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I love the 1980s! The ultimate unopened rip quest to build Topps, Fleer, Donruss PSA 10 sets...

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  • Wow!

  • BBBrkrrBBBrkrr Posts: 1,317 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Brien Taylor...

    One of the biggest What-Could-Have-Beens of all time.

  • Yankees70Yankees70 Posts: 487 ✭✭✭
    edited November 1, 2024 2:03PM

    The return of my favorite thread. Glad to see you again. Did you get the result back from PSA for your 1980 Ryan that you ripped out in February?

  • Yankees70Yankees70 Posts: 487 ✭✭✭

    @jordangretzkyfan said:
    Been a long time since I posted any rips here. I have been enjoying the energy behind JoeyKoins recent modern breaks and it made me crave some packs. I took a middle ground and opened a 1993 Bowman Jumbo box after seeing Jeter on the pregame show before the Yanks lost a crazy game 5 of the World Series. I have always liked the clean look of the 1992 and 1993 Bowman sets.

    Anyone else remember when these guys were top prospects 🤣

    Lots of HOFers in this set, headlined by early Griffey and Thomas cards.

    The prospects that actually panned out…

    And of course the Yankee trio that put this set on the map. Really wish Jeter had a foil card in this set…

    This bowman set is really a beautiful set.

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Yankees70 said:
    The return of my favorite thread. Glad to see you again. Did you get the result back from PSA for your 1980 Ryan that you ripped out in February?

    Still sitting in the sub pile. I have been too lazy to send anything in, but really need to get around to doing it. Seeing everyone’s mixed grading results lately has not given me much motivation to sub.

  • NGS428NGS428 Posts: 2,332 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jordangretzkyfan said:
    Here is some fun future rip eye-candy. My two favorite RCs from my collecting heyday as a kid…

    Good lord. :o

  • 80sOPC80sOPC Posts: 1,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Not to be pedantic, but Delgado had a fantastic career so def panned out. One of the all time great Bluejays.

    Fun rips!

  • NJ80sBBCNJ80sBBC Posts: 744 ✭✭✭✭

    The epicness of this thread and Chris’ collection cannot be understated. Just insane. The stacks and stacks of unopened are stunning.

    And the rips bring you right back to the year of the issue.

    Bring it on!

    John

    Conundrum - Loving my unopened baseball card collection....but really like ripping too
  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wish all trading card companies made wax rack packs back in the day. This was a brilliant way to prevent tampering while beautifully showcasing the wax pack imaging. Topps had wax trays and then grocery wax racks for a short while in the 70s, but can you imagine if these existed from 1952-1985 Topps? Those wax racks would be an unopened collectors dream!

    Had to go back to rip my favorite set design of the 80s today while watching some football…

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2, 2024 10:51AM

    The first rack was brutal, but the second rack finally came to life. Here are the stars and rookies that were inside. RIP Pete. Anyone remember when the #1 card to pull from this set was the Kevin Seitzer RC? It sold for $5.00 at launch of the set, while Bonds was $0.50…who knew?

    Speaking of Barry, it is always a great sign when you pull a Will Clark RC early in a pack, because a few cards later you get this other guy…

    These were the only two candidates for PSA 10…

    Thanks to everyone for the kind words about this thread. I always love hearing other's memories of this great timeframe of collecting!

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,420 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looking forward to the rip Chris.

    Hope you hit a hot 89UD box with like 6 Griffeys.

    I'm a big TSC fan and ordered 5 boxes from Topps - incredible photography.

    Good luck!

    Mike
  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,885 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice Bonds!

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • NJ80sBBCNJ80sBBC Posts: 744 ✭✭✭✭

    1987 fleer is my jam. And these wax racks are my favorite to rip.

    Love the Clark ($30 at heyday) Bonds sequence

    But most of all I appreciate the reference to the Seitzer Stefero card.

    I still have mine from when I was a kid.

    I also picked up a cello with one on top.

    John

    Conundrum - Loving my unopened baseball card collection....but really like ripping too
  • 80sOPC80sOPC Posts: 1,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes!

  • BBBrkrrBBBrkrr Posts: 1,317 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Awesome Fergie!

  • mcastaldimcastaldi Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭

    @jordangretzkyfan said:
    For those less familiar with Topps Heritage hobby boxes, the norm per box is that you get (1) box loader, (1) variation card, (1) refractor card and (1) relic or auto. These three boxes were mostly true to form. Here were the hits.

    The box loaders were one 1974 buyback card and two oversized…

    There were (3) relics, including a gold #/99 and (1) auto of Outman. This was the first time I pulled two relics out of the same box.There was a nice Miller refractor among the three. Last, there was a nice Jung RC photo variation and a Boegarts image variation too.

    Heritage is an inexpensive way to pretend you are ripping packs from the 70s!

    I see the 74T design, but where are the fish eyes, ‘nuclear clouds’, and the washed out colors from where the plate didn’t strike the sheet well? Hard to claim a true 74T without the things that made them 74T 😀

    So full of action, my name should be a verb.
  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Back to some more Heritage…

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This turned out to be the purple refractor box in the case. For those not familiar, one hobby box per case will contain a purple refractor in every pack and is referred to as the “hot” box. Decent purple RC hits in McLain, Neto, Jung and Senga. The box topper was a Deckle Edge. Unfortunately, the box contained a relic and Bregman is not exactly a mega-star…

  • Yankees70Yankees70 Posts: 487 ✭✭✭

    @jordangretzkyfan said:
    Such a fun trip down memory lane. That said, always best to leave unopened, unopened financially. But then where is the fun in that 😎

    Here are the star and rookies that missed the grade…

    The two key cards made an appearance, but centering and print issues keep them from gradeworthy…

    This Brettt just missed the centering criteria for PSA 10, but I will sub as I think it is a solid PSA 9…

    There were five candidates for PSA 10. Here are the two commons…

    And here are the two stars and one rookie…

    Nice hits. The Carlton looks great. Does the Ryan have an outside shot at a 9?

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Yankees70 said:

    Nice hits. The Carlton looks great. Does the Ryan have an outside shot at a 9?

    Thanks! Unfortunately, there is a 1-inch roller line from top to bottom on the Ryan where a printing plate didn’t strike cleanly. You can see it most notably in the lack of color near the ‘Angels’ logo and bottom border. PSA has been really tough on surface issues, so guessing it would be a PSA 6-7.

  • Can somebody tell me how much it really cost to have PSA grade the cards. its seems like y'all have a lot of cards graded. From what I have read on the PSA site I am not sure if it is worth the cost that I read about. And how do they figure out what a card is worth.

  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,885 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Andylejeune said:
    Can somebody tell me how much it really cost to have PSA grade the cards. its seems like y'all have a lot of cards graded. From what I have read on the PSA site I am not sure if it is worth the cost that I read about. And how do they figure out what a card is worth.

    Welcome to the boards!

    A LOT of cards get graded that are not "worth" the grading fees. Some people are gambling a card will grade a 10 and be worth money. Most of the time they are mistaken.

    As far as value, you can look on ebay under "sold" listings and get an idea of what most cards are selling for.

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • mcastaldimcastaldi Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭

    I think timing also matters. In the early 2000s when I was sending in 72s & 75s to build sets, anything that came back a 7 was a big disappointment. And most of the time wouldn’t recoup grading fees.

    Now. . .with PSA & SGC tightening up grading (and generally ignoring their published criteria), a lot of 7s & 7.5s - and even some 6.5s are still super nice cards.

    But whether you grade cards or keep them raw, just end up with a card you enjoy - regardless of what number is on the holder.

    So full of action, my name should be a verb.
  • lwehlerslwehlers Posts: 920 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jordangretzkyfan said:

    @Yankees70 said:

    Nice hits. The Carlton looks great. Does the Ryan have an outside shot at a 9?

    Thanks! Unfortunately, there is a 1-inch roller line from top to bottom on the Ryan where a printing plate didn’t strike cleanly. You can see it most notably in the lack of color near the ‘Angels’ logo and bottom border. PSA has been really tough on surface issues, so guessing it would be a PSA 6-7.

    ryan and henderson would be a great cards for a nice raw set. 80 topps is one of my top five sets of the eighties. thank you for showing them.

  • Yankees70Yankees70 Posts: 487 ✭✭✭
    edited November 11, 2024 3:35PM

    @jordangretzkyfan said:
    The other 1986 NY Mets player that I have a soft spot for was known as “The Kid”. Finding dead centered 1975 Topps Gary Carter RCs in PSA 9 has always proven a challenge. The vast majority of available PSA 9 are either off center or have lots of print dots. Here are the ones I have put away over the years…

    Absolutely stunning. I have a high end centered 8 but will eventually need to get one similar to yours for my 1975 set.

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Time for the next box of 2023 Topps Heritage High Numbers….

  • I just found 2-1985 Topps Cut Card Cases and 2-1987 OPC Cut Card Cases and I’m trying not to open one of each

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Typical distribution in this box. The Senga position variation was a nice pull. Always better to get an auto than a relic, even if it is O’Hoppe…

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Harnessracing said:
    I just found 2-1985 Topps Cut Card Cases and 2-1987 OPC Cut Card Cases and I’m trying not to open one of each

    Those happen to be two of my favorite sets from the 1980s! If you do eventually crack one, please share the results 🙂

  • HarnessracingHarnessracing Posts: 425 ✭✭✭
    edited November 16, 2024 5:06PM

    Sold one OPC yesterday. I’ll never open them. The value is in the mystery .
    I also have an opened 1980 Topps Cut card case but the 3 sheets it contains isn’t a Henderson sheet.
    I also have OPC Hockey ones too, I’m pretty sure they are 1982 or 1983

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Down to my last 3 boxes of 2023 Topps Heritage High Numbers that I plan to rip….

  • lwehlerslwehlers Posts: 920 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jordangretzkyfan said:
    Typical distribution in this box. The Senga position variation was a nice pull. Always better to get an auto than a relic, even if it is O’Hoppe…

    great auto in this box.

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well, this was a great box if you are a Cubs fan. First, all the usual RCs showed up…

    The box loader, chrome and auto were all Cubbies…

    Will rip the other two tomorrow before going back to some 80s.

  • NJ80sBBCNJ80sBBC Posts: 744 ✭✭✭✭

    Way to beat the odds with these auto pulls!

    John

    Conundrum - Loving my unopened baseball card collection....but really like ripping too
  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here were the results of the next box…

    You pretty much get one set per box, so here are the key RCs…

    Happy with the Volpe RC relic and it contains the edge of a patch. The black bordered Soriano RC is limited to only 50 copies. Overall, a decent box…

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The third and final box I plan to rip from the case contained another relic. Gunnar is a top player, so cool to have a piece of his game worn jersey. That made the count across the 9 boxes at 3 autos (Outman, O’Hoppe, Wisdom) and 7 relics (Volpe, Henderson, Walker, Bregman, Marte, Hoskins and a bonus gold Gordon #/99). The last 3 boxes from this case will remain sealed for now and displayed on top of my other sealed case. Thanks to those who commented…

  • Nice!

  • Yankees70Yankees70 Posts: 487 ✭✭✭

    @jordangretzkyfan said:
    Finally have some downtime over the next few days. Seems like a good holiday to open another 1980 Topps Vending Box. Here goes…

    Awesome. Hopefully you pull a potential PSA 9 Ryan and/or Henderson.

  • jordangretzkyfanjordangretzkyfan Posts: 2,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I love ripping the 1980 Topps set for some reason. Such a clean design and loaded with HOFers. Here are all the stars and rookies that missed the grade…

    Pulled this clean Henderson RC, but centering keeps it in the PSA 7-8 range…

    There were 7 candidates for PSA 10 in this box, which is on par with the typical ratio. Two of them feature a key member of the 1986 NY Mets World Series Championship team…and guest star on Seinfeld…

    And this Molitor looks pretty crisp to me as the 7th contender for PSA 10…

    Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

  • Yankees70Yankees70 Posts: 487 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for sharing with us. It still surprises me that a person can open a box of 500 cards from vending and only get 2-3 hall of famers that are PSA 9 candidates. It definitely illustrates that anyone paying big money for unopened material, and then immediately opening it will lose ample money.

  • BBBrkrrBBBrkrr Posts: 1,317 ✭✭✭✭✭

    As a kid I was not a fan of this set but it has grown on me over the years. I never liked all the little ribbons but now it feels iconic.

    The photos are just so colorful and it might be the brightest and most colorful of any set in the 80s (which is how it should be).

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