Most Valuable Unopened

fleet47

With the sale of the partial 1948 Bowman wax box for over $ 500,000, is there any unopened out there that could surpass that amount? Rumor of a complete 1952 Topps wax box would do it I guess. Any other unopened that might complete?

FirstBeard

A box of original Allen and Ginter or one of the American Tobacco Company cigarette imprints? Rumor has it, one may be buried next to Arch Stanton's grave.

Brian48

@FirstBeard said:
A box of original Allen and Ginter or one of the American Tobacco Company cigarette imprints? Rumor has it, one may be buried next to Arch Stanton's grave.

LOL!

thunderdan

A sealed unopened case of 1986 Fleer basketball would go for higher than $500K would be my guess. Steve has been looking for one for years.

travis t

King Tut had some pretty awesome stuff.

Stone193

I remember this box up for auction years ago - don't remember what it went for - but if it came up today? And all packs authentic? Who knows?

OddRodz

If you have heard of the term MOSH PIT, This is what started it, Any post should have as much significance as the MOSH PIT beginnings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGHsxMqpL0c

49ersGuy

unopened 1909 Honus Wagner cigar boxes

mintonlypls

@49ersGuy said:
unopened 1909 Honus Wagner cigar boxes

"If you're not doing anything...go get my stogie"

secretstash

@49ersGuy said:
unopened 1909 Honus Wagner cigar boxes

You gave me the idea.

Unopened tins? of Ty Cobb cigars from the t206 set "the lucky 7 find".

muffins

@secretstash said:

@49ersGuy said:
unopened 1909 Honus Wagner cigar boxes

You gave me the idea.

Unopened tins? of Ty Cobb cigars from the t206 set "the lucky 7 find".

already bought.

and this might could do it:

esquiresports

An unopened case of 1971 Topps baseball would clear $1 million. A 1979/80 OPC hockey case could also get close to that amount.

brad31

While '52 high number would be the most valuable would imagine a '54 Series 3 with Aaron, Banks and Kaline rookies would be way up there.

LOTSOS

@muffins said:

@secretstash said:

@49ersGuy said:
unopened 1909 Honus Wagner cigar boxes

You gave me the idea.

Unopened tins? of Ty Cobb cigars from the t206 set "the lucky 7 find".

already bought.

and this might could do it:

That's yours!!!! Wow! Speechless!!!

Kevin

Cakes

The OP referenced boxes but everyone seems to be suggesting cases.

muffins

no, dont even think that wagner pack is real. good tasting eye candy though.

travis t

@Cakes said:
The OP referenced boxes but everyone seems to be suggesting cases.

Well, he said unopened, but he's on the fence between complete and compete. For Pete's sake.

thesouthdoesitagain

@thunderdan said:
A sealed unopened case of 1986 Fleer basketball would go for higher than $500K would be my guess. Steve has been looking for one for years.

https://sports.ha.com/itm/basketball/1986-fleer-basketball-wax-box-with-36-unopened-packs/a/7215-80676.s?Type=social-sports-twitter-1986fleerwaxbox-062917
Sold for 66k.

fleet47

Travis, Sorry about the spelling error. Not very good at spelllling. Looks like Stone193 may have come up with the unopened that could surpass the 1948 Bowman. Of course, only if verified by Steve. If that hit the market now, no idea what it would bring. Mantle possible if truly high numbers in those packs.

Ridethelightning

The ANTHRAX video above stands strong. Boo Yah !

TheGoonies1985

@muffins said:

@secretstash said:

@49ersGuy said:
unopened 1909 Honus Wagner cigar boxes

You gave me the idea.

Unopened tins? of Ty Cobb cigars from the t206 set "the lucky 7 find".

already bought.

and this might could do it:

Is this pack real?

DBesse27

@PillarDollarCollector said:

@muffins said:

@secretstash said:

@49ersGuy said:
unopened 1909 Honus Wagner cigar boxes

You gave me the idea.

Unopened tins? of Ty Cobb cigars from the t206 set "the lucky 7 find".

already bought.

and this might could do it:

Is this pack real?

No.

musicfan123

anything unopened (including factory sets) and sold on Shop at Home by Don West should now be worth 100,000s of dollars by now. If you bought their baseball sets, you might have at least one Frank Thomas worth near a million!!!

1all

@PillarDollarCollector said:

@muffins said:

@secretstash said:

@49ersGuy said:
unopened 1909 Honus Wagner cigar boxes

You gave me the idea.

Unopened tins? of Ty Cobb cigars from the t206 set "the lucky 7 find".

already bought.

and this might could do it:

Is this pack real?

Lol..... My April 1, 2014 image lives on! Thanks for making my night.

Cakes

My posts used to be more douche back then.

agr

Have had this one a long time now

HOMETOWNSPORTS

@agr said:
Have had this one a long time now

WOW awesome pack...the value of that prolly has gone up much more than any wallstreet stock has over the last 5-10 years

craig44

has there ever been a find of unopened 33 Goudey or early play ball packs/boxes? I would imagine those would have significant value

ReggieCleveland

1956 Topps would be the most valuable Topps pack/box (sans test issues). After that, probably 1958. But 1952 is definitely top-5.

Arthur

ReggieCleveland

@craig44 said:
has there ever been a find of unopened 33 Goudey or early play ball packs/boxes? I would imagine those would have significant value

I know someone that has (had?) a Sport Kings pack. Not sure if they have sold it or not.

Arthur

craig44

@ReggieCleveland said:
1956 Topps would be the most valuable Topps pack/box (sans test issues). After that, probably 1958. But 1952 is definitely top-5.

Arthur

would 56 Topps trump a 52 high-number pack?

ReggieCleveland

@craig44 said:

@ReggieCleveland said:
1956 Topps would be the most valuable Topps pack/box (sans test issues). After that, probably 1958. But 1952 is definitely top-5.

Arthur

would 56 Topps trump a 52 high-number pack?

No. But we'll never know because they didn't differentiate between low number and high number. I don't recall a '52 high number pack ever coming to market but you can just about squeeze into the Grandy Canyon the amount of people that know more about unopened than I do, so....

Arthur

coinspacks

From heritage

stevek

@agr said:
Have had this one a long time now

Very nice of course, but in my view I'd rather see it in a PSA slab.

Frankly, I've seen some rips posted on Youtube, slabbed by various companies other than PSA, and in my opinion some of these packs were obviously opened and re-sealed. Some were pathetically laughable it was so obvious.

craig44

why wouldnt the seller have that 52 pack slabbed by PSA? seems like he left money on the table.

unless, he knew it wouldnt pass psa authentication.

1951WheatiesPremium

@craig44 said:
why wouldnt the seller have that 52 pack slabbed by PSA? seems like he left money on the table.

unless, he knew it wouldnt pass psa authentication.

I’m not an unopened guy but I was told by a pack collector that in the right generation flip you’re probably fine with GAI unopened AND their pack holders are/were apparently great.

There was a time GAI was a contender. It was long ago but they were doing really well and came up with some pretty nice innovations before going belly up.

stevek

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@craig44 said:
why wouldnt the seller have that 52 pack slabbed by PSA? seems like he left money on the table.

unless, he knew it wouldnt pass psa authentication.

I’m not an unopened guy but I was told by a pack collector that in the right generation flip you’re probably fine with GAI unopened AND their pack holders are/were apparently great.

There was a time GAI was a contender. It was long ago but they were doing really well and came up with some pretty nice innovations before going belly up.

Perhaps their business philosophy at points in time, was slab whatever comes thru the door, and hope they never rip it?

Very tough in business to overcome a tarnished reputation.

1951WheatiesPremium

@stevek said:

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@craig44 said:
why wouldnt the seller have that 52 pack slabbed by PSA? seems like he left money on the table.

unless, he knew it wouldnt pass psa authentication.

I’m not an unopened guy but I was told by a pack collector that in the right generation flip you’re probably fine with GAI unopened AND their pack holders are/were apparently great.

There was a time GAI was a contender. It was long ago but they were doing really well and came up with some pretty nice innovations before going belly up.

Perhaps their business philosophy at points in time, was slab whatever comes thru the door, and hope they never rip it?

Very tough in business to overcome a tarnished reputation.

You can find information out there about GAI. In their early days they were strong and in some ways and products a market leader. I don’t remember all the details but they basically had their own backlog and despite several rebrandings were eventually crushed under the weight of it.

Estil

@muffins said:

@secretstash said:

@49ersGuy said:
unopened 1909 Honus Wagner cigar boxes

You gave me the idea.

Unopened tins? of Ty Cobb cigars from the t206 set "the lucky 7 find".

already bought.

and this might could do it:

I would've never thought such a thing could exist...you could actually see what player you were getting??

stevek

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@stevek said:

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@craig44 said:
why wouldnt the seller have that 52 pack slabbed by PSA? seems like he left money on the table.

unless, he knew it wouldnt pass psa authentication.

I’m not an unopened guy but I was told by a pack collector that in the right generation flip you’re probably fine with GAI unopened AND their pack holders are/were apparently great.

There was a time GAI was a contender. It was long ago but they were doing really well and came up with some pretty nice innovations before going belly up.

Perhaps their business philosophy at points in time, was slab whatever comes thru the door, and hope they never rip it?

Very tough in business to overcome a tarnished reputation.

You can find information out there about GAI. In their early days they were strong and in some ways and products a market leader. I don’t remember all the details but they basically had their own backlog and despite several rebrandings were eventually crushed under the weight of it.

I may be wrong, but I think GAI was the first to slab unopened packs. PSA of course followed some time later.

I have no desire to investigate why GAI went out of business. But common sense says there was something they were doing wrong.

I mean even though PSA is the premier card grading company and has been for a long time, there are still other decent card grading companies out there, which have been around a long time and successfully compete. GAI being first in slabbed packs, and therefore having a solid foothold in the marketplace, even with the advent of a competitor for this with PSA, realistically should not have went out of business. They would have retained a following of loyal customers and maintained it.

I also don't know and don't care about the details of how GAI folded from a legal standpoint, IE chapter 7 or whatever. But I think, and I may be mistaken, that neither PSA or anyone else, offered to buy them out. Likely because of the "problems" perceived or real, nobody wanted to be associated with the GAI name.

Anyone can correct the details of these comments and it would be fine with me. However the premise of the comments I believe are fact. That there were problems with reputation which lead to their demise.

Look, if I buy an unopened pack it would only be to bust it. So if I saw a GAI slabbed pack for sale, and I happen to like the pack, and it was cheap enough, I might buy it. And if it was only a few hundred bucks and obviously resealed, what the yell. But a 1952 Topps pack in a GAI slab to bust for 100k? Forget about it - no conceivable way.

ReggieCleveland

The early generation/cert numbers on GAI pack holders are considered as good as a PSA slab is today. I believe it was Mike Baker doing the authenticating during that time?

I mean, it's not like PSA packs have a shining reputation you can hang your hat on.

Arthur

stevek

@ReggieCleveland said:
The early generation/cert numbers on GAI pack holders are considered as good as a PSA slab is today. I believe it was Mike Baker doing the authenticating during that time?

I mean, it's not like PSA packs have a shining reputation you can hang your hat on.

Arthur

Every rip I've watched on Youtube from a PSA slab looked 100% legit.

1all

@ReggieCleveland said:
The early generation/cert numbers on GAI pack holders are considered as good as a PSA slab is today. I believe it was Mike Baker doing the authenticating during that time?

I mean, it's not like PSA packs have a shining reputation you can hang your hat on.

Arthur

Mark Murphy was authenticating packs for GAI early on (I think 100 and 101 serial number slabs) and these have typically been considered the most reliable.

Doug (1all)

grote15

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@stevek said:

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@craig44 said:
why wouldnt the seller have that 52 pack slabbed by PSA? seems like he left money on the table.

unless, he knew it wouldnt pass psa authentication.

I’m not an unopened guy but I was told by a pack collector that in the right generation flip you’re probably fine with GAI unopened AND their pack holders are/were apparently great.

There was a time GAI was a contender. It was long ago but they were doing really well and came up with some pretty nice innovations before going belly up.

Perhaps their business philosophy at points in time, was slab whatever comes thru the door, and hope they never rip it?

Very tough in business to overcome a tarnished reputation.

You can find information out there about GAI. In their early days they were strong and in some ways and products a market leader. I don’t remember all the details but they basically had their own backlog and despite several rebrandings were eventually crushed under the weight of it.

This is a pretty accurate synopsis. GAI graded packs housed in the earlier, first generation holders with the silver flips, which spanned cert numbers 100XXX through the first part of 104XXX, are generally reliable (grocery cellos bearing 102XXX cert numbers notwithstanding), with the later holders of different design (there were a couple) less so. Paul Wright and Mark Murphy were the unopened authenticators when GAI was founded, with Murphy coming back for a second stint during the 103XXX era. There is a perception that packs with 100XXX and 101XXX are the most reliable but I have not encountered any issues (in large part) with 102XXX or 103XX cert numbers, either (aside from the aforementioned grocery cello debacle).

Don't forget that prior to 2007, GAI was the only option for authenticating packs so all the reputable unopened dealers, including BBCE, sold GAI graded packs. I have selectively crossed many GAI graded packs to PSA without any issues. There is no question that a PSA graded pack will command a healthy premium over a GAI graded pack on the secondary market.

ReggieCleveland

My bad, Baker was the cards. I knew they had someone reliable doing the packs early on.

Arthur

1951WheatiesPremium

@grote15 said:

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@stevek said:

@1951WheatiesPremium said:

@craig44 said:
why wouldnt the seller have that 52 pack slabbed by PSA? seems like he left money on the table.

unless, he knew it wouldnt pass psa authentication.

I’m not an unopened guy but I was told by a pack collector that in the right generation flip you’re probably fine with GAI unopened AND their pack holders are/were apparently great.

There was a time GAI was a contender. It was long ago but they were doing really well and came up with some pretty nice innovations before going belly up.

Perhaps their business philosophy at points in time, was slab whatever comes thru the door, and hope they never rip it?

Very tough in business to overcome a tarnished reputation.

You can find information out there about GAI. In their early days they were strong and in some ways and products a market leader. I don’t remember all the details but they basically had their own backlog and despite several rebrandings were eventually crushed under the weight of it.

This is a pretty accurate synopsis. GAI graded packs housed in the earlier, first generation holders with the silver flips, which spanned cert numbers 100XXX through the first part of 104XXX, are generally reliable (grocery cellos bearing 102XXX cert numbers notwithstanding), with the later holders of different design (there were a couple) less so. Paul Wright and Mark Murphy were the unopened authenticators when GAI was founded, with Murphy coming back for a second stint during the 103XXX era. There is a perception that packs with 100XXX and 101XXX are the most reliable but I have not encountered any issues (in large part) with 102XXX or 103XX cert numbers, either (aside from the aforementioned grocery cello debacle).

Don't forget that prior to 2007, GAI was the only option for authenticating packs so all the reputable unopened dealers, including BBCE, sold GAI graded packs. I have selectively crossed many GAI graded packs to PSA without any issues. There is no question that a PSA graded pack will command a healthy premium over a GAI graded pack on the secondary market.

Tim,

I basically learned this ALL from YOU.

So, thank you for always being willing to share good information with these boards.

It’s SELFLESS, it’s awesome and it’s worth pointing out and expressing gratitude.

Thank you!

Best,

Tim

PS - Great name.

craig44

I havent heard Mark Murphy's name in a long time. I remember all of the baseball card kid ads in the hobby monthlies from years ago. He was considered an authority, at least as far back as the late 80s-early 90s. I remember of him having 52 topps low number packs and opening some at a National. perhaps back in 1991? As I recall, he didnt pull anything of value. I bought a little off from him years ago. I remember pulling a FF Billy Ripken.

I seem to remember his "empire" falling because of a warehouse fire and he lost all of his stock. I think i can remember rumors about how that fire may have started. it has been a long time though.

coinspacks

Bbckid from 2005

craig44

wow, that is a blast from the past. I still have one of those unopened price guides somewhere. The prices are obviously no good, but it was color pictures throughout and had some great images and information in there.

ReggieCleveland

I remember everyone telling me the book was great if you wanted to learn how to detect altered wax. I hunted one down and all I learned about were roller marks (already knew) and corner folds (also already knew).

It's a nice hobby collectible but you don't need one to get good at spotting altered packs.

Arthur

stevek

I preferred it back in the 1960's when sealed wax packs were 5 cents. 😁