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Searched Rack Packs Bug Me

If I buy unopened rack boxes that have not been wrapped on Ebay, I understand I am not likely going to get any HoF'ers on top as those would be low hanging fruit for someone to pull out prior to selling.

I get that.

What bugs me though is when I get the racks and the cards contained within have the tell tale fingernail mark designated for those poor pathetic souls who search the stack within each compartment of the rack.

Really?

I have seen these people doing it within department stores but never realized how prominent it really is. I bet these same people wait for everyone to go to bed and unwrap their gifts to see what is under the tree weeks before Christmas.

Not a big deal, just another learned lesson to look for when purchasing on Ebay.

FASC seems to be the way to go 100% of the time.

flcardtrader@yahoo.com
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Comments

  • billwaltonsbeardbillwaltonsbeard Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭✭
    The most pathetic part about this is the fact that the searcher even has to use the fingernail method to search the pack. Since the sequences of most packs are so easy to learn (or acquire from others), this is obviously the work of an amateur.

    Bottom line is that one should NEVER buy a rack pack expecting to pull anything of any kind of value unless you know 100% that it's from a sealed case.
  • noob here, what is FASC? image
    The journey of 1000 miles begins with one step.

    Collecting Nolan Ryan Gem 10
    George Springer everything
    Carlos Correa everything
  • begsu1013begsu1013 Posts: 1,943 ✭✭
    from a sealed case
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,739 ✭✭✭✭✭
    One thing that should not be mistaken for a fingernail mark is a loading notch on edge of top card in a cell which was caused when top card was "caught" in machine when cards were being packaged in the factory and is not uncommon in racks from the 1970s.


    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.
  • vintagefunvintagefun Posts: 1,974 ✭✭✭
    I believe the Mario Soto card has what Tim referenced as a loading notch.

    I've seen this on many Racks over the years.

    image
    52-90 All Sports, Mostly Topps, Mostly HOF, and some assorted wax.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,739 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That is correct, Jim. Some have even more pronounced peels or notches than that.


    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.
  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>One thing that should not be mistaken for a fingernail mark is a loading notch on edge of top card in a cell which was caused when top card was "caught" in machine when cards were being packaged in the factory and is not uncommon in racks from the 1970s. >>


    This isn't exclusive to racks or the 70s is it? I've seen similar loading notches in 80s/90s wax products as well, especially on some of the early Chrome/Finest/Best issues that cards tended to stick together.
  • flcardtraderflcardtrader Posts: 798 ✭✭✭


    << <i>One thing that should not be mistaken for a fingernail mark is a loading notch on edge of top card in a cell which was caused when top card was "caught" in machine when cards were being packaged in the factory and is not uncommon in racks from the 1970s. >>



    I see the notch on the Soto is on the bottom of the card but suspect the notch could be on any side - is that true?

    I ended up ripping 10 of 22 from my 1984 box as a result of multiple notches on facing cards. What led me to believe they were searched was the notch appearing on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and in some cases, 4 cards deep.

    flcardtrader@yahoo.com
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  • MikeyPMikeyP Posts: 990 ✭✭✭
    I plan on purchasing a 1978 Topps Baseball unopened rack pack on eBay at the end of October. Thank you for posting this topic FL Card Trader. I would have never known about this particular concern.
    "Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood."
  • elsnortoelsnorto Posts: 2,012 ✭✭


    << <i>Bottom line is that one should NEVER buy a rack pack expecting to pull anything of any kind of value unless you know 100% that it's from a sealed case. >>



    Of course not all FASC are created equal.... 1979 Topps wax trays magically turning into wax boxes aside, you also need to consider if the sealed case is an x-out or not. X-outs could have been picked through in the wild before retailers returned them as unsold stock.

    On a side note, speaking of those who record sequences, I'm always surprised by some people's opinion that this is any different than pack searching. Knowing the sequence seems to be perfectly acceptable for some, while pack searching is almost universally derided. How is sequencing any better than pack searching exactly?

    Snorto~
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,739 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>One thing that should not be mistaken for a fingernail mark is a loading notch on edge of top card in a cell which was caused when top card was "caught" in machine when cards were being packaged in the factory and is not uncommon in racks from the 1970s. >>



    I see the notch on the Soto is on the bottom of the card but suspect the notch could be on any side - is that true?

    I ended up ripping 10 of 22 from my 1984 box as a result of multiple notches on facing cards. What led me to believe they were searched was the notch appearing on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and in some cases, 4 cards deep. >>



    Not on racks, but similar loading marks are sometimes seen on the side of the top card on cello packs as they were packaged differently from racks.

    The loading mark on a rack pack is typically only on top card.


    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.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,739 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Bottom line is that one should NEVER buy a rack pack expecting to pull anything of any kind of value unless you know 100% that it's from a sealed case. >>



    Of course not all FASC are created equal.... 1979 Topps wax trays magically turning into wax boxes aside, you also need to consider if the sealed case is an x-out or not. X-outs could have been picked through in the wild before retailers returned them as unsold stock.

    On a side note, speaking of those who record sequences, I'm always surprised by some people's opinion that this is any different than pack searching. Knowing the sequence seems to be perfectly acceptable for some, while pack searching is almost universally derided. How is sequencing any better than pack searching exactly?

    Snorto~ >>



    Personally, to me, FASC means a sealed case never cracked from the production line, not an x-out case, but that's just my aesthetic opinion as an unopened collector.

    Sequencing in packs is definitely not guaranteed, as sequences frequently break mid-pack, and there are typically several possibilities in the pack as to what card will follow what card due to placement on the sheet. And, of course, centering can never be predicted, as Nikklos (Chris) the 1970 rip king, well knows..

    Other than that, you'd have to ask Moran. image


    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.
  • elsnortoelsnorto Posts: 2,012 ✭✭


    << <i>Personally, to me, FASC means a sealed case never cracked from the production line, not an x-out case, but that's just my aesthetic opinion as an unopened collector. >>



    Understood, but BBCE's definition differs as they provide FASC designation to x-out cases as well. I know most here understand the difference, but given the OP is new to unopened, I wanted to call it out.

    So, flcardtrader, you may need to update your buying criteria to "non x-out FASC seems to be the way to go 100% of the time." if you want to be absolutely certain you are getting unsearched product. image

    Snorto~
  • flcardtraderflcardtrader Posts: 798 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    So, flcardtrader, you may need to update your buying criteria to "non x-out FASC seems to be the way to go 100% of the time." if you want to be absolutely certain you are getting unsearched product. image

    Snorto~ >>



    Point taken - thanks for the education guys.

    flcardtrader@yahoo.com
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