Cello questions!
ElvisP
Posts: 1,073 ✭✭✭
Is it possible to for someone to look at cello packs and with some accuracy tell if the key RC's are in or not in the pack? I recently opened 2 cello boxes('85BB, '88FB) and did not get either key RC's. The latter I bought from a "sealed" case but it had the black mark on it. How can it be from an unopened case and have the black mark on the boxes? When were the black marks put on them?
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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.
<< <i>I can't imagine black X's on boxes from sealed cases, unless Topps repackaged them and put them in "new" factory cases? >>
It is possible for all the x-out boxes in that particular case to be original and intact in the original case, if the case were never broken down for sale, but there is no way to determine that for sure, which is why most collectors should certainly favor a case fresh non x-out box over an x-out one.
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.
<< <i>I did not know that. So Topps would take the returned boxes, X them out, and then repackage them and send them back out in sealed case form? >>
Yes, but as clearance (or closeout) cases. These "sealed" cases, were returns from vendors and the purpose of Topps putting the X on the lid of each box inside the case was to mark them as final sale with no returns (these cases were sold at a wholesale discount because of this). The case itself with the x out boxes may very well have been a case that went untouched and unsold and returned to Topps in its original state for final sale or it was a case returned with loose packs from different boxes to fill up the case for its return to Topps for resale as an x-out case with no returns. If you ever see the actual case of one of these, you will see that the cardboard case itself was stamped by Topps, as well.
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.
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.
<< <i>Is it possible to for someone to look at cello packs and with some accuracy tell if the key RC's are in or not in the pack? I recently opened 2 cello boxes('85BB, '88FB) and did not get either key RC's. The latter I bought from a "sealed" case but it had the black mark on it. How can it be from an unopened case and have the black mark on the boxes? When were the black marks put on them? >>
Absolutely. The '80s were notorious for stars on top/bottom of packs collecting, and sequencing. In fact sequencing lists were sold yearly by many collectors, mainly for Topps and Donruss. I was able to purchase them from classified ads in hobby magazines (SCD, Baseball Cards Magazine, and Baseball Hobby News to name a few). I have a ton of these older issues and could look to find specific ads selling these sequences. I wish I had kept mine from back then, but I always tossed them the following year.
Dealers were privy to these lists also. If Topps were granting credit for unsold product, wouldn't you open everything you had, cherry pick the hot stars and rookies, and the commons showing with the hot cards inside, and then returning all the rest for credit? It was a no brainer.
I wouldn't touch X-out cello or rack boxes. Even if they came from a sealed case. I can't imagine there were too many legit unsearched cases out there.
Keep in mind too the person who sold these boxes to you probably didn't search them. They were searched in the year of issue.
I'd be interesting in hearing how others have faired opening packs from X-out boxes.