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Wax pack grading specifications? What to look for...
akuracy503
Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭
Being new to the wax pack grading world. I am curious what PSA looks for? I can't honestly tell from a PSA 6 to a PSA 8 in a pack.
Are there details on the specifications such as wax paper condition, corners, seal etc.
I'm contemplating a sub for some Garbage Pail Kids series 2 packs which have a retail price sticker on them. Are stickers another factor to consider? Will it get a qualifier for a sticker?
I couldnt embed the photo but here is a pack for example:
https://flic.kr/p/2hJwcc8
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Collection: https://flickr.com/photos/185200668@N06/albums
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Primary factor is condition of the wrapper: any wear or tears, rips or splits, especially on the corners. Also, how clean the seal is on back. With cello packs, centering of top card will also impact the grade, though it's more lenient than what you'd encounter with card grading.
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.
Are there deductions for packs that aren’t “fluffy” in the edges and folds? What about flattening and creases that come from it. I see 8’s with white fraying on corners so I’m assuming it’s not a big deduction.
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Collection: https://flickr.com/photos/185200668@N06/albums
Corner folds should be tight and triangular on a legit wax pack. You shouldn't see any unusual creasing, either. I would say any pack with corner fraying would likely grade in the 7-8 range if there are no other issues. Wear (and tear) is the main factor for wax pack grading along with cleanliness of the wrapper and seal on back.
If you post a pic of the pack, I can provide a pretty accurate assessment of what the grade will be if submitted.
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.
https://flic.kr/p/2hJwcc8
Here is a link to the packs on my Flikr thanks for the feedback
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Collection: https://flickr.com/photos/185200668@N06/albums
PSA 7 is the maximum grade for any pack with a price sticker or miswrap (like upsidedown wrapper on a cello pack). I think you are looking at 6-7 grades on the blue packs and about 7 on the black packs.
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 Really appreciate your expertise on this subject Grote15!
Now whether to spend $14 a piece to slab all these blue packs.
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My pleasure!
If the price sticker were on a cello pack, it would be fairly easy to remove with some rubbing alcohol but with wax packs, I would not recommend that option. I kind of like the stickers, though~it adds a level of authenticity and provenance to the pack imo.
I don't know much at all about non sports packs but I will say that grading packs almost always is worth the expense of submitting, especially if you can flesh out the submission to minimize the return shipping costs per pack.
Good luck!
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.
Stickers on them wont get higher than a 7
That happened with some bkb packs from bbce.
Does the rubbing alcohol affect the printing on the wrappers?
It will for wax but not cello (exception for soft plastic sleeve like 1980 Topps baseball wax racks).
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.
In my recent sub the packs with price stickers got 7's as grote said they would. I too like the stickers on there. The old prices add to the nostalgia in my opinion.
I had a 1974 FB wax that I removed the sticker. You can see it on the bay in completed sales. It took off some of the wrapper. Good news is it got a 8. Bad news is I accidentally priced it wrong and it sold before I caught my mistake.
Thanks to Tim for the continued expert guidance. Is there a premium for stars showing packs? I have a few that I want to get slabbed. Including the big 3 showing on the backs of 1983 Donruss Fun Bag packs. And some nice 78 Topps baseball cellos. I’m sure all are worth slabbing but don’t really have a good sense of their value and how these would grade. The Molitor has the tell tale smudge unfortunately.
John
What I meant to ask is does PSA charge a premium to slab packs with stars showing? Prob not clear the way I originally asked in previous post.
Thanks,
John
No premium charge. You may declare the value a bit more than a common cello would be the only thing. Those are sweet by the way!!!
Hi John,
All of those packs are correctly collated and are 100% worth the cost of grading. I see some potential 9s there, too. Good luck!
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 predict that reggie on top to be the highest graded from the grouping.
Thanks guys, much appreciated.
Curious what this pack might grade. Almost all my '79 football cellos seem to have little "bumps or bubbles". You may be able to see it in the upper right hand quadrant of this scan. They look like white dots in this picture.
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
If back is clean, that's a virtual lock for Mint 9. Nice pack!
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.
If you are grading wax make sure the gum stick is intact!
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
Good to hear. The back is immaculate as are the rest of the packs from the box I bought in a local store back in 1979. I'm especially interested in seeing how my Csonka front/Payton back will grade.
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
Not familiar with this years cards but is the top to bottom centering within 9 range?
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1980-1989 Cello Packs - Rookies
Yes, absolutely. Centering is not nearly as significant a factor with packs as it is for cards.
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.
Better than 80/20 right, not sure on this issue where 50/50 is. It will be interesting to see where it grades out at.
Join the Rookie stars on top PSA registry today:
1980-1989 Cello Packs - Rookies
Yes, absolutely. Centering is not nearly as significant a factor with packs as it is for cards.> @rtimmer said:
80/20 is the threshold for a PSA 9, but it's important to note also that they are more lenient with T/B centering than L/R centering.
I would say for this pack it's about an 80% chance at a 9 and 20% chance at an 8.
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.
Great thread - thanks for the knowledge share.
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