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I just pulled the best card I will ever pull in my ENTIRE LIFE!! UPDATE: poppage and scan added!

baz518baz518 Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭✭
edited November 14, 2016 11:49AM in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

I posted about getting a great deal on a partial box of 80/81 Topps basketball in the September Pickup thread. The packs were absolutely beautiful... a couple of the bottom ones had some dirt, but the rest were clean and prestine. There was one pack where the seal had popped, so I planned on saving and opening it on NBA Tip-Off night with a couple other basketball packs.

Well, just about an hour ago I went through the box again to get the pack, only to discover that I now had 4 packs with popped seals. It almost looks like a couple more might pop if they're handled too much. Here's an example of one of the packs (excuse the cat hair in the scan):

You can slide that piece of paper up and down the entire seal. So with my disappointment (and building anger), I went ahead and opened one of the packs.... and BAM!!!

Best card in the set and now probably the best looking copy I own of that card (have a PSA 7 for my set)! I have probably only ripped 3 or 4 of these packs in my life, and have never even pulled one of the Bird or Magic leader cards. Such a thrill. I know it has the "cut mark" and one corner is soft, but the surface is very clean with no ink marks or snow... centering is nice as well and the tilt is minimized. Just super pumped and wanted to share... I guess I'll be sending off to PSA soon (any thoughts on the grade would be appreciated). And now my NBA Tip-Off rip is going to be very anti-climatic... but who cares now!?!?!

Just wanted to share with some that would understand... my boys are still too young to grasp the enormity this pull.

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Comments

  • Out-f'n-standing! I have that card in a PSA 8, with that same little black line under the N on the far right. I guess that's a pretty common print defect for this card then?

  • jfkheatjfkheat Posts: 2,721 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congrats. The centering looks great.
    james

  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Awesome!!!

    I bet your heart was pounding once you saw that card!
  • Arsenal83Arsenal83 Posts: 1,176 ✭✭✭
    Awesome pull. Unfortunately, that bottom right corner is probably going to keep in a 7 or 7.5. Congratulations!
  • travis ttravis t Posts: 1,185 ✭✭✭

    Glad for your success. Here's hoping Magic's employees and administrators have a rough night. ;)

  • MrNearMintMrNearMint Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭

    Great pull, congratulations!

  • mintonlyplsmintonlypls Posts: 1,711 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I will say an 8. Beautiful card and congrats!

    mint_only_pls
  • baz518baz518 Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭✭
    It was a huge rush seeing it, I believe it was the 2nd or 3rd card but I saw it pretty quick. Definitely wasn't prepared either, immediately put it down and dug out a fresh Card Saver.

    As far as the black mark, I believe it has the potential to be on half the population of the card. It was my understanding that all the cards were printed on sheets in two different spots... this card was in a spot where the cut mark is often present if not cut OC.

    This is by far my favorite basketball set. I do have a PSA 8 wax pack with this card showing on back and a PSA 6 red flip signed by all three... along with a BBCE wrapped box. But those were all purchases, being able to pull one just tops it all.
  • Arsenal83Arsenal83 Posts: 1,176 ✭✭✭
    I'd love to see pics of those other items you've got. I just finished this set in raw Nm-Mt condition with a PSA 7 of the Magic/Bird card.
  • vintagefunvintagefun Posts: 1,975 ✭✭✭
    Nice hit! Congrats on the pull!
    52-90 All Sports, Mostly Topps, Mostly HOF, and some assorted wax.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,480 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Terrific pull, Brad! Major congrats!


    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.
  • KendallCatKendallCat Posts: 2,966 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow! Awesome pull and very happy for you. So many times we get shut out on key packs and cards but looks like you did very well.

  • JBrulesJBrules Posts: 2,116 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congrats on the pull!!! The print quality is great on that card. No matter what the grade is it has outstanding eye-appeal. Keep us posted when you get it graded.

  • DM23HOFDM23HOF Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What a thrill! Great looking card.

    Instagram: mattyc_collection

  • sushihotwingssushihotwings Posts: 452 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for posting. I am always looking for an excuse to rip! Sweet pull.

    On the hunt high grade Star Basketball.
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭

    AWESOME! CONGRATS! Not sure how that line effects the grade, but it's an outstanding looking card!

    STAY HEALTHY!

    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.
  • baseballfanbaseballfan Posts: 5,450 ✭✭✭

    Excellent congrats!!

    Fred

    collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.

    looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started

  • baz518baz518 Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭✭

    Thanks all. I did open one more of the popped packs, highlights below (nice but both have print/ink markings). That leaves two more for Tuesday night.

  • baz518baz518 Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭✭

    And now that my Cubbies have secured a World Series appearance, here's the signed and regular copies of this card I already had. I'll try to dig up the wax pack and box.

  • SidePocketSidePocket Posts: 2,901 ✭✭✭

    That's a GORGEOUS card!

    "Molon Labe"

  • lilmulelilmule Posts: 995 ✭✭✭✭

    Congrats an a great pull. That must have been exciting, would of loved to see your face when you pulled it lol.

    Knotty Hobby Woodworks
    Vintage Rookies
  • Congrat! Had to be an amazing feeling.

    Joe

    IG: goatcollectibles23

    The biggest lesson I've learned in this hobby, and in life, is that if you have a strong conviction, you owe it to yourself to see it through. Don't sell yourself, or your investments, short. Unless the facts change. Then sell it all.
  • slum22slum22 Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭✭

    Brad, congrats on an incredible pull. You should be on an incredible high right now. I have a hard time seeing how bad the touched corner you mentioned actually affects the card. From what I can see, it looks like a deserving 8. It will present well no matter the grade because of the clean surface absent the usual print defects.

    Doug, the black line does not really affect the grade. I suppose it may disqualify it from a 10, but I know i have seen several, if not the majority of PSA 9's with the black line.

    Steve
  • thunderdanthunderdan Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭
    Head directly to Vegas. Do not pass go; do not collect $200
    image


  • flatfoot816flatfoot816 Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭

    excellent pull--I have a 9 that has more print marks--so you never know

  • dberk12dberk12 Posts: 399 ✭✭
    Doesn't get much better than that. Congrats!


    Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona.





    -George F. Will
  • BLUEJAYWAYBLUEJAYWAY Posts: 7,940 ✭✭✭✭✭

    As others have inferred, you can live with the minor flaws. The way you pulled the card is the memory that was created that really matters. That will last a lifetime. And every time you look at the card that will overshadow the flaws. That's what really matters to us collectors.

    Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
  • tmgrnzx9rtmgrnzx9r Posts: 546 ✭✭✭
    Outstanding! Congrats on an awesome pull. I say 7.5-8 but am hoping it's higher than that.
  • MantleFan23MantleFan23 Posts: 686 ✭✭✭✭

    Congrats on an awesome pull!! I can't imagine the thrill that was in pulling a card like that from a pack!! It'll be great to get it holdered for the memory of it!

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 10,393 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is just terrific, must have been a thrill!

    George Brett, Bobby Orr and Terry Bradshaw.

  • ClockworkAngelClockworkAngel Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭

    That is such a great story and what a thrill! Congrats! Centering is beautiful

    Reminds me of when I pulled a Bird/Magic out of a pack in the early 1990's. Grading was not yet part of the hobby, but it was absolutely perfect. No print defects, sharp corners, etc. Really think it's a 10 today. I ended up trading it for an unopened 1984 Donruss Wax Box. Ouch. Seemed like a good del in 1992

    The Clockwork Angel Collection...brought to you by Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Chase
    TheClockworkAngelCollection
  • CakesCakes Posts: 3,450 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great pull, PSA 8 looks appropriate.

    Successful coin BST transactions with Gerard and segoja.

    Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.
  • baz518baz518 Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭✭

    Thanks guys. I will be sending it in, hopefully this week... just getting it slabbed is priority, but I am hoping for a 7.5. I think the centering and print/surface quality warrants the half grade despite the one soft corner. I will also be subbing several of the remaining packs that are sealed, hoping one of those brings a 9... but I figure those will take 3-4 months to pop. I'll let everyone know how the card sub turns out.

  • divecchiadivecchia Posts: 6,525 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congrats on the nice pull and I'm wishing you the best of luck on the grade.

    Donato

    Hobbyist & Collector (not an investor).
    Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set

    Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
  • BPorter26BPorter26 Posts: 3,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congrats on the sweet pull, I think you have a shot at an 8. My only concern is the dotted lines that separate the 3 panels. Your Julius Erving and Magic are very OC, I'm sure how PSA factors that in the grading, but I know they do. I hope you land at least the grade you want.

    "EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY IT SAYS IT RIGHT THERE ON THE WALL" - JACKIE MOON
  • skrezyna23skrezyna23 Posts: 908 ✭✭✭

    Very happy for you! congrats!

  • jsanzjsanz Posts: 250 ✭✭

    I know someone with an unopened box and he almost sold it to me but backed out. I just couldn't get him to let it go. He is an original owner who bought it from a dealer back in 1981 or 1982

    Love those 70's - early 80's packs and boxes...send me a message if you are selling because I am buying
  • baz518baz518 Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭✭

    Super happy day! Sent the card off at Express Service level shortly after last post. Totally forgot to mark the outside of the box with the level/turntime, but posted and popped right on schedule (which was today). This will be staying in my personal collection for a long time...

    Total Items: 1
    Date Received: 11/2/2016
    Date Shipped: N/A
    Order Status: OK

    1 1 26441032 MINT 9 1980 Topps Scoring Leader Bird,Erving,Johnson Card

  • maddux69maddux69 Posts: 2,130 ✭✭✭✭✭
  • JBrulesJBrules Posts: 2,116 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 9, 2016 7:41PM

    Thanks for the update and congrats. That is one sweet card. Nothing like pulling one from an unopened pack and busting a PSA 9 on a classic rookie card.

  • rexvosrexvos Posts: 3,274 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow. Congrats!!

    Looking for FB HOF Rookies
  • shagrotn77shagrotn77 Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭✭

    Sweet! Congrats!

    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,480 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very nice! Congrats!

    Also a good illustration as to how it is very difficult to accurately grade a card based on only a scan.



    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.
  • ldfergldferg Posts: 6,739 ✭✭✭

    fantabulous. can't wait to see it in a slab!



    Thanks,

    David (LD_Ferg)



    1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
  • 3keepSECRETif2rDEAD3keepSECRETif2rDEAD Posts: 4,285 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great story and congrats! Don't know how I found this thread or this section...but what a score dude! Awesome ;)

  • LOTSOSLOTSOS Posts: 1,303 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great hit! Thanks for sharing the whole thing.

    Kevin

  • HighGradeLegendsHighGradeLegends Posts: 1,693 ✭✭✭✭

    Huge hit please show us pics in the slab! Well done!

  • ssollarsssollars Posts: 932 ✭✭✭✭

    Nice!

  • flatfoot816flatfoot816 Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭

    Told ya!!! Congrats big time

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