeed the 1... >>



I did a quick glance and saw Rod Guidry and thought it was a 1981 PSA 10. that would be a great card. I've graded tons of 1981, it might be one of the toughest cards along with the Fernando

ldferg

<< <i>

<< <i>Placed 2 orders a week ago - the CC renewal and the $6.50 Feb. Special. The $6.50 special popped already and is below. Included are some of the 1981 commons in question:





NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1970 TOPPS 566 GENE ALLEY
MINT 9 1977 TOPPS 152 GAYLORD PERRY
GEM MINT 10 1979 TOPPS 500 RON GUIDRY
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 479 EXPOS FUTURE STARS T.RAINES/R.RAMOS/B.PATE
GEM MINT 10 1981 TOPPS 639 CARNEY LANSFORD
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 197 JIM KERN
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1981 TOPPS 314 RICH DAUER
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 167 TERRY WHITFIELD
MINT 9 1981 TOPPS 28 ENRIQUE ROMO
NEAR MINT 7 1981 TOPPS 439 DENNY WALLING
NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 180 RICKEY HENDERSON
MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 180 RICKEY HENDERSON
Total Items: 12

Edit: 1981 Lansford is a POP 1 - but not sure whether it is now a POP 2 or if this is indeed the 1... >>



I did a quick glance and saw Rod Guidry and thought it was a 1981 PSA 10. that would be a great card. I've graded tons of 1981, it might be one of the toughest cards along with the Fernando >>



+1 on the Guidry. Nice hit on the Lansford. So much for my input on the Dauer. Turned out to be one of the lowest of the group.

Nikklos

Not sure why Dauer got an 8, David.

I think the Molitor PSA 10 recoups the cost of the grocery racks, so not worst rip!

Nikklos

Thought I would revive this thread to chime in on the Grocery Rack v. Regular Rack debate. I remember from these racks came PSA 10 Molitor Gossage and Carney Lansford. So it is possible to get Gems.

lahmejoon

Awesome hits. The only bad part about this thread is seeing the BBG avatar again.