My Quest To Build A Graded 1983 Topps Baseball Set

mrpeanut39

The only difference, at least around here, is that this will all be busted open. Not much variety. All 83 Topps. Two vending, two cello, two Michigan wax and one regular wax.



I've been saving these up for about the last year with the idea of opening them this Winter, as I've got a lot of time on my hands in the upcoming months.



I have an 83 Set on the Registry, so I'll be busting looking to grade. I'm shooting for 10's and I grudgingly accept 9's. I'll update the thread with plenty of pictures as I go along. I'm planning to bust a box per week. But that may change depending on how much I get into it. Stay tuned...

Loyalty32

Wishing you many 10's this Holiday Season!

Thanks
Craig

grote15

Good luck! 83 cellos are usually loosely wrapped, so those won't be as bad as 70s cellos to rip open.

Stone193

Wow - good luck!

I bought a cello box during the last rip and never got around to opening it.

Did find a cello with a RC on back - can't remember which?

MintMoondog

Best wishes! I'd be interested to know how the vending work out...I have some to bust myself

calaban7

Brett , remember me , if you get anything that you don't need that I do . I hope you do well . ----- Sonny

jordangretzkyfan

Great stash. I love the1983 Topps design. Best of luck on your quest for 10's. looking forward to the pictures!

orioles93

What exactly are the Michigan boxes? How are they different?

UnwoundSage

<< <i>What exactly are the Michigan boxes? How are they different? >>



Blue tough to see through cellophane wrappers instead of the wax paper.

Stone193

<< <i>

<< <i>What exactly are the Michigan boxes? How are they different? >>



Blue tough to see through cellophane wrappers instead of the wax paper. >>

The mylar packs were extended/tested in other years also. Not sure how many?

totallyradd

I just sorted through three boxes of 83 Topps trying to build a set. I have a box I'd like to rip, but the centering is tough on 83's so I'm worried any of the big 3, along with other stars wouldn't get me back the 180 I spent on em. Good luck my man!!!

mrpeanut39

Up first is one of the Michigan Wax boxes. Purchased off of eBay back in May for $150. I'm not well schooled on what to look for as far as resealing goes, but I was hoping I'd be okay with the Michigan Wax.

In addition to the cellophane wrappers, the Michigan Wax box is longer than its non-Michigan counterpart.



Another nice feature of the Michigan Wax is that the game piece takes the gum hit. So no wax stain and no gum stain.



The box itself was in pretty good shape.



Cards were okay. Typical hit and miss centering. Didn't seem like they were cut too well. Slight difference in size all through the pack. Also many of the corners had what I'd call a "hanging chad" on the corners. Like there wasn't a crisp, clean cut.

Pulled 21 cards that have passed two rounds of perusal thus far. I'll look them over once more to see if I can weed out anymore.



I said I'd provide pictures, but I didn't say they would be good pictures.

Also pulled a Boggs, a Gwynn and a Ripken.


In addition to the centering issue, there's a zit-like protuberance near the top border of the Boggs.


The Gwynn is putridly centered both ways.


The Ripken is pretty nice, but there's some stray black ink towards the top left. You can also see the "hanging chad" on the top left corner. Can someone talk me in to sending it in?

This was only the second Michigan Wax box I've busted (fwiw, I pulled 44 cards to be graded from the first one), but I like the fact that you don't lose any cards to gum or wax.

tmgrnzx9r

Great thread. Good luck with the rest. Will any of the cards be for sale. I am putting this set together as well. I need roughly 100 cards. No real big cards needed, mostly commons. Lmk and thanks!!

mrpeanut39

Next up is a vending box purchased from BBCE in April for $65.




If this were the first vending box I opened, it would be the last vending box I opened. Just atrocious centering. There were probably 20 cards I didn't immediately dismiss based on centering. I can't speak for other years, but I'm a big fan of 83 vending. I've popped a PSA 10 Sandberg from vending as well as a couple of first PSA 10 commons. My GPA from 83 vending is actually higher than any other type of box as well. 9.09 just ahead of regular wax at 9.01.

When I sifted through the 20 well-centered cards, I was able to salvage three cards that I'll send in for grading.



In addition to the horrible centering, I was lucky to get this what I can only describe as gunk in my box. Oh and there were no Boggs' Gwynn's or Sandberg's in the box either. Kind of glad because chances are that they would have been horribly centered too.



Has anybody else seen something like this. I don't really know how they fed the boxes, but I wonder if it's some kind of grease or something from the machine that put the cards into the box.

I'm going to open my other vending box next. Hopefully better luck with that one.

packCollector

I opened an 82 vending case a few years ago and had a few cards with 'gunk' on them . In addition to the gunk, I pulled about 20 ripkens and every one of them had the same 75/25 centering.

Dboneesq

Brett ... thanks for sharing. Better luck with the next vending box.

mrpeanut39

1 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 323 LUIS DeLEON Card
2 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 620 MIKE NORRIS Card
3 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 684 RAFAEL LANDESTOY Card
4 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 350 ROBIN YOUNT Card
5 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 568 WILLIE HERNANDEZ Card
6 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 302 ERNIE WHITT Card
7 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 381 RED SOX BATTING & PITCHING LEADERS Card
8 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 274 TERRY KENNEDY Card
9 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 154 JOHNNIE LeMASTER Card
10 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 315 RICK BURLESON Card
11 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 385 MIKE EASLER Card
12 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 121 MICKEY HATCHER Card
13 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 291 PIRATES BATTING & PITCHING LEADERS Card
14 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 653 ELLIS VALENTINE Card
15 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 750 BEN OGLIVIE Card
16 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 617 BUTCH WYNEGAR Card
17 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 176 DAVE RIGHETTI Card
18 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 376 KEN LANDREAUX Card
19 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 612 STEVE SWISHER Card
20 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 728 RON REED Card
21 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 279 GREG GROSS Card
22 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 707 E.R.A. LEADERS R.SUTCLIFFE/S.ROGERS Card
23 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 405 STEVE ROGERS Card
24 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 710 WILLIE WILSON Card
25 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 666 SPARKY ANDERSON Card
26 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 634 MAX VENABLE Card
27 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 5 MANNY TRILLO Card
28 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 512 DOYLE ALEXANDER Card
29 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 445 MIKE FLANAGAN Card
30 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 620 MIKE NORRIS Card
31 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 560 RON LeFLORE Card
32 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 782 BOBBY MURCER Card
33 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 TOPPS 532 DAVE STEWART Card
34 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 20 CARLTON FISK Card
35 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 216 TONY LaRUSSA Card
36 GEM MINT 10 1983 TOPPS 439 RAFAEL RAMIREZ Card
37 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 642 CHECKLIST 529-660 Card
38 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 492 PAUL SERNA Card
39 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 144 MARK WAGNER Card
40 MINT 9 1983 TOPPS 123 GEORGE FRAZIER Card
Total Items: 40
Date Received: 12/11/2013
Date Shipped: 12/17/2013
Order Status: Shipped


This is from the November Special. The cards I've pulled from this rip are in the "to be submitted" pile. Nothing super exciting here. More 8s than I'd like but that's the breaks of the game. It was nice to hit the Fisk and the Flanagan is a pop 6 and the Norris is a pop 7.

I busted the other vending box this week. I'll do some scanning and post tomorrow about how it went.

grote15

Nice smattering of 10s in that group--12 out of 40 PSA 10s for 30-year old cards, very nice!

Man, that was quick poppage! Loggage usually takes longer, LOL!

mrpeanut39

<< <i>Nice smattering of 10s in that group--12 out of 40 PSA 10s for 30-year old cards, very nice!

Man, that was quick poppage! Loggage usually takes longer, LOL! >>



Yeah I usually have pretty quick pop times. This one arrived in Cali. 11/23 and wasn't logged in until 12/11.

mrpeanut39

The second vending box was purchased from BBCE in July for $65.



I wish I could say that this box was better than my first vending box, but this one was pretty much a bust too. Overall the box was a little stronger than the first, but centering was still subpar. I was hoping after the results of the first box that this box might have been from a different case, since I bought this one three months later than the first one. The box was a brighter blue than the one from April. It also had the shrinkwrap with the BBCE logo on it while the first one was plain shrinkwrap. Oh well it could be just two cases with crappy centering. Once again I was only able to pull three cards for the grading pile.



I see that BBCE has vending from a case for $75 per box currently on the site. With the results of these last two vending boxes, that is just too risky. It no longer qualifies as a cheap rip. I remember a couple of years ago buying case fresh boxes for $55. I guess those days are long gone.

Nikklos

Thanks for the rips! Those are a lot of PSA 10s you pulled!

GDM67

Did you submit the Tommy Boggs pictured in your December 7 post? That's a low pop card in PSA 10.

mrpeanut39

<< <i>Did you submit the Tommy Boggs pictured in your December 7 post? That's a low pop card in PSA 10. >>



Sorry for the confusion. Maybe I shouldn't have posted my poppage here. My poppage was from the Nov. Special. Nothing I've ripped in this thread has been submitted yet.

Stone193

I think your sub grades are darn good!

I bought 4 boxes a few years ago when they were 60 bucks - I believe - and the first two yielded all OCs.

I contacted Steve - he took them back and gave me 2 from another case - better - fer sure.

He has a vending case for sale at 1700 or so? That's not a bad price IMO.

GDM67

<< <i>Sorry for the confusion. Maybe I shouldn't have posted my poppage here. My poppage was from the Nov. Special. Nothing I've ripped in this thread has been submitted yet. >>

Okay. Just wanted to mention it because that card looks quite nice. That's low pop (one of several in the Braves team set that year) but not everyone knows about it.

mrpeanut39

<< <i>I think your sub grades are darn good!

I bought 4 boxes a few years ago when they were 60 bucks - I believe - and the first two yielded all OCs.

I contacted Steve - he took them back and gave me 2 from another case - better - fer sure.

He has a vending case for sale at 1700 or so? That's not a bad price IMO. >>



I've had excellent luck with vending before these last two boxes. When someone would ask the board what the best source for raw cards was, whenever people inevitably would respond with rack or wax, i'd throw my 2 cents in for vending when price is factored in. Now I see why vending has so many detractors.

That does seem to be a good price for the vending case. Maybe it could be included in 2014's first group rip.

mrpeanut39

<< <i>

<< <i>Sorry for the confusion. Maybe I shouldn't have posted my poppage here. My poppage was from the Nov. Special. Nothing I've ripped in this thread has been submitted yet. >>

Okay. Just wanted to mention it because that card looks quite nice. That's low pop (one of several in the Braves team set that year) but not everyone knows about it. >>



I have the Boggs in a 9 already, so hoping for a 10 when I do send it in. I'm guessing the Horner and Niekro are tough. They always seem to be hideously OC.

mrpeanut39

Next up is a cello box purchased in August from BBCE for $240. This was a post-National buy. Fearing a feeding frenzy, as soon as I saw BBCE post their new product after the National, I pounced. I seem to recall they had a rack box(es) for $350. I can't remember when they had 83 rack boxes for sale, but I thought that was a little steep. Nevertheless, they didn't last too long. Anyway... here's the results.



Lots of star power showing.

The above picture is as follows: Top Row-Yount All Star, Bench, Morgan, Reggie Jax Super Vet, Schmidt All Star, Yaz Super Vet. 2nd Row-Carlton All Star, Jenkins (w/Ozzie on bottom), Braves Team Leaders w/Niekro, Carlton, Gossage Super Vet (w/Brett All Star on bottom), Rice. Finally, all by himself on the 3rd Row is the Rose All Star. Some star power on the bottom of the packs too.


That's a Schmidt in addition to the Sandberg. So of the 24 packs, 15 had HOF'ers showing (including the Rose).

I don't collect unopened, so all packs were ripped with the exception of the Sandberg on back.

I'm happy to say that it looks like I'm going to have to buy more Card Savers.



Really strong centering throughout. First time through, I pulled 77 cards. I eventually pared that down to the 59 shown above. Some highlights:




The Bailor is a pop 1, so fingers crossed on that one.

Finally, the obligatory scan of the Big Three pulled that are unsubmittable.


I have one more cello box to rip, so if anybody is looking for a card on top of an 83 cello, lmk and I can set it aside for you.

Stone193

Very nice cards.

It's amazing how often the key RCs are OC or just OK centering.

jmaciu

Thanks for sharing!! You have some nice star power there.

mrpeanut39

Struggling with Photobucket for a couple of days, but I'm back.

This wax box was purchased in the mega-group break we had on the board after the National. $166.50 with our 10% board discount.



Centering was pretty decent throughout, but unfortunately every pack was notched on the left side effecting 2-4 cards per pack. Not sure how well it can be seen with this picture.

There's about a pinky nail width notch where the pink and green border meet.

I was able to pull 26 gradable cards. No stars or rookies of note.



Up next the second of my two cello boxes.

mrpeanut39

This cello box was also from the BBCE Group Break after the National. $225 after our 10% CU discount. Not the same star power as my first cello box break, but once again really strong cards throughout.




That's Yount, Sutter, Niekro (Leading Firemen w/Sutter on the front), Weaver and Carew All Star.

I decided to post a lot of scans this time.


The Robinson is a pop 4.





The Pettini is a pop 2.



Finally, a nice Cal and the Rickey All Star is only a pop 3.

Really impressed with the quality of the cards I've pulled from these cello boxes. They've moved ahead of wax in my mind and trail only rack boxes for quality of cards.

Gusto

Great looking cards! I love the Yount and Ripken. Thanks for sharing

mrpeanut39

<< <i>Great looking cards! I love the Yount and Ripken. Thanks for sharing >>



Thanks. I love your game face.

Unknown

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aconte

Nice results. Thanks for sharing all the pictures.

aconte

esquiresports

Looks like some great pulls. I look forward to seeing the submission results. 1983 is a personal favorite of mine due to Gwynn.

mrpeanut39

Last box of my accumulated stash. A Michigan Wax Box purchased in BBCE's Black Friday Sale for $210.



I pulled 30 cards to submit from this box. Pretty decent star power too. If the scans look distorted, the cards still exhibit that fresh from the pack curl in the penny sleeves.

tmgrnzx9r

Great stuff Brett!!
Thanks for sharing your results. Good luck with them when you sub them.

shu4040

Mr. Peanut, i just cracked an 83 vending last night. since you seem like the 83 expert, here are some commons i set aside. centering wise atleast, do you think these are worth subbing for 10s? any of these not worth subbing even for a 10?

Thanks!
[URL=http://s653.photobucket.com/user/shu4040/media/832_zpsd760f0c1.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s653.photobucket.com/user/shu4040/media/831_zps5e52fe1d.jpg.html][/URL]

mrpeanut39

<< <i>Mr. Peanut, i just cracked an 83 vending last night. since you seem like the 83 expert, here are some commons i set aside. centering wise atleast, do you think these are worth subbing for 10s? any of these not worth subbing even for a 10?

Thanks!
[URL=http://s653.photobucket.com/user/shu4040/media/832_zpsd760f0c1.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s653.photobucket.com/user/shu4040/media/831_zps5e52fe1d.jpg.html][/URL] >>



Glad to give my opinion, but there are others on this board with far more knowledge of this set than me. I like the centering on all of those. But, if you're grading to re-sell, I'd check the pops. I know that the LeMaster and DeLeon are hi pop 10s and sell for less than $10. I'm thinking you should be okay with anything in the range of pop 12 or fewer.

mrpeanut39

Now that I'm finished opening all of the boxes, thought I'd recap. In theory there were 3,964 cards in the boxes. I say in theory because I didn't actually count and it seems like there's always more than advertised, particularly with the vending boxes. I pulled 186 cards to be graded. That's approximately 4.7% or about 1 in every 21 cards was pulled. Although I pulled 5 or 6 each of the Big 3, none were gradable. As a whole, the vast majority of the cards were fine for building raw sets, but were not 10 worthy.

I came away very impressed with cello boxes. By far the nicest cards were pulled from cello. The vending boxes were pretty much a disaster, but I must have got a bad run because I've usually done much better with vending.

I'm sitting on a little over 300 1983 Topps to be graded and I'll be sure to post here when I get around to grading. I'll use this thread to update my progress on this set and will change the name of the thread to reflect that.

calaban7

Brett , thanks for sharing this . I think you did well with your subs , as I've gone down the same path , with similar results . What I like about the way you build your set , is how you try to build by submission mostly . It surely was a lot of fun , in the hunt for the cards , the checking the cards , then seeing the results .I wish I had your eye and more importantly your patience .

Keep building ----- Sonny

bunt

I have around 100 or so 1983 topps in the 'to be graded' stack - from a very nice 'from sealed case' cello box - All of them in top loaders - considered centered - and thinkin' 10 and at worst 9.

Want 'em ?

There is no chance I'm ever going to send them in for grading - it would be masochistic.

mrpeanut39

<< <i>Brett , thanks for sharing this . I think you did well with your subs , as I've gone down the same path , with similar results . What I like about the way you build your set , is how you try to build by submission mostly . It surely was a lot of fun , in the hunt for the cards , the checking the cards , then seeing the results .I wish I had your eye and more importantly your patience .

Keep building ----- Sonny >>



Thanks Sonny. It's always humbling when I look at your set. The Bailor I pulled and posted on the last page is yours if I can hit another 10.

bunt

Wasn't joking - want them ? Yeah I'm a loon here but just havin fun - it's a message board for pete's sake

mrpeanut39

I let my PSA membership lapse back in December. I got tired of waiting for a good special to lure me back and renewed this month. I have to start chipping away at the backlog of 83s I have waiting to send in.

I decided to go with the Christmas morning approach with this sub and wait until I cracked open the box to see my grades. Whoever packed my order had a good laugh at my expense. The first box I opened only had one 10 in it. As i thumbed through 9 after 9 (even a 5. Hate it when that happens), I was wailing and gnashing my teeth. But then when I opened the 2nd box, it seems they put all the 10s in there. 10 of the 19 cards in the 2nd box were 10s.

1 1 23150104 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 Topps 170 Steve Howe Card - from Vending
2 1 23150105 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 728 Ron Reed Card - from Rack
3 1 23150106 EXCELLENT 5 1983 Topps 615 Garry Maddox Card - from Michigan Wax
4 1 23150107 MINT 9 1983 Topps 143 Joe Pettini Card - from Michigan Wax
5 1 23150108 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 460 Roy Smalley Card - from Cello
6 1 23150109 MINT 9 1983 Topps 359 Dave Collins Card - from Vending
7 1 23150110 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 591 White Sox Batting & Pitching Leaders Card - from Michigan Wax
8 1 23150111 MINT 9 1983 Topps 704 Stolen Base Leaders R.Henderson/T.Raines Card - from Cello
9 1 23150112 MINT 9 1983 Topps 725 Dan Spillner Card - from Cello
10 1 23150113 MINT 9 1983 Topps 60 Johnny Bench Card - from Michigan Wax
11 1 23150114 MINT 9 1983 Topps 163 Cal Ripken Jr. Card - from Michigan Wax
12 1 23150115 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 651 Angels Batting & Pitching Leaders Card - from Michigan Wax
13 1 23150116 MINT 9 1983 Topps 283 Reggie Smith Card - from Cello
14 1 23150117 MINT 9 1983 Topps 297 Ned Yost Card - from Vending
15 1 23150118 MINT 9 1983 Topps 471 Royals Batting & Pitching Leaders Card - from Michigan Wax
16 1 23150119 MINT 9 1983 Topps 199 Marty Bystrom Card - from Rack
17 1 23150120 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 153 Jerry Koosman Card - from Michigan Wax
18 1 23150121 MINT 9 1983 Topps 64 Bill Stein Card - from Cello
19 1 23150122 MINT 9 1983 Topps 533 Luis Salazar Card - from Wax
20 1 23150123 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 343 Bob Bailor Card - from Cello
21 1 23150124 MINT 9 1983 Topps 284 Jeff Lahti Card - Unsure of Source
22 1 23150125 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 48 Lary Sorensen Card - from Cello
23 1 23150126 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 201 Rod Carew Card - from Vending
24 1 23150127 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 600 George Brett Card - from Cello
25 1 23150128 MINT 9 1983 Topps 285 Lance Parrish Card - from Cello
26 1 23150129 MINT 9 1983 Topps 428 Champ Summers Card - from Vending
27 1 23150130 MINT 9 1983 Topps 391 Rickey Henderson Card - from Cello
28 1 23150131 MINT 9 1983 Topps 505 Garry Templeton Card - from Cello
29 1 23150132 NEAR MINT-MINT 8 1983 Topps 758 Aurelio Rodriguez Card - from Vending
30 1 23150133 MINT 9 1983 Topps 550 Carl Yastrzemski Card - from Michigan Wax
31 1 23150134 MINT 9 1983 Topps 369 Jesse Orosco Card - from Cello
32 1 23150135 MINT 9 1983 Topps 769 Checklist 661-792 Card - from Wax
33 1 23150136 MINT 9 1983 Topps 697 Barry Foote Card - from Wax
34 1 23150137 MINT 9 1983 Topps 220 Dusty Baker Card - from Vending
35 1 23150138 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 792 Chris Chambliss Card - from Vending
36 1 23150139 GEM MINT 10 1983 Topps 211 John Denny Card - from Cello
Total Items: 36
Date Received: 7/18/2014
Date Shipped: 7/23/2014
Order Status: Shipped


The big hit here is the Bailor card. It's now a pop 2, and I'm fortunate enough to have hit both of them.

I hit the 50% mark on my set with this order. 153 PSA 10s and 255 PSA 9s.

Edited to add source i.e. Rack, Cello, Vending, etc.

PMKAY

5 day turnaround on the monthly special?

tmgrnzx9r

Brett,
Nicely done. Now I know who to go to for th other Bailor 10!

mrpeanut39

<< <i>5 day turnaround on the monthly special? >>



I think someone in the graders room likes 83 Topps. I know this will infuriate others, but as soon I get loggage, if I have to wait more than 2 weeks for my grades to pop that's a long time for me.

MantleFan23

Brett,

It was nice to reread this thread and see your progression. If memory serves, aren't you also working on a 56 topps set? I thought I remember your name from the 56 Topps thread.

Jeremy