Love the hunt and wish you the best when you eventually submit. Maybe you should throw a few 9’s in the submission so they don’t downgrade some of your 10’s to 9’s. I know that that will mess with your consecutive serial number plan. I just wonder how likely they will be to grade 700 cards all 10’s... guess we will find out!
@NGS428 said:
Love the hunt and wish you the best when you eventually submit. Maybe you should throw a few 9’s in the submission so they don’t downgrade some of your 10’s to 9’s. I know that that will mess with your consecutive serial number plan. I just wonder how likely they will be to grade 700 cards all 10’s... guess we will find out!
Keep it up!
Can’t you do a minimum grade as 10 to keep consecutive numbers?
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
This year has such a simple design, but I still like it for some reason. The distribution in a Fleer box is consistent with very few doubles. Here are the stars and rookies...
The big three made off-centered appearances...
And 6 contenders emerged...good star power to boot...
@NGS428 said:
Love the hunt and wish you the best when you eventually submit. Maybe you should throw a few 9’s in the submission so they don’t downgrade some of your 10’s to 9’s. I know that that will mess with your consecutive serial number plan. I just wonder how likely they will be to grade 700 cards all 10’s... guess we will find out!
Keep it up!
You make a good point, but it would be rather sad if PSA increased their standards for a 10 just because the group submitted was all super high condition. I am sure the graders will knock many down to PSA 9 simply out of principle of not giving “too many 10s.” However, I have never been a big fan of paying to grade cards that are of lesser condition just to calibrate the grader. A valid strategy, but one that is hopefully unnessary. I know they will come back a mix of 9s and 10s, so just hoping that my super picky standards are rewarded in the end. Anything that grades MINT 9 will still pretty much be a losing proposition, but I will still be excited to know they were subbed by me and part of a complete set submission. Yes, that makes me weird...
@NGS428 said:
Love the hunt and wish you the best when you eventually submit. Maybe you should throw a few 9’s in the submission so they don’t downgrade some of your 10’s to 9’s. I know that that will mess with your consecutive serial number plan. I just wonder how likely they will be to grade 700 cards all 10’s... guess we will find out!
Keep it up!
You make a good point, but it would be rather sad if PSA increased their standards for a 10 just because the group submitted was all super high condition. I am sure the graders will knock many down to PSA 9 simply out of principle of not giving “too many 10s.” However, I have never been a big fan of paying to grade cards that are of lesser condition just to calibrate the grader. A valid strategy, but one that is hopefully unnessary. I know they will come back a mix of 9s and 10s, so just hoping that my super picky standards are rewarded in the end. Anything that grades MINT 9 will still pretty much be a losing proposition, but I will still be excited to know they were subbed by me and part of a complete set submission. Yes, that makes me weird...
Yes sir...just as the crazy title suggests. I’m certifiable 😲
I'm guessing you have some Jordans/Gretzky's hoarded up? maybe we can see those?
Collecting PSA 9's from 1970-1977. Raw 9's from 72-77. Raw 10's from '78-'83. Collecting Unopened from '72-'83; mostly BBCE certified boxes/cases/racks. Prefer to buy in bulk.
Holy heck the centering on 1982 Donruss is a mess! It is off in every direction and littered with print dots too. I think it took Donruss the entire decade to figure out how to correctly cut cards. Here are the rookies and stars that continue to build. Unfortunately, there was no Ripken found this time...
I did manage to find 6 candidates for PSA 10 in this box. This is a nice looking set when you find them dead on...
Just something to think about...you have been very consistent in the years you have been ripping, sticking to 1981-1989. The thing I'm most fascinated with is your percentages on cards you believe are strong PSA 10 candidates. If we go with the idea that you are 100% accurate, the percentages are incredibly low. Here's what I'm curious about...a regular comment/complaint is that as Topps ramped up production significantly starting in 1981 and peaking in 1988-1989, the quality control went down. I'm wondering if that is actually true. The groups out there promoting pack and box breaking where people are buying slots continue to push the idea that PSA 10s of big stars are lurking in the packs and boxes they are selling. Based on your statistics, they really aren't- at least not in reasonable numbers. Even at a 5% hit rate, you are looking at a max of 25-30 PSA 10 candidates per wax box. With an almost 800 card set, it would require opening 32 boxes of a particular year to have a statistical chance of finding any particular card in PSA 10 quality. So opening one pack of a particular year, using those statistics, you have a 1/1152 chance of finding, say, a Ripken rookie in PSA 10 quality. That also depends on the roughly 15 card packs that you are opening. So that leads to the question...have you given any consideration to ripping a box or two of 1980 Topps (you seem to indicate that you have at least some of these) if for no other reason than 1) fun and 2) to see if the percentages hold? I just wonder if the production quality that you have commented on for the 1980's stuff is similarly bad when you get back to production numbers that are dramatically less than the 1981-1989 numbers. Just a thought, but ultimately I'm kinda curious to see if someone like you will be able to produce empirical data that demonstrates that the pack and box breakers are worse odds than a lottery ticket.
kevin
Man this year has paper thin stock that shows any hint of edge or corner wear. That said, this is one beautiful set when you find a perfect example of a card. Unfortunately this box didn’t contain a Canseco RC. It did have plenty of stars and rookies to add to my growing pile...
I was pumped to find a whopping 10 contenders for GEM MINT in this box. I love the look of these when they are this clean...
@tulsaboy said:
Just something to think about...you have been very consistent in the years you have been ripping, sticking to 1981-1989. The thing I'm most fascinated with is your percentages on cards you believe are strong PSA 10 candidates. If we go with the idea that you are 100% accurate, the percentages are incredibly low. Here's what I'm curious about...a regular comment/complaint is that as Topps ramped up production significantly starting in 1981 and peaking in 1988-1989, the quality control went down. I'm wondering if that is actually true. The groups out there promoting pack and box breaking where people are buying slots continue to push the idea that PSA 10s of big stars are lurking in the packs and boxes they are selling. Based on your statistics, they really aren't- at least not in reasonable numbers. Even at a 5% hit rate, you are looking at a max of 25-30 PSA 10 candidates per wax box. With an almost 800 card set, it would require opening 32 boxes of a particular year to have a statistical chance of finding any particular card in PSA 10 quality. So opening one pack of a particular year, using those statistics, you have a 1/1152 chance of finding, say, a Ripken rookie in PSA 10 quality. That also depends on the roughly 15 card packs that you are opening. So that leads to the question...have you given any consideration to ripping a box or two of 1980 Topps (you seem to indicate that you have at least some of these) if for no other reason than 1) fun and 2) to see if the percentages hold? I just wonder if the production quality that you have commented on for the 1980's stuff is similarly bad when you get back to production numbers that are dramatically less than the 1981-1989 numbers. Just a thought, but ultimately I'm kinda curious to see if someone like you will be able to produce empirical data that demonstrates that the pack and box breakers are worse odds than a lottery ticket.
kevin
Hey Kevin. Thanks for posing this question. While I do have unopened that pre-dates 1981, it doesn’t make much financial sense to rip it given the high price of pre-1980 boxes and cases. At some point I may open a box or two just for fun, but not to build sets since it would be cheaper to buy the cards already graded. That said, I have ripped boxes from 1975-1980 before and have good knowledge of the “hit rate” of PSA 10 cards. The reason I am concentrating on the 1980s for this challenge is 1) it was the heyday of my childhood collecting, 2) I have a ton of unopened from this era and it is still fairly plentiful to find/replace. I suspect this thread is opening some folk’s eyes to just how challenging pulling PSA 10 cards is from the 1980s.
You proposed stats based on a hit rate of 5%. I can assure you that the hit rate for PSA 10 contenders is actually far less than that and gets worse as the decade goes. To be fair, I only set aside those I believe are stone-cold PSA 10s since anything that comes back even a MINT 9 will be a money losing proposition after grading fees. I have been keeping stats as I ripped product over this past year and I am planning to share the numbers this weekend as I hit the one-year anniversary of this quest. So please check back for this weekend’s update...
To directly answer your question on those collectors buying slots for vintage breaks, the odds are about the same as a lottery ticket. I have not ripped 1950s or 1960s packs, but can tell you that 1970s wax/rack packs have a hit rate of 2-4% GEM MINT with the exception of 1971 which is even worse. Personally, I would always buy graded cards from that era versus wasting money on a needle in a haystack rip. If you are holding unopened, it is better to leave it unopened. Everyday, someone rips a pack creating more singles and lowering the supply of unopened. Believe it or not, I am still primarily an unopened collector. I simply decided to purge some of my unopened for the experience of feeling 12 again. I was starting to get bored of the hobby after 30+ years and needed a kickstart to bring the flame back. So far, this is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Thanks to those who continue to share in my journey!! Keep the comments coming...
Thanks for the response and for your insight into pre-1981 hit rates. I proposed the 5% because that seemed the absolute high end of what you are finding. Just general observation seems to indicate that it averages more around 2-3% on what you are ripping. But my assumption, it sounds like, is correct- that the hit rate for finding high-grade star cards inside the packs and boxes that are being ripped is low enough that the payoff for folks paying, for instance, $250 per card slot for a 1971 rack pack, is extremely low. Wonder at what point the folks funding the breakers will figure this out, or if they will adhere to PT Barnum's wisdom on the subject? I agree with you. My unopened is (for the most part) staying unopened. I do keep some late 80's stuff around to open just because it is fun. But the older, expensive stuff that I have isn't going anywhere and isn't going to be opened by me. Thanks!
kevin
Yeesh...that centering was abysmal. Not a single card in that entire box was centered...not one! Here are the stars and rookies that continue to pile up...
There were 2 Ripken RCs, but this is indicative of the centering for the entire box...
@JWBlue said:
Am I the only one that barely paid any attention to centering back in the 1980s?
I was right there with you. It wasn’t until I was in my late teens that I started to look for dead centered cards with no print defects. As a kid I thought anything with four sharp corners was a perfect card.
@TheThrill22 said:
Do you still get the same excitement of getting a star rookie, the same as you did when you started this?
I still get the adrenaline rush, but now to a lesser extent since I know the odds of it being GEM MINT are virtually zero. Still never gets old to slide through a pack and see and iconic RC though. It is like I am 12 again...
I thought it fitting on the eve of the one-year anniversary of this thread to go back to where it all began. I love 1987! It was the first year I went all in with cards and began my 30+ year love affair with this hobby. For me, 1987 Fleer will always be my favorite set design. Something about those sky blue borders, the images extending into the top of the card, the great photography, the perfect blend of HOFers and an iconic rookie class...just makes this set special to me. So here goes another 1987 Fleer wax box...
Such a good looking set. Typical Fleer box in that the distribution across the set is very even with virtually no duplicates. Here were the stars and rookies that continue to pile up...
And all of the main rookies made an appearance. Unfortunately none were dead centered...
However, there were a respectable 8 contenders for GEM MINT in this box...
BTW - you did way better than I with your 83F rip.
I've never ripped a box of 87F - a must for me some day.
I like the Bonds - not so much the centering - glad we have guys like you presenting this kind of stuff.
At least you don't "burn" what you open.
In fact, I've created a forum "verb" - "don't BALROG those cards!"
Haha...thanks for the kind words Mike. I continue to enjoy this fun project and glad others are enjoying following along. Not too many folks willing to rip much given the strength of the unopened market. I don’t blame them...so I’m glad I can be the crazy one.
Wow...28,000+ views and 900+ comments along the way! It is hard to believe that I started this 1980s ripping journey to build PSA 10 sets exactly one year ago. What a fun project! I have been blessed to open pack after pack, box after box, reliving my childhood and looking for cardboard perfection. Along the way, I have made some new friends and connected with old friends. I thought it appropriate to share the stats with this group at the one year mark. The number next to the set is the count of contenders I have pulled. The number in parenthesis is the “% hit rate” out of the quantity I have opened. I am guessing these incredibly low percentages will surprise some folks, particularly the ones after 1985...
As you all know, I am really picky about anything I call a contender. I try to only set aside stone cold PSA 10s since anything that comes back a PSA 9 will pretty much be a money losing proposition post grading fees. I still have a long way to go to finish these sets, but fortunately I still have mounds of unopened to break. Thanks to those who continue to follow this thread and comment along the way. Here’s to year two of this journey...may we always stay young at heart!
Wow 1984 Donruss has been the best as far as % go .... you know I opened a 1988 Topps wax box back in 1988 and dug it out a couple of weeks ago and this box is a 180 from your %. It must have been an epic box because I have no less than 60 solid PSA 10 contenders from it. Nuts.
Disclaimer .... I am talking about DEAD ON CENTERING and sharp printing. I didn't take a loupe to the corners/edges although all look legit.
1981 Topps show any hint of being off-center due to the very thin borders. Couple that with notoriously bad print defects including ink smudges, snow and fish eyes...making for one tough set to build in PSA 10. That said, I still love ripping this set to see the vintage uniforms and the triple rookie prospect cards. Here are the stars and rookies that continue to build up...
I did manage to find 9 contenders for GEM MINT...
And check out these 3 beauties. Amazing that just a millimeter can knock a card down to a MINT 9, which is where I think these 3 will land...
@Cory1976 said:
Looking forward to year two. Good luck 1981 cello box.
Thanks Cory,
@bensie said:
Nice rip on the 1981! Maybe you can be the first one to find a gem Valenzuela rookie. That card is still a pop 0 last time I looked.
Yep, still a pop 0. Based on the two I have pulled so far, I can see why this card is impossible between the horrid centering and print defects. My fingers are crossed it is in this case, but I’m not holding my breath 😕
@tulsaboy said:
Nice! Is the Picciolo slightly tilted left to right? The left border at the top looks a little thicker than the border on the right top.
Good eye...I have tossed that one out of the grading pile. Every now and then I miss one...
@ldferg said:
That middle Henderson looks good from the scan.
Thanks David. I agree it is really close, but I think the L/R centering is just off. Right around 45/55. Everything else about the card is GEM MINT.
I've only been following since the summer, but this thread brings me so much joy and nostalgia. As a reformed collector/hoarder, being able to live vicariously through this thread is a real joy. All the memories of my childhood and beautiful cards. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
@Vaultdweller said:
I've only been following since the summer, but this thread brings me so much joy and nostalgia. As a reformed collector/hoarder, being able to live vicariously through this thread is a real joy. All the memories of my childhood and beautiful cards. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
Wow! Thank you for the incredibly kind words. Sharing the hobby and my experiences with other enthusiasts is what makes this journey so fun. Glad you are enjoying the thread. Please keep commenting along the way and feel free to share memories of your own. Those are the stories to which we can all relate.
So I am thinking a consecutive rip of Topps through the 1980s seems like a nice mini-theme to start the new year of this journey. With the 1981 Topps Cello down, up next is a 1982 Topps vending box...
This is such a fun set to break. Tons of stars, great action photos and of course the Cal Ripken RC. Here is a pic of the piles that continue to grow...
Having said that, centering can be a nightmare on 1980s cards since quality control was poor. Check out the cut on these two RCs...
Mr. Ripken did make an appearance, but was not a PSA 10 candidate...
Important to note your hit rate has to be multiplied by the probability rate to get a 10. When this is calculated, you end up with about a 1 in 150 PSA 10 slab rate on average. Surprising for modern cards.
Collecting PSA 9's from 1970-1977. Raw 9's from 72-77. Raw 10's from '78-'83. Collecting Unopened from '72-'83; mostly BBCE certified boxes/cases/racks. Prefer to buy in bulk.
@softparade said:
Here’s a candidate for ya. You want it? I’ll ship no charge. Ink is oozing with gloss! Back is just as good
I want to say THANK YOU to Dan for graciously sending me this blazer for my journey. It is members like this that make this a great forum to share experiences along the collecting pathway.. Thanks to all who continue to follow along!
Comments
Time to hunt for perfect Gwynn, Boggs and Sandberg RCs....
Love the hunt and wish you the best when you eventually submit. Maybe you should throw a few 9’s in the submission so they don’t downgrade some of your 10’s to 9’s. I know that that will mess with your consecutive serial number plan. I just wonder how likely they will be to grade 700 cards all 10’s... guess we will find out!
Keep it up!
Nic
Guides Authored - Graded Card Scanning Guide PDF | History of the PSA Label PDF
Can’t you do a minimum grade as 10 to keep consecutive numbers?
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
This year has such a simple design, but I still like it for some reason. The distribution in a Fleer box is consistent with very few doubles. Here are the stars and rookies...
The big three made off-centered appearances...
And 6 contenders emerged...good star power to boot...
You make a good point, but it would be rather sad if PSA increased their standards for a 10 just because the group submitted was all super high condition. I am sure the graders will knock many down to PSA 9 simply out of principle of not giving “too many 10s.” However, I have never been a big fan of paying to grade cards that are of lesser condition just to calibrate the grader. A valid strategy, but one that is hopefully unnessary. I know they will come back a mix of 9s and 10s, so just hoping that my super picky standards are rewarded in the end. Anything that grades MINT 9 will still pretty much be a losing proposition, but I will still be excited to know they were subbed by me and part of a complete set submission. Yes, that makes me weird...
you plan to submit the whole set ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
>
Yes sir...just as the crazy title suggests. I’m certifiable 😲
Up next...some more 1982 Donruss...
I'm guessing you have some Jordans/Gretzky's hoarded up? maybe we can see those?
Collecting Unopened from '72-'83; mostly BBCE certified boxes/cases/racks.
Prefer to buy in bulk.
Holy heck the centering on 1982 Donruss is a mess! It is off in every direction and littered with print dots too. I think it took Donruss the entire decade to figure out how to correctly cut cards. Here are the rookies and stars that continue to build. Unfortunately, there was no Ripken found this time...
I did manage to find 6 candidates for PSA 10 in this box. This is a nice looking set when you find them dead on...
You would be correct...all in good time 🙂
PSA 10
Chaz
My day has been made now that I have caught up on this thread!
I’m feeling like sticking with Donruss. Next up is a 1986 Donruss wax box...
Just something to think about...you have been very consistent in the years you have been ripping, sticking to 1981-1989. The thing I'm most fascinated with is your percentages on cards you believe are strong PSA 10 candidates. If we go with the idea that you are 100% accurate, the percentages are incredibly low. Here's what I'm curious about...a regular comment/complaint is that as Topps ramped up production significantly starting in 1981 and peaking in 1988-1989, the quality control went down. I'm wondering if that is actually true. The groups out there promoting pack and box breaking where people are buying slots continue to push the idea that PSA 10s of big stars are lurking in the packs and boxes they are selling. Based on your statistics, they really aren't- at least not in reasonable numbers. Even at a 5% hit rate, you are looking at a max of 25-30 PSA 10 candidates per wax box. With an almost 800 card set, it would require opening 32 boxes of a particular year to have a statistical chance of finding any particular card in PSA 10 quality. So opening one pack of a particular year, using those statistics, you have a 1/1152 chance of finding, say, a Ripken rookie in PSA 10 quality. That also depends on the roughly 15 card packs that you are opening. So that leads to the question...have you given any consideration to ripping a box or two of 1980 Topps (you seem to indicate that you have at least some of these) if for no other reason than 1) fun and 2) to see if the percentages hold? I just wonder if the production quality that you have commented on for the 1980's stuff is similarly bad when you get back to production numbers that are dramatically less than the 1981-1989 numbers. Just a thought, but ultimately I'm kinda curious to see if someone like you will be able to produce empirical data that demonstrates that the pack and box breakers are worse odds than a lottery ticket.
kevin
Man this year has paper thin stock that shows any hint of edge or corner wear. That said, this is one beautiful set when you find a perfect example of a card. Unfortunately this box didn’t contain a Canseco RC. It did have plenty of stars and rookies to add to my growing pile...
I was pumped to find a whopping 10 contenders for GEM MINT in this box. I love the look of these when they are this clean...
Hey Kevin. Thanks for posing this question. While I do have unopened that pre-dates 1981, it doesn’t make much financial sense to rip it given the high price of pre-1980 boxes and cases. At some point I may open a box or two just for fun, but not to build sets since it would be cheaper to buy the cards already graded. That said, I have ripped boxes from 1975-1980 before and have good knowledge of the “hit rate” of PSA 10 cards. The reason I am concentrating on the 1980s for this challenge is 1) it was the heyday of my childhood collecting, 2) I have a ton of unopened from this era and it is still fairly plentiful to find/replace. I suspect this thread is opening some folk’s eyes to just how challenging pulling PSA 10 cards is from the 1980s.
You proposed stats based on a hit rate of 5%. I can assure you that the hit rate for PSA 10 contenders is actually far less than that and gets worse as the decade goes. To be fair, I only set aside those I believe are stone-cold PSA 10s since anything that comes back even a MINT 9 will be a money losing proposition after grading fees. I have been keeping stats as I ripped product over this past year and I am planning to share the numbers this weekend as I hit the one-year anniversary of this quest. So please check back for this weekend’s update...
To directly answer your question on those collectors buying slots for vintage breaks, the odds are about the same as a lottery ticket. I have not ripped 1950s or 1960s packs, but can tell you that 1970s wax/rack packs have a hit rate of 2-4% GEM MINT with the exception of 1971 which is even worse. Personally, I would always buy graded cards from that era versus wasting money on a needle in a haystack rip. If you are holding unopened, it is better to leave it unopened. Everyday, someone rips a pack creating more singles and lowering the supply of unopened. Believe it or not, I am still primarily an unopened collector. I simply decided to purge some of my unopened for the experience of feeling 12 again. I was starting to get bored of the hobby after 30+ years and needed a kickstart to bring the flame back. So far, this is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Thanks to those who continue to share in my journey!! Keep the comments coming...
Thanks for the response and for your insight into pre-1981 hit rates. I proposed the 5% because that seemed the absolute high end of what you are finding. Just general observation seems to indicate that it averages more around 2-3% on what you are ripping. But my assumption, it sounds like, is correct- that the hit rate for finding high-grade star cards inside the packs and boxes that are being ripped is low enough that the payoff for folks paying, for instance, $250 per card slot for a 1971 rack pack, is extremely low. Wonder at what point the folks funding the breakers will figure this out, or if they will adhere to PT Barnum's wisdom on the subject? I agree with you. My unopened is (for the most part) staying unopened. I do keep some late 80's stuff around to open just because it is fun. But the older, expensive stuff that I have isn't going anywhere and isn't going to be opened by me. Thanks!
kevin
Planning another 1982 Donruss box once I get home tonight. Hopefully this box will have a Ripken RC...
and hopefully it will be Gemmy, good luck!
Yeesh...that centering was abysmal. Not a single card in that entire box was centered...not one! Here are the stars and rookies that continue to pile up...
There were 2 Ripken RCs, but this is indicative of the centering for the entire box...
Am I the only one that barely paid any attention to centering back in the 1980s?
Wow a goose egg! Ughhh
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
Do you still get the same excitement of getting a star rookie, the same as you did when you started this?
I was right there with you. It wasn’t until I was in my late teens that I started to look for dead centered cards with no print defects. As a kid I thought anything with four sharp corners was a perfect card.
I still get the adrenaline rush, but now to a lesser extent since I know the odds of it being GEM MINT are virtually zero. Still never gets old to slide through a pack and see and iconic RC though. It is like I am 12 again...
I thought it fitting on the eve of the one-year anniversary of this thread to go back to where it all began. I love 1987! It was the first year I went all in with cards and began my 30+ year love affair with this hobby. For me, 1987 Fleer will always be my favorite set design. Something about those sky blue borders, the images extending into the top of the card, the great photography, the perfect blend of HOFers and an iconic rookie class...just makes this set special to me. So here goes another 1987 Fleer wax box...
Such a good looking set. Typical Fleer box in that the distribution across the set is very even with virtually no duplicates. Here were the stars and rookies that continue to pile up...
And all of the main rookies made an appearance. Unfortunately none were dead centered...
However, there were a respectable 8 contenders for GEM MINT in this box...
Hiya Chris
Have enjoyed your thread immensely.
BTW - you did way better than I with your 83F rip.
I've never ripped a box of 87F - a must for me some day.
I like the Bonds - not so much the centering - glad we have guys like you presenting this kind of stuff.
At least you don't "burn" what you open.
In fact, I've created a forum "verb" - "don't BALROG those cards!"
Haha...thanks for the kind words Mike. I continue to enjoy this fun project and glad others are enjoying following along. Not too many folks willing to rip much given the strength of the unopened market. I don’t blame them...so I’m glad I can be the crazy one.
Wow...28,000+ views and 900+ comments along the way! It is hard to believe that I started this 1980s ripping journey to build PSA 10 sets exactly one year ago. What a fun project! I have been blessed to open pack after pack, box after box, reliving my childhood and looking for cardboard perfection. Along the way, I have made some new friends and connected with old friends. I thought it appropriate to share the stats with this group at the one year mark. The number next to the set is the count of contenders I have pulled. The number in parenthesis is the “% hit rate” out of the quantity I have opened. I am guessing these incredibly low percentages will surprise some folks, particularly the ones after 1985...
1981 Topps = 37 (3.0%)
1982 Topps = 66 (1.8%)
1983 Topps = 74 (2.1%)
1984 Topps = 84 (2.7%)
1985 Topps = 63 (1.5%)
1986 Topps = 71 (0.6%)
1987 Topps = 29 (0.4%)
1988 Topps = 66 (0.5%)
1989 Topps = 66 (0.9%)
1981 Fleer = 38 (3.1%)
1982 Fleer = n/a
1983 Fleer = 30 (1.8%)
1984 Fleer = n/a
1985 Fleer = 23 (1.4%)
1986 Fleer = 49 (1.8%)
1987 Fleer = 163 (2.0%)
1988 Fleer = n/a
1989 Fleer = n/a
1981 Donruss = 6 (0.3%)
1982 Donruss = 57 (2.6%)
1983 Donruss = 3 (0.5%)
1984 Donruss = 51 (9.4%)
1985 Donruss = 41 (0.8%)
1986 Donruss = 34 (1.0%)
1987 Donruss = 88 (0.7%)
1988 Donruss = n/a
1989 Donruss = n/a
1987 Topps Traded = 9 (1.4%)
As you all know, I am really picky about anything I call a contender. I try to only set aside stone cold PSA 10s since anything that comes back a PSA 9 will pretty much be a money losing proposition post grading fees. I still have a long way to go to finish these sets, but fortunately I still have mounds of unopened to break. Thanks to those who continue to follow this thread and comment along the way. Here’s to year two of this journey...may we always stay young at heart!
Wow 1984 Donruss has been the best as far as % go .... you know I opened a 1988 Topps wax box back in 1988 and dug it out a couple of weeks ago and this box is a 180 from your %. It must have been an epic box because I have no less than 60 solid PSA 10 contenders from it. Nuts.
Disclaimer .... I am talking about DEAD ON CENTERING and sharp printing. I didn't take a loupe to the corners/edges although all look legit.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
81 Donruss ... Ouch
Nic
Guides Authored - Graded Card Scanning Guide PDF | History of the PSA Label PDF
1987 Fleer has definitely grown on me over the years. Didn't care for them back in the day.
Hall of Fame thread!
I may have missed it earlier, but is there a reason you've not opened some (i.e. 82 fleer, 89 fleer, etc...)?
love this thread. Good luck on the conquest.
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
Yeah...they are brutal!!
Thank you for the kind words.
Thank you...just haven’t dug them out yet, but will eventually break them all.
Time to get year two of this journey kicked off. How about a fresh 1981 Topps cello box?
1981 Topps show any hint of being off-center due to the very thin borders. Couple that with notoriously bad print defects including ink smudges, snow and fish eyes...making for one tough set to build in PSA 10. That said, I still love ripping this set to see the vintage uniforms and the triple rookie prospect cards. Here are the stars and rookies that continue to build up...
I did manage to find 9 contenders for GEM MINT...
And check out these 3 beauties. Amazing that just a millimeter can knock a card down to a MINT 9, which is where I think these 3 will land...
Looking forward to year two. Good luck 1981 cello box.
Nice rip on the 1981! Maybe you can be the first one to find a gem Valenzuela rookie. That card is still a pop 0 last time I looked.
Nice! Is the Picciolo slightly tilted left to right? The left border at the top looks a little thicker than the border on the right top.
That middle Henderson looks good from the scan.
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
Thanks Cory,
Yep, still a pop 0. Based on the two I have pulled so far, I can see why this card is impossible between the horrid centering and print defects. My fingers are crossed it is in this case, but I’m not holding my breath 😕
Good eye...I have tossed that one out of the grading pile. Every now and then I miss one...
Thanks David. I agree it is really close, but I think the L/R centering is just off. Right around 45/55. Everything else about the card is GEM MINT.
I've only been following since the summer, but this thread brings me so much joy and nostalgia. As a reformed collector/hoarder, being able to live vicariously through this thread is a real joy. All the memories of my childhood and beautiful cards. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
Wow! Thank you for the incredibly kind words. Sharing the hobby and my experiences with other enthusiasts is what makes this journey so fun. Glad you are enjoying the thread. Please keep commenting along the way and feel free to share memories of your own. Those are the stories to which we can all relate.
So I am thinking a consecutive rip of Topps through the 1980s seems like a nice mini-theme to start the new year of this journey. With the 1981 Topps Cello down, up next is a 1982 Topps vending box...
This is such a fun set to break. Tons of stars, great action photos and of course the Cal Ripken RC. Here is a pic of the piles that continue to grow...
Having said that, centering can be a nightmare on 1980s cards since quality control was poor. Check out the cut on these two RCs...
Mr. Ripken did make an appearance, but was not a PSA 10 candidate...
However, I did find 9 candidates for GEM MINT...
Your data for finding 10's is incredibly useful.
Important to note your hit rate has to be multiplied by the probability rate to get a 10. When this is calculated, you end up with about a 1 in 150 PSA 10 slab rate on average. Surprising for modern cards.
Collecting Unopened from '72-'83; mostly BBCE certified boxes/cases/racks.
Prefer to buy in bulk.
I want to say THANK YOU to Dan for graciously sending me this blazer for my journey. It is members like this that make this a great forum to share experiences along the collecting pathway.. Thanks to all who continue to follow along!
Up next is a 1983 Topps vending box...