Vintage Breaks cracks three tobacco pouches, hits nothing

[swarmee]

https://www.facebook.com/VintageBreaks459/videos/446715789402773/
Next time they should just slice the edge of the packs so they're still presentable after the fact, not rip them through.

If you watch the previous video they started at 4:15, the guy next to Layton ate the bubble gum from the 1972 Topps Basketball pack he opened.

[Goudey77]

Am I the only one that cringes at some of the stuff these guys rip for profit?
I feel like some of it should just be left alone. Sad. :rolleyes:

[Goudey77]

Excuse my ignorance. But is that the famous motivational speaker Gary Vaynerchuk?

[swarmee]

Well, these were not sold off; the owner wanted Vintage Breaks to open them on camera "just for fun."
But yes, some of their other items are pretty rare in their own right, but if you don't open that 1955 Bowman pack, you never have the chance to see the PSA 9 Mickey Mantle inside.
They're definitely making vintage pack breaking profitable. They're even making 1983 Topps pack openings profitable.

[swarmee]

Yes:
"Be sure to watch Vintage Breaks today at 5PM EST as we are thrilled to be opening these early 1900's tobacco packs tomorrow (sic) at 5pm in NYC with Gary Vaynerchuk!"

[Bridwell]

That was fun! Thanks for sharing. A lot of the packs can be dated by looking at the tax stamps. Those packs were probably not from 1910-1915.

[swarmee]

I'd have to believe Leighton inspected the tax stamps before planning to open them. That would be a rookie mistake.

[rdwyer]

They completely ruined the packages!!! Probably threw them away afterwards. They were worth alot of money unopened. Even opened with no cards still would've sold for good money. But they destroyed them instead. Gotta say it, they're idiots!

[canjond]

None of those packs dated to 1910-1912. Also no way they inspected the tax stamps - the Polar Bear, for example, would have had a 1930s date on it via a large red overprint (although people often rub that overprint away to make the stamp look older, but that’s easy to spot).

[swarmee]

Well, then they made a bad decision to open those on behalf of the owner. They should have put a little more research into it.

[boneheadandrube]

they could have put any effort into not destroying them as well...Red Cross is rare! I'd be pissed if I was the person who sent it to them...they look like idiots with things they don't understand.

[Leon]

Guys, if you give an opinion your full name has to be by your post, or edit it out. Thanks

[pokerplyr80]

Well, then they made a bad decision to open those on behalf of the owner. They should have put a little more research into it.

If the owner wanted the packs preserved after having them opened on camera he should have and most likely would have gave instructions. If he just sent them and said open these on camera for fun they either didn't know or didn't care that the packs could still hold value after being opened and just ripped.

[slightlyrounded]

Maybe I'm alone, but I've always felt uneasy about the market for preserved packaging. On one hand, nice to see examples of where iconic and not-so-iconic cards were pried from; on the other, a large percentage of the wrapper market (and associated value) is scammers bent on repackaging for sale.

At least we know these three whiffs won't become future whiffs for others.

[jchcollins]

They are definitely making money. I'm mesmerized by the vintage unopened however, and cannot stop watching. But yeah, most of those guys who buy spots in the break (and if you pay attention it's the same guys over and over and over) wind up with something like a PSA 8 OC quality 1970 Topps Jack Hiatt for $65. I suppose if cash flow is not an issue and you want to spectulate on hitting some big name in super minty condition it is fun - but overall hard to see how it's worth it to buy a lot of those spots.

[ALBB]

still very cool to watch regardless

[jchcollins]

still very cool to watch regardless

Oh, totally agreed. I watch probably several times per week. Getting that Mantle out of the '55 Bowman cello pack at the National was pretty incredible, especially in consideration of the fact that later online they opened another '55 Bowman 5 cent wax, and every last card in it was ruined because the gum had turned moldy and stuff literally started growing in the pack. It was disgusting. They did something to make up for it for all of the folks who had bought spots in that lot.

[JamesGallo]

What i dont understand about these early tobacco packs is cant you x ray them
And see if it has a card. Granted it might not be baseball but that seems to be a pretty simple thing to do??

James G

[The Nasty Nati]

Hard to take them serious when the Vintage Breaks guy said the polar bear may have a t206 Honus Wagner. Come on man, you run a card business, everyone knows Wagner didn't come in a polar bear back.

[Wite3]

I asked them at least three times on facebook days before the break to see better pictures and the tax stamps. I was told no need they would do it on the air during the break. They were told the PB likely was from the late 20s or early 30s by other collectors. They were also told to use gloves, carefully slice the seams, and save the packages as they would be worth money long before the opening (they did not listen or care). They presumably thought it would generate a buzz and drive people to their site. Which it most likely did. But there is a large backlash on facebook currently by collectors who range from annoyed to horrified by the antics of the two.

Also...the unopened packs came from Steiner Sports auctions (according to facebook posts by Vintage Breaks) which did list them as possibly containing cards with scans of the tax stamps (I am no Jon but it looks like there were overprints on the stamps).

I personally was leaning to not watch their stuff anymore and was heading that way just for the amount of vintage material they are destroying. Now, I am certain not to watch or deal with them.

[brianp-beme]

Never seen these guys before, so I thought I would check it out. I happened to jump into the video where the guy was opening the Polar Bear pouch as if it were a bag of potato chips at high elevation. I cringed and decided I never needed to ever watch a single second from them again.

Brian

[JollyElm]

The worst part of every single pack opening video is the dumb banter between the participants. My gawd!! They all think they are so clever, so personable, so witty as they reply to the off-camera spectators. It is beyond annoying and always a big snoooooooooooooooore. Just shut up and open the frickin' pack!!!

[Republicaninmass]

Appeal to the lowest common denominator

[iowadoc77]

Yes, the Mantle opening was cool. I was about 30 feet away from it at the National and is was amazing and the energy was off the charts. But what else has there been? Case breaking, vintage opening, all of this. Just gambling. Not for me
And to the point that was made earlier- just open the frickin packs. All the banter and soap opera drama. Just get to it

[Throttlesteer]

What i dont understand about these early tobacco packs is cant you x ray them
And see if it has a card. Granted it might not be baseball but that seems to be a pretty simple thing to do??

James G

Xray wouldn't work. But there are other types of imaging that would.

[swarmee]

Tim (promethius) could probably answer; he's watched a lot more than I have. But they've pulled some very high grade Hall of Fame rookies in the past year that many would be proud to own. I watched them pull a sharp (slightly OC) Roger Staubach RC last week. They've pulled a few Jeter 93 SPs. I know they pop their big hits up on social media, so you could look it up; and they also do PSA reveal segments so you can check to see the hits and what they ended up scoring.

[swarmee]

https://www.facebook.com/JustCollect/videos/300661553936635/
For the ones claiming they'll never watch it again, they're broadcasting now from the Chantilly show. Much more like a regular broadcast; the tobacco pouches opening was more of a publicity stunt gone wrong.

[Econteachert205]

Publicity stunt is right.

[Exhibitman]

It is gambling to be sure but there is an entertainment value to the gamble that exceeds the potential recovery. We love to dream about what might be, even when we know that the odds are against us. That's also why they try to make a show of it: entertainment. Even hating on the hosts is entertaining.

[Promethius88]

Tim (promethius) could probably answer; he's watched a lot more than I have. But they've pulled some very high grade Hall of Fame rookies in the past year that many would be proud to own. I watched them pull a sharp (slightly OC) Roger Staubach RC last week. They've pulled a few Jeter 93 SPs. I know they pop their big hits up on social media, so you could look it up; and they also do PSA reveal segments so you can check to see the hits and what they ended up scoring.

I think I started watching in November when they were doing a 52 Topps set break. When I first started, I would buy in some spots of some older stuff but nothing too crazy like the 71 Topps rack at $250/slot. At this point I am basically resigned to only buying into set breaks...for the most part. The allure of the possibility of hitting whatever card in really high grade has worn off. I hit a 70 Topps Rose in a break in Nov that they sent in for grading, talking about it being a 9. Came back a 7. Now, there was a pinch to the corner that I could see. Not sure how it happened but it wasn't on the card in front of it in the pack as I got that one too. Anything after that I would tell them I will send in on my own. That's nothing against them, I just like to see the flaws on a card before I send it in to know what to expect when I get it back and not be disappointed.
As far has high grade hall of fame rookies? Maybe, but the majority of what I see that are stars and hof'ers may be mint but mostly off center. Someone hit a gorgeous 75 Topps mini Aaron that came back a 9 and that was a solid hit. I didn't see it pulled, but someone hit a PSA 10 on a Philadelphia Tarkenton, maybe. I can't remember but it was about a $5k card.
The concept is a great idea and for sure a money maker. While I wasn't an unopened collector before, watching this has driven me to it. I'm not a purist and I don't begrudge anyone what they do to feed their families, it just bothers me watching some of these rare, old packs get opened. That being said I watch (or have it on the background, listening) purely for enjoyment and to see what someone might pull. There are some good guys that actively participate, obviously with much deeper pockets than mine, lol and they are good to interact with as well.
Lol, I did plead with Leighton not to rip a 66 Topps rack pack I saw he purchased. I was late on scene or would have tried to pick that one up myself. He said he might just put that one back in his personal collection and to this point I haven't seen it ripped. I do hope that stays intact.
So, not sure if I answered any question or shed any light, but that is my insight into it.

[swarmee]

Yep, thanks for your thoughts. It's possible sometimes they're dinging the cards when they cram them all the way down at the bottom of the cardsaver. When I put them in mine, I only push them down to a quarter inch from the bottom.

[steve B]

It is gambling to be sure but there is an entertainment value to the gamble that exceeds the potential recovery. We love to dream about what might be, even when we know that the odds are against us. That's also why they try to make a show of it: entertainment. Even hating on the hosts is entertaining.


coming soon, the slot machine channel. All slots, all the time. Should make for the best TV since C-Span....

[the 'stache]

I watched a replay of the tobacco pouch openings. I made it about two minutes, shook my head, and closed it. I don't care what they're opening in the future. No way I'd ever do business with these morons. If you have something that potentially valuable to open, either you do your due diligence, and be 100% sure what you have before you even think about opening, or, you contact someone who will know for sure, and provide them with every bit of information they need.

If expediency in deference to someone's schedule is a factor in opening up a near 100 year old collectible, you don't need to be doing this.

[Leon]

Some would say it is their money and they can do what they want to.

I watched a replay of the tobacco pouch openings. I made it about two minutes, shook my head, and closed it. I don't care what they're opening in the future. No way I'd ever do business with these morons. If you have something that potentially valuable to open, either you do your due diligence, and be 100% sure what you have before you even think about opening, or, you contact someone who will know for sure, and provide them with every bit of information they need.

If expediency in deference to someone's schedule is a factor in opening up a near 100 year old collectible, you don't need to be doing this.

[swarmee]

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/61663408_10161773810605243_8493605545066889216_n.j pg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_oc=AQnPFXKig5UNOVrOL8tjTEanA6797xdd44GT86l4eU7 pyKaRCJkf3WIxYIm2Uv2lVw0&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=dbefc5c580332b9da55dbf66a843f7b4&oe=5D623A38
Follow up to the story: Vintage Breaks did a nice job making a shadowbox of the cracked packs for the owner. The Polar Bear was not in the packs, they just used a back to show an example.