Unopen cello pack question for the experts REA auction..

BIGBEN7

I just received my catalog and lot 1474 1973 Topps Football cello box there is a pack with the Franco Harris rookie on top and OJ Simpson on back. What are the chances this is a legit pack. It appears Steve Hart did not look at this box.
If this is a legit pack I would love to own it if somebody on the board buys the box and decides to break it up.

70ToppsFanatic

As best I know REA does not have the ability to authenticate such a pack on their own.

If you are serious about this item, give them a call and ask them if they would be willing to either ship it up
to BBCE for a look (since their hammer date is 4/26 it can easily be done, and if it comes back good it would
certainly help their results) OR ask them if they will provide a refund if you win it and have it reviewed immediately
after the auction by BBCE and it comes back bad.

You could also ask them if they know the provenance of the box. That could also be of help in giving some confidence
that it is good.

FWIW, most auction houses have little incentive to really check on the legitimacy of the unopened they offer.

Guru

I think you'll find REA more than agreeable about authenticity. The whole reason they exist is because they broke off from Mastro because of selling things that weren't authentic. Robert Edwards is known as someone who takes authenticity pretty seriously.

spacktrack

This box, as well as the other 70s football unopened, originates from an old-time collector who is beginning to sell some unopened sport and nonsport boxes acquired in the year of issue. We feel very good about his material based on what we know about him and his collecting habits. These are boxes that have been sitting around for decades; he has not been buying them on the secondary market recently. The boxes in the auction that are BBCE wrapped are done so because this is how they were consigned to us. It is not a matter of us picking and choosing what to send Steve. From time to time, we will request input from Steve and others we feel are very knowledgeable on the material if there is any question so that we are presenting only what we are confident is good.

This box, as with any other item in the auction, will be available for viewing at our office in NJ by appointment if any interested bidder would like to review it. I know at least a few board members have come in to inspect the unopened (including several boxes from this same collection, which we sold last spring). We are also happy to make the box (or any other item in the auction) available for examination by any interested bidder's authenticator of choice provided it can be done prior to the auction ending and does not interfere with any other viewings we have scheduled.

Feel free to call or e-mail with any questions.

Brian Dwyer
Robert Edward Auctions
908-226-9900

BIGBEN7

Brian

Thanks for the reply.