1975 Topps Baseball Cello Box Rip
Nikklos
Posts: 1,411 ✭✭✭
Ordered a couple of 1978 racks along with the '75 cello box. Now, '78 racks are ridiculously priced you have virtually no chance of recouping your money on a rip at $175 a rack. But I love the 1978 racks and I bought a couple for old-times sake. But they will be the last I buy at these prices.
Steve being the man, one rack has a Reggie WS on top and the other has an apparently blazing sharp Carew on top. Was going to rip these first as an appetizer but am going to put them aside for now.
Box looks nice.
Will show pack by pack highlights. We've all seen horribly disfigured 1975s before. Will open a pack or two tonight. This box may take awhile!
Steve being the man, one rack has a Reggie WS on top and the other has an apparently blazing sharp Carew on top. Was going to rip these first as an appetizer but am going to put them aside for now.
Box looks nice.
Will show pack by pack highlights. We've all seen horribly disfigured 1975s before. Will open a pack or two tonight. This box may take awhile!
Nikklos
1
Comments
I don't know how you don't open them all up right away! Lol!
I would be no good at waiting. Good luck!
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
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.
Good luck and that box looks awesome!!
Jeremy
Jeff
---and with regards to the '75's......tear 'em a new one!!!
Any STARS on front of any of the cellos???
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Couple HOFers.
Couple of team cards
And my favorite, Tom Dettore. Because I worked with him for a number of years. He's about as ornery as he looks here.
Going thru one at a time Doug so not sure about stars on top.
<< <i>HOLY SH!T ... you crazy man ... now RIP AWAY ... GOOD LUCK!
Any STARS on front of any of the cellos??? >>
Don demola doesn't do it for you??
Good luck with the 75 rips!!!
Jim
But looking at the top card on each of those cello's, they may be diamond cut throughout the whole 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.
<< <i>I'm sorry to say and I hope this is not the case...
But looking at the top card on each of those cello's, they may be diamond cut throughout the whole box... >>
I have a question as I am new to collecting and investing in unopened material. Upon close observation, most of the top cards are heavily off center or diamond cut. If this box is authenticated by the BBCE exchange and sold at a premium, why is it not pedigreed as so? Especially since they have intimate knowledge of what's inside after observation. I ask this because a few responses are saying that what's on top is similar
to what's inside. And at $4,000+ a box, that would be nice to know. Especially since someone else also knows???
Can anyone elaborate on this?
Because unopened has become it's own arm of the collecting world, many contents may never see the light of day. They do t derive their value from the possible contents, but from the fact that they are indeed unopened and authentic.
My 2 cents.
<< <i>Most more knowledgable than I, but BBCE is simply authenticating that packs as unopened and authentic. Not the quality of what's on top or inside the packs.
Because unopened has become it's own arm of the collecting world, many contents may never see the light of day. They do t derive their value from the possible contents, but from the fact that they are indeed unopened and authentic.
My 2 cents. >>
I understand. It just seems that since the top cards are clearly visible, it can be pedigreed one way or another. And how is a box authenticated that's not from a sealed case? I heard a reference earlier to a Frankenstien box???
<< <i>This will be awesome to watch. A treat for all of us, except for Carnac, who already knows what half of the box contains.
LOL, tim and Mike are the 75 experts, although you shouldn't get a Brett or young before the gum card
Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972
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.
Below is a current ebay Fritsch listing which shows the diamond-cut pattern that most of his '75 slabbed cellos have exhibited over the past year or so:
<< <i>At this point it may be best to buy a 1975 cello and send the box back to Steve for re-wrapping. >>
But what about the next guy who buys this to open??? Why should he take it on the shorts??? And for $4,000...
If it's from a sealed case, then it is what it is...
Together box. Still something nice knowing these packs all
Left the factory together
<< <i>Bad break, but I like that it's not a pieced
Together box. Still something nice knowing these packs all
Left the factory together >>
What is there to say that this isn't a Fritsch 'Frankenstein' box? Can anyone vouch for Fritsch not cherry picking boxes?
<< <i>
<< <i>Bad break, but I like that it's not a pieced
Together box. Still something nice knowing these packs all
Left the factory together >>
What is there to say that this isn't a Fristch 'Frankenstein' box? >>
My only issue is when this is authenticated, the authenticator see clearly what it is. Then you buy it, open a pack and don't like it and replace a pack and ship it back to Steve. Then I buy it, don't like it after a pack or two, then I ship it back to Steve??? When does all if that end... I just don't see the the "authenticity" in all of that???
<< <i>At this point it may be best to buy a 1975 cello and send the box back to Steve for re-wrapping. >>
+1
aconte
Sigh now I have no choice but to rip those '78 racks.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>Bad break, but I like that it's not a pieced
Together box. Still something nice knowing these packs all
Left the factory together >>
What is there to say that this isn't a Fristch 'Frankenstein' box? >>
My only issue is when this is authenticated, the authenticator see clearly what it is. Then you buy it, open a pack and don't like it and replace a pack and ship it back to Steve. Then I buy it, don't like it after a pack or two, then I ship it back to Steve??? When does all if that end... I just don't see the the "authenticity" in all of that??? >>
Did you see my post above? Steve's responsibility is not to figure out if a box is intact from the factory or not--his role is to certify that the packs are unopened and authentic. That's it. If you really want to make sure your boxes are fully original and intact, then you have to buy boxes from a sealed case ONLY. That is why boxes from a sealed case carry a premium over a regular box from that same year. As Snuffy said, too, who's to say that this box is intact from Fritsch anyway? He has star packs graded in PSA holders, so it's very possible, he'd pull a star pack to submit it to PSA for grading, too. But if you are an unopened collector, issues like centering are much less important than knowing the packs are authentic. You can see centering on top cards in a rack pack, too, both front and back, and though a rack with well-centered cards will usually carry a premium, even a rack with OC cards will command a similar price, because the unopened collector has no plans to rip the rack but simply wants to add it to his collection. Ripping vintage unopened is risky, 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>
<< <i>This will be awesome to watch. A treat for all of us, except for Carnac, who already knows what half of the box contains.
LOL, tim and Mike are the 75 experts, although you shouldn't get a Brett or young before the gum card
You have been taking good notes John.
I agree that box is not rip worthy which is a shame as me and popcorn girl will have to think of something else to do tonight.
And if it is from Fritsch, it is possible that any star packs were pulled from the box and replaced with similiar diamond cut packs as Fritsch has lots of unopened cases. Chris, I would love to know if there are any packs with stars or minor stars showing either on top or bottom. Especially with the 1975 set, I would think at least 2 or 3 packs would have someone big name showing.
Edited to add: We all said basically the same thing, 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>They definitely left the factory together but the box could still be pieced together. From the same pedigree. Multiple cases, batches - same pedigree.
Sigh now I have no choice but to rip those '78 racks. >>
The 1978 cards showing do look nicely centered. Lets get that PSA 10 Jackson Todd!!!
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>But if you are an unopened collector, issues like centering are much less important than knowing the packs are authentic. You can see centering on top cards in a rack pack, too, both front and back, and though a rack with well-centered cards will usually carry a premium, even a rack with OC cards >>
I have recently become an unopened collector and it is VERY important to me as to what a box could contain? Isn't that a huge part of what its value is correlated to? Now that this is a known box with problems, shouldn't it be pedigreed as such? That's all I am saying?
For example, if this box was labeled as such, would the OP have bought it for that amount? Maybe I am just used to my graded cards and knowing what I "really" bought...
<< <i>I have recently become an unopened collector and it is VERY important to me as to what a box could contain? Isn't that a huge part of what its value is correlated to? Now that this is a known box with problems, shouldn't it be pedigreed as such? That's all I am saying?
For example, if this box was labeled as such, would the OP have bought it for that amount? Maybe I am just used to my graded cards and knowing what I "really" bought... >>
I understand where you are coming from, but in that most of my unopened is wax -- I have no idea the condition of the cards inside unless I start busting packs. Centering, diamond cuts, etc don't bother me that much in something I have no intention of opening. Now, there is a guy that has been trying to sell an 80 super cello on ebay for a while and the gum has damaged a significant portion of each pack. In that case, yes I want to know about the condition.
I think Steve's expertise lies in validating authenticity of that packs, which is why I pay him a premium on the cardboard I buy from him.
<< <i>
<< <i>But if you are an unopened collector, issues like centering are much less important than knowing the packs are authentic. You can see centering on top cards in a rack pack, too, both front and back, and though a rack with well-centered cards will usually carry a premium, even a rack with OC cards >>
I have recently become an unopened collector and it is VERY important to me as to what a box could contain? Isn't that a huge part of what its value is correlated to? Now that this is a known box with problems, shouldn't it be pedigreed as such? That's all I am saying?
For example, if this box was labeled as such, would the OP have bought it for that amount? Maybe I am just used to my graded cards and knowing what I "really" bought... >>
But when we were talking about possible centering of the 75 mini case based on the case batch number, you had stated in that thread:
I collect sealed boxes and batch numbers are meaningless for my purpose...
I understand your point completely. What I'm trying to say here, though, is that for an unopened collector, authenticity is the paramount factor to determine the value of the product. Would you like a cherry box from a dead centered run? Sure, of course. But centering issues like the ones we saw here are commonplace in any, and even most, packs from this year (75 is a tough issue; that's why low pop PSA 10 common gems command 1K+). Also, one can make a reasonable assumption as to centering based on the top card of a cello pack, but I can tell you firsthand that such an assumption is not always correct~I have opened many cello packs in which top card was well centered and second card was OC and vice versa. Nothing is assured here, when dealing with 70s Topps product control except that it was often sorely lacking. That's why many pepple collect unopened but don't rip any of it. I do both, but at these prices, I do much less of the latter.
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 thought it would be frowned upon by other vintage unopened collectors to open a pack, then replace that pack and have it resealed as a full box? If it's not frowned upon, then is it ok for them to pick out the Younts/Bretts if they know the sequence and then replace the packs again?
If that is ok, I definitely now understand why "from a sealed case" is so important. I guess you learn something new every day and will consider this info when thinking about buying unopened vintage. I'm not saying it's wrong or trying to criticize someone for doing it. Just surprised at what is acceptable with vintage and how some boxes are authenticated.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>But if you are an unopened collector, issues like centering are much less important than knowing the packs are authentic. You can see centering on top cards in a rack pack, too, both front and back, and though a rack with well-centered cards will usually carry a premium, even a rack with OC cards >>
I have recently become an unopened collector and it is VERY important to me as to what a box could contain? Isn't that a huge part of what its value is correlated to? Now that this is a known box with problems, shouldn't it be pedigreed as such? That's all I am saying?
For example, if this box was labeled as such, would the OP have bought it for that amount? Maybe I am just used to my graded cards and knowing what I "really" bought... >>
But when we were talking about possible centering of the 75 mini case based on the case batch number, you had stated in that thread:
I collect sealed boxes and batch numbers are meaningless for my purpose...
I understand your point completely. What I'm trying to say here, though, is that for an unopened collector, authenticity is the paramount factor to determine the value of the product. Would you like a cherry box from a dead centered run? Sure, of course. But centering issues like the ones we saw here are commonplace in any, and even most, packs from this year (75 is a tough issue; that's why low pop PSA 10 common gems command 1K+). Also, one can make a reasonable assumption as to centering based on the top card of a cello pack, but I can tell you firsthand that such an assumption is not always correct~I have opened many cello packs in which top card was well centered and second card was OC and vice versa. Nothing is assured here, when dealing with 70s Topps product control except that it was often sorely lacking. That's why many peopple collect unopened but don't rip any of it. I do both, but at these prices, I do much less of the latter. >>
And I agree it is easy to make that statement because my box is coming from a sealed case. I wonder what Steve gets for this box if it was sealed with the lid removed? He authenticated the box and I think it was on the site for $3,950??
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>But if you are an unopened collector, issues like centering are much less important than knowing the packs are authentic. You can see centering on top cards in a rack pack, too, both front and back, and though a rack with well-centered cards will usually carry a premium, even a rack with OC cards >>
I have recently become an unopened collector and it is VERY important to me as to what a box could contain? Isn't that a huge part of what its value is correlated to? Now that this is a known box with problems, shouldn't it be pedigreed as such? That's all I am saying?
For example, if this box was labeled as such, would the OP have bought it for that amount? Maybe I am just used to my graded cards and knowing what I "really" bought... >>
But when we were talking about possible centering of the 75 mini case based on the case batch number, you had stated in that thread:
I collect sealed boxes and batch numbers are meaningless for my purpose...
I understand your point completely. What I'm trying to say here, though, is that for an unopened collector, authenticity is the paramount factor to determine the value of the product. Would you like a cherry box from a dead centered run? Sure, of course. But centering issues like the ones we saw here are commonplace in any, and even most, packs from this year (75 is a tough issue; that's why low pop PSA 10 common gems command 1K+). Also, one can make a reasonable assumption as to centering based on the top card of a cello pack, but I can tell you firsthand that such an assumption is not always correct~I have opened many cello packs in which top card was well centered and second card was OC and vice versa. Nothing is assured here, when dealing with 70s Topps product control except that it was often sorely lacking. That's why many peopple collect unopened but don't rip any of it. I do both, but at these prices, I do much less of the latter. >>
And I agree it is easy to make that statement because my box is coming from a sealed case. I wonder what Steve gets for this box if it was sealed with the lid removed? He authenticated the box and I think it was on the site for $3,950?? >>
He'd probably get just as much, but less since box was missing its lid, LOL...
I've seen 75 cello boxes with similarly centered cards on top realize prices right in that range ($3,600+). Especially if it's a Fritsch box.
Few cello boxes have all well centered cards on top. THAT would be an anomaly as most cards in this era were OC to begin with. That's why few people rip them in the first place. The MAJORITY of 75 cello boxes will have more OC cards on top than not.
Like I said before, if you want to make sure the packs in your box were not cherrypicked/seen/handled, you must limit yourself to buying boxes from a sealed case.
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.
But while I totally get it, especially as a buyer who enjoys some rips, this is only one side.
Steve sees a lot of stuff. Would you be stoked if he charged a premium for boxes containing visible stars on the label? What about suspected runs? Doesn't all that defeat the purpose?
All I'm looking for is my own piece of mind in knowing that a pack within a box is genuinely unopened. As for the boxes, it's buyer beware unless it's FASC, but it will at least contain legit packs.
<< <i>He gets less from an unopened collector cuz it's missing a lid, and less from a ripper cuz it's got OC/Diamond tops.
But while I totally get it, especially as a buyer who enjoys some rips, this is only one side.
Steve sees a lot of stuff. Would you be stoked if he charged a premium for boxes containing visible stars on the label? What about suspected runs? Doesn't all that defeat the purpose?
All I'm looking for is my own piece of mind in knowing that a pack within a box is genuinely unopened. As for the boxes, it's buyer beware unless it's FASC, but it will at least contain legit packs. >>
I understand quite a bit more now. Tim, Vintagefun, I get exactly what you are saying. I think wax is a little different, but cellos are just so visual. What would a FASC box bring in terms of premium for 1975 cellos? 10%, 20%?
<< <i>I have recently become an unopened collector and it is VERY important to me as to what a box could contain? >>
Anthony, what you're asking for is total transparency and complete fairness. As far as I know it doesn't exist anywhere in our society and it certainly doesn't exist in the sportscard industry be it singles, autographs or unopened.
Consider this hypothetical scenario: Original owner (A) opens a sealed '75 topps baseball cello case and then opens a box sitting at the top. Upon opening the box he sees that every pack has a diamond-cut top showing card. Because every pack has this undesirable centering he knows there is a good chance other boxes in the case will have the same problem. So instead of opening each box he instead reaches down and grabs a box from the bottom row and opens it to find the same issue on every pack. So he now knows he has a problem case.
Its now decision time. Does he act in the best interests of his customers and opens each box and then sells each box individually giving pictures of all the problem packs thus letting the potential buyer know exactly what he is getting? Or does owner (A) not concern himself with what is best for the customer and instead does whats best for him and his pocketbook and leaves the remaining unopened boxes sealed and then sells them to other individuals for top dollar knowing full well of the problems they contain.
Many times in this business, and business is the operative word here, sellers of unopened material will chose to do what is best for them and not the consumer. At times there is total transparency and complete fairness and at times there isn't. But you can tip the scales of fairness in your favor by doing your own diligence and homework. Learn the insides and outs of this great hobby and do what you are doing by asking all the questions that come to mind. This PSA forum is the absolute best place to get an education in the nuances of the unopened market and how it works.
Take it slow and don't dive in. I made my fair share of mistakes when I first jumped in twelve years ago. The big difference now is that any mistakes made today will cost you a lot more due to the much higher costs of unopened material
<< <i>
<< <i>I have recently become an unopened collector and it is VERY important to me as to what a box could contain? >>
Anthony, what you're asking for is total transparency and complete fairness. As far as I know it doesn't exist anywhere in our society and it certainly doesn't exist in the sportscard industry be it singles, autographs or unopened.
Consider this hypothetical scenario: Original owner (A) opens a sealed '75 topps baseball cello case and then opens a box sitting at the top. Upon opening the box he sees that every pack has a diamond-cut top showing card. Because every pack has this undesirable centering he knows there is a good chance other boxes in the case will have the same problem. So instead of opening each box he instead reaches down and grabs a box from the bottom row and opens it to find the same issue on every pack. So he now knows he has a problem case.
Its now decision time. Does he act in the best interests of his customers and opens each box and then sells each box individually giving pictures of all the problem packs thus letting the potential buyer know exactly what he is getting? Or does owner (A) not concern himself with what is best for the customer and instead does whats best for him and his pocketbook and leaves the remaining unopened boxes sealed and then sells them to other individuals for top dollar knowing full well of the problems they contain.
Many times in this business, and business is the operative word here, sellers of unopened material will chose to do what is best for them and not the consumer. At times there is total transparency and complete fairness and at times there isn't. But you can tip the scales of fairness in your favor by doing your own diligence and homework. Learn the insides and outs of this great hobby and do what you are doing by asking all the questions that come to mind. This PSA forum is the absolute best place to get an education in the nuances of the unopened market and how it works.
Take it slow and don't dive in. I made my fair share of mistakes when I first jumped in twelve years ago. The big difference now is that any mistakes made today will cost you a lot more due to the much higher costs of unopened material
So, its like a car company that knows it has faulty ignition switches, but never says anything to the consumer. Except people keep getting killed. If fact, so many people get killed that word spreads and there is public backlash. Then that company gets a ruined reputation and is faced with huge financial loses fixing the mess it could have prevented. I wonder if that car company would have been upfront with its customers if it had to do all over again. The answer is... Maybe, Maybe Not. Who knows. AMERIKA!!!!
That said, I think it is inaccurate to call this box a "problem" box, anymore than you'd call a mini wax box from a sealed case that has yielded primarily OC cards a "problem box." Poor centering was pervasive throughout this set, for both regular packs and minis. I have opened a LOT of 1975 packs, mainly mini wax, but regular rack and cello packs, too. In some packs, you'll find 8 way OC cards and then 1 or 2 that are dead centered and mint. That's just the way the collation worked. Henry (mintmoondog) ripped an entire case of mini wax that was from an OC batch number and though most of the cards were expectedly OC, he nailed some gems, too, including several PSA 9 Aarons and Ryans.
As an unopened collector, centering of the top card is important to me, for aesthetic purposes and visual appeal. But as I said before, and those who have opened their share of 75 packs know, poor centering and diamond cuts are not at all unusual for this issue.
Edit to edd: Anyone who REALLY wants to see horrific centering, try ripping 75 OPC wax. Ugh!!
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.
No guts no glory! You got guts!!!! Thanks for trying and thanks for sharing in this thread!
<< <i>BTW - Nikklos,
No guts no glory! You got guts!!!! Thanks for trying and thanks for sharing in this thread! >>
+1
Wholeheartedly agree!
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>These days very few people are as game as Chris and would even dream of ripping a box like this. Most 75 cello boxes in Steve's wrap (and most high end boxes for that matter) are never unwrapped and the packs are never even looked at, unless you happened to send the box to Steve yourself. The ripping payoff just isn't there to justify it, imo.
That said, I think it is inaccurate to call this box a "problem" box, anymore than you'd call a mini wax box from a sealed case that has yieled primarily OC cards a "problem box." Poor centering was pervasive throughout this set, for both regular packs and minis. I have opened a LOT of 1975 packs, mainly mini wax, but regular rack and cello packs, too. In some packs, you'll find 8 way OC cards and then 1 or 2 that are dead centered and mint. That's just the way the collation worked. Henry (mintmoondog) ripped an entire case of mini wax that was from an OC batch number and though most of the cards were expectedly OC, he nailed some gems, too, including several PSA 9 Aarons and Ryans.
As an unopened collector, centering of the top card is important to me, for aesthetic purposes and visual appeal. But as I said before, and those who have opened their share of 75 packs know, poor centering and diamond cuts are not at all unusual for this issue.
Edit to edd: Anyone who REALLY wants to see horrific centering, try ripping 75 OPC wax. Ugh!! >>
I gotcha, that's why I am asking these questions, to learn. Opening a $4,000 box of cards requires a stomach. I agree there. I learned that I am a FASC kind of guy....
<< <i>
<< <i>These days very few people are as game as Chris and would even dream of ripping a box like this. Most 75 cello boxes in Steve's wrap (and most high end boxes for that matter) are never unwrapped and the packs are never even looked at, unless you happened to send the box to Steve yourself. The ripping payoff just isn't there to justify it, imo.
That said, I think it is inaccurate to call this box a "problem" box, anymore than you'd call a mini wax box from a sealed case that has yieled primarily OC cards a "problem box." Poor centering was pervasive throughout this set, for both regular packs and minis. I have opened a LOT of 1975 packs, mainly mini wax, but regular rack and cello packs, too. In some packs, you'll find 8 way OC cards and then 1 or 2 that are dead centered and mint. That's just the way the collation worked. Henry (mintmoondog) ripped an entire case of mini wax that was from an OC batch number and though most of the cards were expectedly OC, he nailed some gems, too, including several PSA 9 Aarons and Ryans.
As an unopened collector, centering of the top card is important to me, for aesthetic purposes and visual appeal. But as I said before, and those who have opened their share of 75 packs know, poor centering and diamond cuts are not at all unusual for this issue.
Edit to edd: Anyone who REALLY wants to see horrific centering, try ripping 75 OPC wax. Ugh!! >>
I gotcha, that's why I am asking these questions, to learn. Opening a $4,000 box of cards requires a stomach. I agree there. I learned that I am a FASC kind of guy.... >>
Agreed. As an unopened collector primarily, the condition of the cards is important to me to some extent, but not nearly as important as authenticity. For a ripper, both aspects are of equal importance. FASC is ideal and worth the premium it commands, imo. Unfortunately, finding sealed cases for 70s product, at least, is very difficult. Thanks to Conlon, though, we have had opportunities for mini wax boxes in that category, though even with those the vast majority will be boxes containing predominantly OC cards, as that is the norm for this issue.
Edit to add: One other thing to note here, too, is that the pack Chris decided to open first (with DeMola on top) is actually a pretty well-centered pack, imo (the Solaita pack presents pretty well, too). If I saw that pack being sold separately, I'd say that it is actually centered pretty decently for 1975~there are packs with worse centering in this box than that one.
I would also recommend taking Summer's advice in that it's best to move slowly while building your collection, especially since you are new to this part of the the hobby. Who knows, prices may decline off these highs going forward, too.
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.