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Need help with 1981 vending boxes (possibly searched)

54topps54topps Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I just bought a 1981 vending case that was supposedly sealed. Well I received the box today and the top flaps were not sealed at all. So I opened the lid on the top 6 vending boxes and they all look like the attached picture. Im no expert on vending boxes so I need some advice here. I know you want to see that staggered look to the cards like you see on the left half. The right half does not have that staggered appearance at all. Why would all 6 boxes have this same kind of look? Where the Gibson and Valenzuela rookies on the right half of vending boxes? I have not gone through any of the cards but it does look suspect. I just dont now why someone would just go through the right half of these boxes if they did at all. Any advice?

Thanks!
Mike





[URL=http://s22.photobucket.com/user/hockey76opc/media/photo_zpsa326d1ce.jpg.html]image[/URL]

Comments

  • StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭
    Based on that pic, I would say yes. Half appears to have been removed and put back in the box.
  • SteelernationSteelernation Posts: 362 ✭
    Def looks searched. The 81 vending boxes I went thru, the rookie and all star leader cards did all seem to be on one end. I don't know how you determine which end though
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,743 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Definitely searched, or at least partially so. As Steeler said, most of the time the team cards, league leader cards and future star cards are one side of an 81 vending box.


    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.
  • itzagoneritzagoner Posts: 8,753 ✭✭
    looks like a divorce settlement happened there.
  • uncutsheetbuyeruncutsheetbuyer Posts: 36
    Yes that box appears searched from the photo. Now I have cracked open cases where the cards were split patterns like yours and they were legit. The half dark and half light split. However what I do not like is the left side the vending grain is to far apart. The only real sure way would be to check one box and see if there is any star power. 1981 are usually loaded with stars. The cards like most vending should have a stick to them. The clean feel of a full brick of uncirculated cards. If you pull the stack out and they do not have that built up friction/stick like and are loosely falling apart they have been repacked. After 30 years of being untouched they would be stuck together, but enough for you to be able to pull them apart without damage. Lastly there should be like a grainy feel to the surface of the cards when you sort them which would be tiny cardboard particles from the packing of the product in 1981. Finally a vintage paper smell is typically stronger when you open the box for the first time. Little things like this are dead give aways to me. Best of luck.
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092 ✭
    I would ship it back 'not as described'. The guy advertised a sealed case and it came to you unsealed, and the boxes are pretty suspect. Maybe they're legit, maybe not. But there's too much doubt to take a $1500 flyer on them.

    Lee
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  • 54topps54topps Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I would ship it back 'not as described'. The guy advertised a sealed case and it came to you unsealed, and the boxes are pretty suspect. Maybe they're legit, maybe not. But there's too much doubt to take a $1500 flyer on them.

    Lee >>



    Thanks for all your opinions. If it does not feel right then its not right. Why take the chance for $1500.00 I'll see if I can return them. Too bad as I was looking forward to going through these.
  • mcolney1mcolney1 Posts: 985 ✭✭✭
    Absolutely search...never seen a non-searched vending box look like that. Send them back.
    Collecting Topps, Philadelphia and Kellogg's from 1964-1989
  • Carew29Carew29 Posts: 4,025 ✭✭

    I just opened my 1981 Baseball from BBCE and received 6 Pete Rose's..2 Fernando's (in the middle of the box)..3 Nolan Ryans (left side of box) and 3 Schmidt's...All gradeable. My whole box looked like the left hand side of yours. Not 1/2 and 1/2. Looks like a searched box to me. No Kirk Gibson though...
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Thanks for all your opinions. If it does not feel right then its not right. Why take the chance for $1500.00 I'll see if I can return them. Too bad as I was looking forward to going through these. >>



    I agree with everyone else, I would return it as not as described. Just don't get antsy and open any of your other unopened lying around. image

    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    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.
  • ldfergldferg Posts: 6,745 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Thanks for all your opinions. If it does not feel right then its not right. Why take the chance for $1500.00 I'll see if I can return them. Too bad as I was looking forward to going through these. >>



    I agree with everyone else, I would return it as not as described. Just don't get antsy and open any of your other unopened lying around. image >>



    Add me to the "return to sender list".


    Thanks,

    David (LD_Ferg)



    1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
  • digdugdigdug Posts: 216 ✭✭


    << <i>I just opened my 1981 Baseball from BBCE and received 6 Pete Rose's..2 Fernando's (in the middle of the box)..3 Nolan Ryans (left side of box) and 3 Schmidt's...All gradeable. My whole box looked like the left hand side of yours. Not 1/2 and 1/2. Looks like a searched box to me. No Kirk Gibson though... >>



    Any scans to share please?
  • SOMSOM Posts: 1,555 ✭✭✭
    Man, I don't know if it's a bad picture, but not only does that box look searched, the cards all look VG-EX at best!

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,743 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I notice how in both pics in the listing for this case the top of the case is cropped out. If you are selling a supposedly sealed case, wouldn't you want to show the top of the case to show it being sealed? I'm guessing he didn't because of what you mantioned about the case not being sealed at all.


    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.
  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,383 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looks like they carefully removed the cards but put the other half upside-down(or just a random lot but they look related..
  • Carew29Carew29 Posts: 4,025 ✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>I just opened my 1981 Baseball from BBCE and received 6 Pete Rose's..2 Fernando's (in the middle of the box)..3 Nolan Ryans (left side of box) and 3 Schmidt's...All gradeable. My whole box looked like the left hand side of yours. Not 1/2 and 1/2. Looks like a searched box to me. No Kirk Gibson though... >>



    Any scans to share please?[/q

    I will throw a few scans up in the morning
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