Any Basketball, Football & Hockey Unopened Collectors Out There?
jordangretzkyfan
Posts: 2,486 ✭✭✭✭✭
After reading through CPAMike's Unopened Vault thread (which is simply mind-boggling and amazing), I am wondering if there are any big basketball, football and/or hockey unopened collectors here? I know Tim and the two Mike's have shown pics of their amazing collections of 1970's and early 1980's baseball unopened, but I have not seen much in the way from the other sports. Is this because there is simply less material, lower collector demand or just not the focus of folks on this board?
I would love to hear thoughts/opinions on the unopened market for these three other sports as well as see any pics folks are willing to share.
Happy New Year everyone!
I would love to hear thoughts/opinions on the unopened market for these three other sports as well as see any pics folks are willing to share.
Happy New Year everyone!
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Comments
Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972
My unopened football collection only goes back to 1976 and basketball back to 72/73. I see that BBCE has a 12-pack box of 71 basketball, but $12k is a bit of a stretch. Nice to see you already have some socked away.
I am curious why you chose to stop around 72? We're those the packs you broke as a kid? Thanks again for sharing the pic. It seems like there is only a fraction of fb, bsk and hky compared to baseball, so I always get a thrill seeing what is out there.
Jeff
I was born in 1962, first pack I remember opening was a 1970 baseball series 1 pack my grandma bought me. The cards I remember getting sequence perfectly too on the uncut sheet LOL
Went absolutely nuts buying 1970 FB cellos and 1971 FB and basketball wax packs. My mom won a couple of hundred dollars on a quarter slot machine and put them in her make up desk. I "borrowed" quite a few and rode my bike up to the drug store to buy 25 cent cellos in the fall of 1970.
Ripped wax packs thru 1976, 1977 was first year of high school (sophomore) so developed other interests when I wasn't playing sports
1973 and 1974 cards are too plain for me after the bright colors of 1972. Although I do have at least one wax, rack and cello pack for 1973 thru 1979 baseball and football I focus on late 60's and early 70's.
Thanks again for all the props, John
Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972
Unopened pack registry
Join the Rookie stars on top PSA registry today:
1980-1989 Cello Packs - Rookies
<< <i>Thanks everyone!
I was born in 1962, first pack I remember opening was a 1970 baseball series 1 pack my grandma bought me. The cards I remember getting sequence perfectly too on the uncut sheet LOL
Went absolutely nuts buying 1970 FB cellos and 1971 FB and basketball wax packs. My mom won a couple of hundred dollars on a quarter slot machine and put them in her make up desk. I "borrowed" quite a few and rode my bike up to the drug store to buy 25 cent cellos in the fall of 1970.
Ripped wax packs thru 1976, 1977 was first year of high school (sophomore) so developed other interests when I wasn't playing sports
1973 and 1974 cards are too plain for me after the bright colors of 1972. Although I do have at least one wax, rack and cello pack for 1973 thru 1979 baseball and football I focus on late 60's and early 70's.
Thanks again for all the props, John >>
I enjoy hearing the "story"'why someone collects and the history. Thanks for sharing.
I thought about branching out into unopened football and hockey, but with prices where they are I wanted to conserve my funds and not spread myself too thin. Although that seems to be happening now anyway, lol.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Collecting:
Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
<< <i>I collect a few basketball packs, here's my registry set
Unopened pack registry >>
He says modestly as the #1 registry holder
<< <i>I decided to collect unopened baseball as that is what I ripped as a kid. Yes, even CPAMike ripped packs as a kid. If I didn't, my vault would be triple in size at least.
I envision mini-CPAMike struggling with the morale decision to open, or to leave sealed. I am guessing it took about 15 minutes to eventually open each pack as a kid, only to feel a bit dirty after the whole experience. I think your exclusive focus on baseball has paid off in spades my friend!
<< <i>
<< <i>I collect a few basketball packs, here's my registry set
Unopened pack registry >>
He says modestly as the #1 registry holder
Yeah, when Ryan collects something he goes all in.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Collecting:
Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
Join the Rookie stars on top PSA registry today:
1980-1989 Cello Packs - Rookies
jmoran19--Very nice collection and the display is as cool as the collection. I wish I had the room for that kind of display but that will have to wait.
jordangretzkyfan--If I were to guess it seems like this forum is somewhere around 80% Baseball vs. 20%Basketball/football/hockey/other when it comes to main collecting focus. I could be wrong but it is the feel I get from the posts/threads I read. I am actually one of the 20% as I collect very little baseball (except for my unopened and Will Clark collections). Unfortunately, I only got back into collecting in late 2012 and only started collecting unopened in the middle of 2013 so I have had a hard time with getting some of the products I want for my unopened collection in all sports given the substantial rise in prices over the last 12 months. That said I have managed to put together some good deals with some forum members and BBCE to get some cool FB/BK/HK unopened boxes and packs. I will post pics when I get a chance. Thanks for starting the thread.
Steve
Steve - as always, thanks for the perspective on the forum mix. I think your assessment feels about right. I look forward to seeing photos of your collection as I am sure you have some hidden gems tucked away!
And rtimmer is the man for 1980s unopned packs with stars on top!
All these beautiful displays are inspiring me to organize the Grote Vault, LOL!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>Ryan - that is one outstanding pack! I love the Chamberlain rookie as it is one of the two most iconic basketball cards in my opinion (Jordan RC being the other). I will share a photo of my Chamberlain when I get a chance.
>>
Jordan fleer card is iconic for sure and I so wish I had one of his regular card front showing '86 packs (I do have a couple stickers) and it's also one of the cards I actually ripped back in 1986 (got a PSA 5 when I sent it in, Barkley was only a 3
Also in my top five of basketball rookie cards is the Erving '72 but my guess is that how those packs are assembled it must show up on the top of the pack in its collation. With 275 packs being PSA graded and the set being smaller if it were distributed on back I think 8-10 would be graded versus none.
Can't wait to see your Chamberlain, always one of my favorite players, especially love collecting his tickets.
Join the Rookie stars on top PSA registry today:
1980-1989 Cello Packs - Rookies
<< <i>Love the display, John!
And rtimmer is the man for 1980s unopned packs with stars on top!
All these beautiful displays are inspiring me to organize the Grote Vault, LOL! >>
Here is my football collection which runs from 1977 to 1988. I only have a few packs pre-1977. Great display jmoran!
First Cards ever collected - 1978 Topps Football.
Working on a collection of the Top Ten FB Cards of each year from 1957-1987.
<< <i> Also in my top five of basketball rookie cards is the Erving '72 but my guess is that how those packs are assembled it must show up on the top of the pack in its collation. With 275 packs being PSA graded and the set being smaller if it were distributed on back I think 8-10 would be graded versus none. >>
That is correct, if a card is face out thru the bottom of the pack, Erving would be in the 2nd group of 5 cards which would could only be seen from the front of the purple pack. If the back of a card is showing on the bottom of a pack it is possible that it could be the doctor
P.S. Love the 61 fleer pack with Wilt on back, huge one to own
Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972
Hey John, you really need to finish filling some of those boxes up.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Collecting:
Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
must be the paranoia from being an ex cop
<< <i>very impressive John! am i the only moron who keeps his stuff in safe depost boxes?
must be the paranoia from being an ex cop >>
Manny, didn't you know that no one screws with accountants.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Collecting:
Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
<< <i>very impressive John! am i the only moron who keeps his stuff in safe depost boxes?
must be the paranoia from being an ex cop >>
You must have quite a few or one gigantic SDB Manny, LOL!!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Would love to see some close up pics on early 70's basketball boxes. One looks like it has some cool action shots.
Always liked 72 Basketball. Dr. J rookie, that lakers team winning the title with probably the greatest team ever put together for a season.
Has 70's Basketball unopened blown up a lot in prices.
<< <i>Thanks for the kind words. Here's my favorite '61 pack
Again, amazing pack Ryan. Should you ever decide to pop that baby open (and please don't), hopefully you will have one even better than this staring back at you
First, my graded packs collection. It is not a focus of mine but I am a huge fan of the 61 and 86 Fleer basketball issues and felt I needed some graded packs to go with my sets. The rack is a GAI 9 Joe Montana showing pack and the cello is a PSA 9 Marino on top.
[URL=http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/slum22/media/photo12_zps85fba65f.jpg.html]
Next up a small smattering of basketball and my lone hockey box an 84 OPC wax box in the old BBCE wrap (Yzerman's RC year). Just picked that one up (thanks al032184). I wish I had more basketball but at this point, they are either hard to find or very expensive, or both. The older box is a 78/79 wax and the newer one is the 89/90 Fleer wax box. All of those boxes are BBCE. The newer boxes are factory sealed and are the Topps Chrome editions. The smaller one is 97/98 (Tim Duncan's RC year) and the two larger ones are 2003/04 (Lebron James RC year).
[URL=http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/slum22/media/photo15_zps3fe77a1f.jpg.html]
Lastly, my 80's FB run. Luckily I got a lot of these at reasonable prices during the year. The cello is from 1983. I mainly like to do boxes but at the bottom is my lone 70's item for now, a 79 wax tray. These things are pretty cool. I may have to find some more.
[URL=http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/slum22/media/photo16_zpsbdc8e619.jpg.html]
It's been a fun year. I think I will slow down now that I have most of my 80's FB and BB runs complete. I will post updates for my baseball unopened collection one of these days. Thanks for looking.
<< <i>Fabulous run of clean boxes from 1977-1989 Swankdaddy7! Those years have arguably the greatest batch of NFL superstars ever...Largent, Montana, LT, Elway, Marino, Rice, White and Young. Thanks for sharing the great photos! >>
Thanks. It was fun to put together. My brother and I had opened most of them as kids, so the memories are great from that era. I agree on the stars in the NFL at that time (Payton, Dorsett, Campbell, Bradshaw, Staubach, etc.). Here's another pic of some individual packs.
First Cards ever collected - 1978 Topps Football.
Working on a collection of the Top Ten FB Cards of each year from 1957-1987.
Display boxes
No, the packs aren't real.
Swank - gorgeous run of football wax packs. I love looking at the great artwork on each of the packs...impressive run!
Beezer - I can't tell from your comment if those are full wax boxes or empty, but either way that is the best display of hockey boxes I have ever seen!! When it comes to RARE vintage unopened, hockey is far and away the king. You have an amazing display...thanks for sharing the pics!!
<< <i>OK, I'll kick in some hockey
Display boxes
No, the packs aren't real. >>
Talk about card porn.
Uh.....I think I need a couple of tissues.
[URL=http://s142.photobucket.com/user/flatfoot816/media/image_zps76912118.jpg.html]
I've been looking for a 1967 and they are very tough to find.
<< <i>
Wonder how many gemy mint Pistol Pete's are hiding in there? Great box!!
Join the Rookie stars on top PSA registry today:
1980-1989 Cello Packs - Rookies