9 more boxes...Ripping 93/94 Fleer Ultra Series 1 basketball. Chasing scoring kings.

3 attchments

Today was the best day to open the cards. I did my injured neighbors livestock chores at 7am, then showered, packed the car and drove about 80 minutes to my Uncles for the NCAA woman's championship game. We looked over our first graded cards and then I gave him the book PSA sent and the first magazine for him to pass some time with. We watched the Hawkeyes get beat by a very talented LSU team. Their coach now has 4 titles. She got LSU to their first NCAA championship game (womens or mens) and she got them the W.

Then came time to open cards.

-------------------The Rip------------------

It's not like this was 1950 vintage but apparently I became nervous. I was more shakey as I went along because I knew it was only getting closer.

10 of 36 packs had a few cards gently stuck together but no issues when separating them. I pulled the flap of the seal away from the bottom and top and then used scissors the cut the end off. Then I pulled the sealed apart from the top where I cut down 95% and took the cards out. This worked 100x better than my first 3 packs where I tried opening them the conventional way. The first pack opened smoothly but the 2nd and 3rd were not coming apart clean. It was taking too long and my Uncle's suggested was perfect.

An unusual coincidence happened.

1 pack had 13 cards instead of 14.
The pack directly below in this stack was not completely sealed in one of the corners when I turned the pack upside down to inspect. I didn't inspect the first 13 packs. The 13th pack I opened had 13 cards (it was only the 13th pack because of the order I picked so this part is pure coincidence ). I started in the top right and worked clockwise through all 4 stacks.
The pack that was slightly unsealed in the corner had the scoring kings card as the very last card (same side as the seal along the back of the pack). I am not shocked a pack had 13 cards but if I had bought an individual pack with a missing card then I would be skeptical. If I was sent a pack that was slightly unsealed the way this one was then I would also be skeptical.

The card is slightly off center with a smaller margin on bottom that is noticeable by the naked eye but I do not think it is horrible compared to many newer labeled PSA9 I have seen. The edge of 1 corner has a little white but the front and back of the corner has all the color. I only took one photo so the worst part can be seen. No scratch defects from printing like many of these cards had and it is beautiful front and back.

I am thinking of sending to Beckett only because I think is has a strong shot at a 9.5 and I think PSA would give a 9 at best. If I got a 9.5 from Backett then I could sell the card potentially for enough to get another box and try again. If I got a PSA9 then I would get less than the box was and also be out the grading. Unfortunately it's not centered well enough for me to want to keep.

Overall the experience was great and I'm glad my Uncle and I could bond which softened the blow from the Iowa loss. I have a strong suspicion this may become an annual event. Heck maybe I'll suggest to my wife that she gets me a box for our wedding anniversary and Christmas each year too.