Pack experts... Is this real?
Ripkenfan126
Posts: 235 ✭
Is this pack legit and authentic?
It's graded from GAI which I know can be good and bad I'm just curious cause the cello pack doesn't have the topps logo on it.. Didn't all packs that year have the logo?
It's graded from GAI which I know can be good and bad I'm just curious cause the cello pack doesn't have the topps logo on it.. Didn't all packs that year have the logo?
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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.
There's others out there as well: Loose Grocery Cellos
ETA: Looks like Tim beat me to it.
Do you trust GAI?
I'm not all that familiar with them.
Thanks guys.
Do you trust GAI?
I'm not all that familiar with them.
Overall, they are very reliable, in my experience, particularly those packs holdered with the old silver flip labels like this one shown, but as with any pack, graded or ungraded, the pack should be evaluated on its own merits. Ripken is from high letter F sheet, which is a card that typically appears on top of an 82 cello, so that is correct, at least.
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.
Join the Rookie stars on top PSA registry today:
1980-1989 Cello Packs - Rookies
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.
Thanks guys.
Do you trust GAI?
I'm not all that familiar with them.
Overall, they are very reliable, in my experience, particularly those packs holdered with the old silver flip labels like this one shown, but as with any pack, graded or ungraded, the pack should be evaluated on its own merits. Ripken is from high letter F sheet, which is a card that typically appears on top of an 82 cello, so that is correct, at least.
Tim
You really need to put out a pack guide or book - don't know how you store all of this info in your melon!
KC
Thanks guys.
Do you trust GAI?
I'm not all that familiar with them.
Overall, they are very reliable, in my experience, particularly those packs holdered with the old silver flip labels like this one shown, but as with any pack, graded or ungraded, the pack should be evaluated on its own merits. Ripken is from high letter F sheet, which is a card that typically appears on top of an 82 cello, so that is correct, at least.
I am not sure that I would classify GAI as very reliable. At one time -- when they were the 1st company to start slabbing packs-- yes they were as they had some of the best unopened pack experts in the hobby--Steve Wright to start I think. But I am not even sure they are still in business and if they are any knowledgeable pack guy will tell you that they would not submit anything to them in today's market.
On the pack in question--Tim how many cards in the '80s grocery packs? Still less than the regular cello--correct. This pack looks like it has fewer cards and does not have the Topps logo. SO must be a grocery
IMO--there are many Ripken packs out there slabbed by PSA that I would get if I wanted one and would pass on this one
IMO if Tim states a pack is clean/good I would have zero issues with buying it.
I second that
IMO if Tim states a pack is clean/good I would have zero issues with buying it.
I second that
Thanks, guys, I appreciate the kind comments!
Like any grading company, GAI is certainly not perfect, and they did make their fair share of mistakes, most notoriously the holdering of 1970s "grocery" cellos, which Topps never produced (the first year Topps produced grocery cellos after 1969 was 1981), as well as 1973 baseball cellos that were wrapped with 1975-1977 wrappers, and the infamous 1958 baseball cellos. That is why I made a point of stating that any pack, certified or not, should be evaluated on its own merits. That said, I have both opened and cracked out and submitted to PSA many GAI graded packs over the years and the vast majority have been perfectly fine and authentic. I have cracked and submitted dozens of formerly graded GAI packs to PSA and have never had one rejected. In fact, before PSA began grading packs, Steve Hart sold GAI graded packs exclusively, too. That is also not to say that all GAI graded packs are good~I have opened a few I felt were suspect and had my concerns confirmed, but those are in the extreme minority.
Of course, their reputation is not as strong while grading in their later years, which is again why I made the point of saying that packs that were holdered with the silver flips are generally more reliable than those with the newer flips (though that also is a general rule of thumb and not applicable in all cases~all the fabricated grocery cellos, for example, bear cert #s beginning with 102XXX with the silver flip). GAI pack grading has also been out of business for some time, now.
Grocery racks, in which three of these grocery cellos were packaged in a plastic sleeve, are fairly plentiful, and I recall us breaking down a full 1982 case of them here on these forums several years ago. A grocery cello contains 12 cards and one stick of gum (vs 28 cards and one stick of gum for a full-sized, retail 1982 cello).
If I were a Ripken collector, though, I would agree with Manny's recommendation, and set my sights on a PSA graded, standard 1982 Topps cello with the graphics on the wrapper for my collection.
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.
Thanks guys.
Do you trust GAI?
I'm not all that familiar with them.
Overall, they are very reliable, in my experience, particularly those packs holdered with the old silver flip labels like this one shown, but as with any pack, graded or ungraded, the pack should be evaluated on its own merits. Ripken is from high letter F sheet, which is a card that typically appears on top of an 82 cello, so that is correct, at least.
I am not sure that I would classify GAI as very reliable. At one time -- when they were the 1st company to start slabbing packs-- yes they were as they had some of the best unopened pack experts in the hobby--Steve Wright to start I think. But I am not even sure they are still in business and if they are any knowledgeable pack guy will tell you that they would not submit anything to them in today's market.
On the pack in question--Tim how many cards in the '80s grocery packs? Still less than the regular cello--correct. This pack looks like it has fewer cards and does not have the Topps logo. SO must be a grocery
IMO--there are many Ripken packs out there slabbed by PSA that I would get if I wanted one and would pass on this one
Manny, the guy at gai you were thinking of was Paul Wright, not Steve Wright. Steve(n) Wright pitches for the Red Sox and is also a comedian. And Steve Rocchi also was another pack guy at gai so you juxtaposed the two of them
...oh, and Paul Wright was an UNOPENED PACK EXPERT (may he RIP), Steve Rocchi didn't have a CLUE what a legit pack was and Steven Wright is one entertaining fellah - a bit weird, but crazy funny!!! Don't get me started on Demian Werner....
Wright did make some mistakes with 73 baseball cellos, though.
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.