Another day....Another Graded Pack that Ripped in Transit

MBMiller25 · February 4, 2010 5:07AM

I've just started getting into graded wax packs and decided the first venture I would tackle would be a 70-79 pack run in PSA 8 and PSA 9. So over the last week I purchased a 72, 73, 74 an 75 pack all in PSA 9 from both BBCE and Fritsch cards. Well I get Steve's package yesterday and the 1975 pack has a hole in the top of the pack where the gum has slid in transit and punctured the top of the pack. Today I get my package from Fritsch and the 73 pack I purchased is sliced all the way up the left side of the pack where the gum has hit and sliced it like a razor blade. Is anyone else have these problems with their graded wax packs? How are you supposed to build a unopened pack collection when the packs get damaged in transit?

Morgoth · February 4, 2010 5:12AM

That does suck, I think they should place a foam pad under the back of the pack that presses the pack against the holder so it gives the gum enough pressure it doesn't move around. Maybe not fool proof if it is jostled enough but I bet it would stop some of this.

jswieton · February 4, 2010 5:18AM

I just got back from grading a 79 Topps hockey pack that was gem mint when I sent it in. When I got it back it was a PSA 7 with two holes in the bottom corners. This has happened to me several times.

jeffcbay · February 4, 2010 5:20AM

How do you ship packs TO psa? I'm getting ready to make my first pack sub, and wondered how you do it compared to doing the CS1/cardboard sandwich with rubber bands technique like you do with cards.

EchoCanyon · February 4, 2010 5:36AM

Here's my personal frustration (aka bs) that goes on with packs shipped to PSA --

You send them to PSA, then they are shipped to Steve at BBCE to verify that they are truly unopened, then shipped back to PSA.

I have many packs that I bought in the 70s that have been in my closet for years. [For all you nay-sayers, see pic below.]

Two years ago, I sent a few to PSA to be graded. Somehow when they got to Steve, he deemed that they had been opened and were returned to me OPEN. Sorry, but total BS.

Were they opened at PSA? Did they have to be logged again? Handled too much?

IMO if PSA can verify them in CA, they should not be shipped anywhere -- it can only do damage.

storm888 · February 4, 2010 5:51AM

Center Pressure - on both raw and slabbed packs - is the key.

Raw:

GENTLY........

Wrap the pack in a piece of typing paper.

Then wrap the packs in 2-inch paper bands that run both
vertical and horizontal.

Slide a 2x2 piece of cardboard (corrugated) under the band
that covers the gum side of the pack.

As long as the packs are tight, the wrap will not hurt the pack
and the gum will stay put.

SLABBED......

Put the slab in a team bag.

Slide a styro-peanut into the bag and center the peanut
on the slab,

Use a long strip of 2-inch clear tape to circle the girth of
the slab. Make sure the tape is pulled tight to depress
the peanut into the center of the slab JUST enough to force
the slab into contact with the gum side.

........

NOTHING is foolproof, but keeping the gum still during transit
is the key. Pressure is the only way I know of to do that.

WinPitcher · February 4, 2010 5:53AM

That or ask someone at Psa to chew it for you.

Good info Storm. As always.

Steve

waxpack · February 4, 2010 5:59AM

<< Here's my personal frustration (aka bs) that goes on with packs shipped to PSA --

You send them to PSA, then they are shipped to Steve at BBCE to verify that they are truly unopened, then shipped back to PSA.

I have many packs that I bought in the 70s that have been in my closet for years. [For all you nay-sayers, see pic below.]

Two years ago, I sent a few to PSA to be graded. Somehow when they got to Steve, he deemed that they had been opened and were returned to me OPEN. Sorry, but total BS.

Were they opened at PSA? Did they have to be logged again? Handled too much?

IMO if PSA can verify them in CA, they should not be shipped anywhere -- it can only do damage.

>>

I agree, to much back and forth with the packs.

I've bought packs from Steve at the Philly show and asked PSA... since they were bought from BBCE why do they have to go threw the back and forth crap if I submit now here at the show. It did not matter all packs go to PSA then to Steve then back to PSA. Well two of my packs come back popped seal. I called PSA, they said nothing we can do about it. I then called Steve Hart and told him, he made good on it and sent me PSA 9 packs to replace the popped packs.

Problem with the PSA holder is the inside part that holds the pack moves. This lets the gum move also. I think the PSA holder is way over kill. The one thing GAI does right is the holder. It close enough to the pack so the gum doesn't move.

I bought a 79-80 OPC Hockey PSA 9 pack from BBCE for $300. When I got it the gum pushed threw. No way that pack can be a PSA 9.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · February 4, 2010 7:28AM

I sold a late 70's PSA slabbed wax pack. It had one small edge rip from gum. When it arrived to the buyer, most of the side was ripped.

I've bought packs that were "good" in the slab in the pic and once I got it, it had a ripped side.

sucks..

Griffins · February 4, 2010 8:05AM

knock on wood, I"ve never had that happen with 200 or so packs.
I did have the '63 Fleer cookie pulverize and leak all over the inside of the holder, but that is it. It already had a hole in the corner, so everything came out thru there. Traded the pack for another one.

summerof68 · February 4, 2010 8:47AM

That is the #1 flaw with the PSA slab. The plastic is so rigid that it is impossible to apply pressure to the top & back of the slab to keep the gum stabilized. I had very good success with the Gai holders in this regard. I had worked out a system (very similar to storm's) that was very successful.

The first three times I won PSA slabbed wax packs on ebay they arrived with torn wrappers. I get extremely upset when I pay a large premium for a mint 9 pack only for it to arrive torn.

From that point on I vowed never again to buy or sell a PSA slabbed wax pack--only cellos.

Message to PSA: redesign your slab. First, make it smaller so that the beauty of the pack is not overwhelmed by the magnitude of the holder. Second, make the depth of the slab correspond precisely to the depth of the particular pack it is designed to hold. This will place slight pressure on both sides of the pack thereby helping to stabilize the gum.

It's simple common sense. Collectors are tired of having their wax packs butchered during this (4-way) trip the packs have to endure.

MBMiller25 · February 4, 2010 9:15AM

Not that I think it will matter but I am going to put a call into Joe O and discuss this situation with him, and maybe he would at least be willing to take a look at the slab and explore some ways to improve the slab so the pack collectors of this world, can purchase PSA graded packs and not have to worry about the packs being destroyed in transit.

jmoran19 · February 4, 2010 9:17AM

It happens to GAI packs too. Sent in 6 different 1971 packs in the fall of 2003, they came back loose in box way too big, dam b*st*ards

jmoran19 · February 4, 2010 9:19AM

I also agree with Summer, will not be sending in any more wax packs until PSA fixes the problem, only grading cello packs from now on, John

WinPitcher · February 4, 2010 9:20AM

<< I've bought packs from Steve at the Philly show and asked PSA... since they were bought from BBCE why do they have to go threw the back and forth crap if I submit now here at the show. It did not matter all packs go to PSA then to Steve then back to PSA >>

Now that is ridiculous. Sounds like my RX plan.

Steve

Griffins · February 4, 2010 11:06AM

<< Message to PSA: redesign your slab. First, make it smaller so that the beauty of the pack is not overwhelmed by the magnitude of the holder >>

Absolutely. I had them slab a few packs when they first started, and cracked them out and had them slabbed by Global.
I want to see the pack, not PSA's massive holder.

grote15 · February 4, 2010 12:10PM

I've had a couple of problems with the gun poking through the wrapper also, but overall I've been pretty fortunate for the most part, and for long-term value I'd never send anything to GAI for holdering at this point (too many horror stories) so PSA remains the only option for me. I agree that the holder is too large, but one good thing about it is that it takes MUCH more effort to open a PSA slab if you're having a few beers on a Friday night...with GAI packs I'd wake up some Saturdays to a sea of cut empty plastic holders on my desk. Those holders are just too dang easy to open, LOL!

K · February 5, 2010 2:49AM

Try looking on the bright side. Now you have a chance at ripping a Brett RC and a Schmidt RC

nightcrawler · February 5, 2010 2:56AM

It happened to one of my 73 packs, thankfully I planned on ripping it anyway.

It's definitly a problem that PSA should consider addressing.

storm888 · February 19, 2010 1:32PM

There are other reports of this happening.

corvette1340 · February 19, 2010 2:18PM

just do like I do and slab all unopened packs yourself. All of mine are in Gem Mint condition.

grote15 · February 19, 2010 2:38PM

It's now happened to me on two different 1973 wax packs, one I purchased and one I subbed to PSA myself. Both packs had no rips or tears when they were shipped and arrived with major tears where the gum poked through the wrapper. I wish PSA would model its holder after the GAI version...it's way too large, first off, and these tears in the wax packs are becoming a real problem to the point where it's affecting market value.

metalmike · February 19, 2010 4:49PM

1972 opc ok

aconte · February 19, 2010 9:25PM

<< From that point on I vowed never again to buy or sell a PSA slabbed wax pack--only cellos. >>

I am in this boat too now. I had it happen to two wax packs and was fortunate the sellers took them back.
I thought Psa was gonna come up with a solution too. I have seen quite a few wax packs on ebay that are
graded 8's or 9's and the packs have some big tears from the gum. So I will stick with cellos or GAI.
I'm out on Psa graded wax.

<< Message to PSA: redesign your slab. First, make it smaller so that the beauty of the pack is not overwhelmed by the magnitude of the holder >> >>

I agree. The few packs I own are mostly graded by Global. For me I like the display of the GAI holder much better.
But with the confidence of Gai product being not so good, I have my expensive 50's football packs (all cellos) in the Psa holder.

aconte

MBMiller25 · February 19, 2010 10:26PM

Add me to that list, I removed my 70's unopened pack run off the registry, and will no longer purchase PSA graded Wax packs, as they get killed in transit. I know I am not squat to PSA, but it would be nice if for once to have someone there acknowledge there is a serious problem with their holder and maybe take some steps to correct the problem. Correcting the problem now will only increase their market share.

Mickey71 · February 20, 2010 2:48AM

The whole deal with the packs being sent to a dealer does not do it for me. I don't care if the guy at BBCE is the most honest guy since Abraham Lincoln---to much potential for things to get out of whack. JMO. As for the packs ripping....I would not send in anything until the problem is fixed --period.

Mickey71

vladguerrero · February 20, 2010 5:12AM

is the problem only with packs that contain gum? (i realize this most)

Garabaldi · February 20, 2010 5:25AM

If I paid a premium for a graded pack and it came ripped, I would be pissed.

Another day....Another Graded Pack that Ripped in Transit

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