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Are these real? 1971 Topps FB cellos

Can anyone with some knowledge of old Topps cellos help me out? I have the opportunity to purchase these '71 Topps FB cello packs, 9 in all. I am attaching images, lmk if you think these are real/fake etc...any thoughts is appreciated, thanks.





Comments

  • AhmanfanAhmanfan Posts: 4,449 ✭✭✭✭

    I know nothing about sealed packs but the fact the cards on top look mid grade at best would make me think these are not from the factory.
    I wouldn’t pay more than the value of the raw cards shown.

    Collecting
    HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
  • That's a good start, thanks for your opinion, appreciate it.

  • BaltimoreYankeeBaltimoreYankee Posts: 3,201 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Not an expert here but it seems a real coincidence that all the packs have HOFers on top. Also, the one PSA graded '71T FB cello on eBay has the card on the back facing out.

    Daniel
  • Again, to me a red-flag with all the stars showing but these are supposed to be from some long time collector that he inherited...As far as graded cellos, I have seen some in auctions with the card on the back, showing the back not the front of the card.

    https://sports.ha.com/itm/football-cards/unopened-packs-display-boxes/1971-topps-football-2nd-series-unopened-cello-pack-psa-nm-7/a/50074-81735.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515

  • handymanhandyman Posts: 5,585 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 21, 2026 7:12AM

    Big nope. Not even close. No chance.
    Looks like a scammer bought a complete set and tried to make packs. Really bad fakes nothing is correct with them.

  • coinspackscoinspacks Posts: 1,163 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 21, 2026 7:15AM

    @handyman said:
    Big nope. Not even close. No chance.

    Agreed. The sides of the packs don't have that zebra striped vending pattern. The seal on the back seems too cloudy. If you look at the top edges of the packs, the cards all seem different lengths too.

  • Great, thanks so much for all your feedback, a huge help. I noticed issues with the back seals.

  • GroceryRackPackGroceryRackPack Posts: 4,082 ✭✭✭✭✭

    hey @grote15
    What do you think 🤔🤔🤔???
    I'm not too sure 📦📦📦...
    Though A Fun Rip👌👌👌...

  • donpauldonpaul Posts: 64 ✭✭✭

    ask your self this question ? If you owned some nice vintage packs with stars on top, why wouldn't you have them graded?

  • ElMagoStrikeZoneElMagoStrikeZone Posts: 1,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Indeed, if legit they’d be in a big auction by now and the owner would need to hire security to get through the mob.

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 30,038 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 21, 2026 8:48AM

    @GroceryRackPack said:
    hey @grote15
    What do you think 🤔🤔🤔???
    I'm not too sure 📦📦📦...
    Though A Fun Rip👌👌👌...

    Not legit. Avoid these as well as the 71 and 72 baseball cellos I've been seeing pop up on ebay. Dead giveaway is placement of the gum. Seals and patterning of the card stock on the sides are all wrong, too.



    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.
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,601 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wouldn't the gum be on the back of the cello or would that interfere with the sealing process?

    Mike
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 30,038 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Stone193 said:
    Wouldn't the gum be on the back of the cello or would that interfere with the sealing process?

    Hi Mike,

    It's in the middle of the pack but not in the exact middle like these.



    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.
  • @donpaul said:
    ask your self this question ? If you owned some nice vintage packs with stars on top, why wouldn't you have them graded?

    I asked this person several times that exact question. Always get a different excuse. At one point though, he reiterated that they took these, and a bunch of other packs to a local card shop who proclaimed all legit!! lol when pressed, he started spouting off that he was going to put them in with a major auction house who told him they worth over 1 million$. When I simply asked which auction house, then he said he couldn't tell me, that they wanted him to sign a NDA?? It's a long weird story that if someone wants the whole thing, send a PM. And yes, all those '63 and '72 Baseball cellos showing up lately on Ebay, are his! He sold, then re-listed several of the '63 packs, they only difference is he removed the sticker that wsa on the packs originally. Again, if anyone here wants more info, just ask. I was 90% sure they weren't legit, just wanted more info if possible. Thanks, Steve

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,601 ✭✭✭✭✭

    then he said he couldn't tell me, that they wanted him to sign a NDA?? It's a long weird story

    My dad was an auctioneer and when he was young a pitchman and he believed that people don't buy things, they buy stories.

    Well...this story is worth more than the purported "million."

    Mike
  • BaltimoreYankeeBaltimoreYankee Posts: 3,201 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @donpaul said:
    ask your self this question ? If you owned some nice vintage packs with stars on top, why wouldn't you have them graded?

    Well, if you only had 6 months to live, you'd never get them back on time :D

    Daniel
  • donpauldonpaul Posts: 64 ✭✭✭

    @BaltimoreYankee said:

    @donpaul said:
    ask your self this question ? If you owned some nice vintage packs with stars on top, why wouldn't you have them graded?

    Well, if you only had 6 months to live, you'd never get them back on time :D

    If I only had 6 months to live and the packs were legit I would probably open them, and I usually never open any vintage unopened packs , but I know everyone looks at unopened in different ways as to open or not too

  • jmoran19jmoran19 Posts: 1,630 ✭✭✭

    As many have stated 100% fake for multiple reasons

    Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,601 ✭✭✭✭✭

    These are 83T cello packs:

    Mike
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