One thing missing from vintage collecting: opening packs

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

I made the switch from modern to vintage collecting several years ago, and I definitely enjoy it more. As I'm sure you all can agree, vintage cards just seem more interesting, historic, rare, collectible and just all around cool.

And while I still greatly prefer vintage, the ONE thing that vintage collecting doesn't provide, is the fun of opening packs of cards.

Yes, I supposed it is technically possible to buy unopened vintage packs and open them....but that would be a pricey option. (Just for fun I calculated what it would cost me to try and build my favorite set (1952 Bowman) by purchasing unopened packs. Based on a 2017 Heritage auction sale of a 6 card pack of 1952 Bowman selling for $5760, that means it would cost about $241,920 to put together the set, assuming I was EXTREMELY lucky and didn't get any duplicates :) )

Do any of you get the itch to open packs? Do you still buy modern packs sometimes to scratch that itch? Maybe the vintage themed products like Topps Heritage, or Allen and Ginter, or Gypsy Queen?

I still pick up a pack or two of Topps every year, just for fun...but admittedly I don't really even want the actual cards...I just want the fun of opening a pack and seeing what's inside.

Just wish I could buy those 1952 Bowman packs at retail...with a price tag of FIVE CENTS for that six card pack, that brings my set build down to about $2.10 :)

[jjp3rd]

I sometimes get that itch...usually, when I do feel like opening packs, I’ll either go to retail and buy random blasters or hit FB marketplace/Craigslist to find junk era wax to open.

Just to scratch the itch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tere1071]

Here's a story. I know most vintage collectors are familiar with Al Rosen's 1952 Topps find. There was another that was less known, but just as exciting. There was a dealer from the Boston area named Tom Reid. In the late 70s or early 80s he ran across an unopened case of 1952 Topps 3rd series wax that was sitting in the storeroom of an old store. This was the series that included the Mays. He brought these to one of the Los Angeles shows in their opened and unopened forms. I can't remember what the prices were for the unopened packs, but he did brisk business, and yes, people also opened the packs. Another time that will probably never see another reoccurrence.

[bbcard1]

I do buy a pack here and there.

I am still a few years out from deciding what to do with my collection. It's a very nice collection, though not in league with some here. I probably wouldn't do it, but I have toyed with the idea of putting everything in ten card packs. The Ruths and the Allen Knicelys, the T206s and the 1988 Donruss. And then selling the packs on the secondary market.

I have a marketing background, good reputation both in the hobby and out, and access to a packaging plant that could probably come up with a solution and the upfront money to do it...but I probably won't. Still, it would be interesting.

[jgannon]

Opening packs. Those were the days!! That was FUN. I have no desire to collect modern cards. I treasure the days of my childhood going down to the candy store and opening up packs.

[packs]

I bought a 1951 Red Back pack once and opened it. I got Eddie Robinson and Ray Boone. It was fun.

[CJinPA]

I'm in the same boat, kinda. I collected a ton back in the mid-late 80's and early 90's during high school and college. My friends and I were so serious we sold at shows and traded 50's through junk era stuff - even got a booth at the National in Atlanta (91 or 92, can't remember which year). At the national, I had with me a very large display Louisville Slugger bat made from balsawood or some other very light wood - it was maybe 5-6 foot tall. A fellow dealer came over and wanted to trade for the bat... his bait was a pretty rough shaped e92 Dockman Wagner batting. I took the card over to a dealer I trusted at the time and asked if it was authentic, in his opinion..... He said it was and the deal was done - I didn't care about the value, just loved the look of that vintage card.

Life happened and I stopped collecting for almost 30 years. This past fall I had the urge to look at some of my prised cards - A '54 Aaron, '73 Schmidt, '68 Carlton and that Wagner. None were graded but it was time to see if the old East Coast Philly show was still running. It sure was! At the Valley Forge expo center (I remember in the 80's when it was still at the Washington Motor Lodge in Fort Washington, PA).... I took my Aaron and Wagner to the PSA booth and submitted them. Back came a 4.5 Aaron and a Wagner graded at a 2. But the spark was rekindled, and this time my focus was on the e92's and wax of my youth!!

So to the topic of the OP, one of the downsides to collecting vintage is the lack of opening packs.... I do have a wax box of '78 and '79 Topps from back in the day but now buy the '81-86 T/F/D to open and scratch the itch. Just last week I won an '84 Fleer BBCE box but will probably keep that in the collection. Regardless, I love the e92's and any wax that I can afford reasonably. I simply cannot get into the modern stuff. It looks great, but it's actually too pristine for my tastes - do look awesome though!

And speaking of pristine, I'd love to add a PSA 1973 Topps 3rd series pack to my collection. It would be an awesome display next to my Schmidt rookie!!

Thanks for reading - I love this site and have done a couple deals with members here all great transactions. Maybe someone can tell me, is net54 a tag form the old Sportsnet dialup dealer group from the late 80's, early 90's? I use to be a member and have been curious over the past several months....

[Griffins]

I buy a case of Heritage every year and rip 11 of 12 boxes. It's a lot of fun but I miss the gum.

Ripping '50's and 60's packs is a good way to replay Brewsters Millions. It's almost always a losing proposition.

[STL1944]

I buy a case of Heritage every year and rip 11 of 12 boxes. It's a lot of fun but I miss the gum.

Ripping '50's and 60's packs is a good way to replay Brewsters Millions. It's almost always a losing proposition.



I love the Brewsters Millions reference! I still laugh at mailing the "inverted Jenny". Great stuff!

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

So to the topic of the OP, one of the downsides to collecting vintage is the lack of opening packs.... I do have a wax box of '78 and '79 Topps from back in the day but now buy the '81-86 T/F/D to open and scratch the itch.

I'm lucky enough to live near a card shop that sells junk wax era boxes at reasonable prices...so I have opened some cheap late 80's/early 90's boxes searching for some of those rare inserts that, due to mass production, have incredibly long odds.

But like I said, I don't really care about owning all those base cards, so often just toss them into the recycle bin after I open them.

[Rhotchkiss]

Off topic - are you really the kid from Jerry McGuire?

I grew up in the era of junk wax. I don’t miss it. My kids go to shows and want to buy cases - I pay $60 for a case of some crap, they open all the packs, throw the trash everywhere, keep the 1-3 cards that are maybe worth $10 total, and then I need to find someplace to put all cards nobody wants. That’s what opening packs is to me - a bunch of cards nobody wants.

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

Off topic - are you really the kid from Jerry McGuire?

I grew up in the era of junk wax. I don’t miss it. My kids go to shows and want to buy cases - I pay $60 for a case of some crap, they open all the packs, throw the trash everywhere, keep the 1-3 cards that are maybe worth $10 total, and then I need to find someplace to put all cards nobody wants. That’s what opening packs is to me - a bunch of cards nobody wants.

Haha...no, I'm not ACTUALLY that kid from Jerry Maguire. I've been using that as a username for various things for the last 20+ years because I was a fan of that movie and I have yet to find a site where that username has already been taken :)

And yeah, your comment about opening packs is just a bunch of cards nobody wants...that's exactly my problem. I want to open packs. I don't want modern cards. It's a real dilemma :)

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

Boy do I remember opening those Topps cards in the 1960's. I would quickly chew all the gum and discard it. What I really liked was the extras Topps would enclose. Favorites were the 1969 Stickers and Deckle Edge, 1967 Pin-ups (I would pin them up!), the 1971 Topps coins. Wished I would have bought more of those packs.
I seemed to enjoy the inserts more than the regular issues.

[DHogan]

There's a website for vintage packs and box breakers. I've never tried it.

https://www.vintagebreaks.com/pack/

[conor912]

Off topic - are you really the kid from Jerry McGuire?

I grew up in the era of junk wax. I don’t miss it. My kids go to shows and want to buy cases - I pay $60 for a case of some crap, they open all the packs, throw the trash everywhere, keep the 1-3 cards that are maybe worth $10 total, and then I need to find someplace to put all cards nobody wants. That’s what opening packs is to me - a bunch of cards nobody wants.

I am sitting on what has recently become a small fortune in 80’s wax. I had the intention of opening it one day but can’t justify it now.. I want to open the packs but have zero interest in the cards once they're open. C’est la vie.

[insidethewrapper]

What do you mean, these 1980's cards don't have value ! They are about 35-40 years old and I see dealers offering "1/10 " of a penny for commons. They won't get mine for that price. Every week I put out a monster box of 3,200 to 5,000 commons for the garbage man. I am starting to see more space at my house and the stars are up for sale on ebay per 100 ct.
I wonder what 1988 cards will be priced at in 2088 ?

[Griffins]

Maybe someone can tell me, is net54 a tag form the old Sportsnet dialup dealer group from the late 80's, early 90's? I use to be a member and have been curious over the past several months....

John Spencer was a dealer (he's still around, just not selling as much) with a company called Full Count. He had a message board attached to his website, which was by the time I found it in '99, the main vintage message board. After a few years John shut it down and that afternoon 2 replacement boards started up- a yahoo group run by John's partner Mike Williams, and a group on the Network 54 platform run by Eliot Bassin. After a few months Mike closed the Yahoo group, as that platform wasn't as functional as Network 54.
Elliot ran the group for a year, passed it over to Bill Cornell for a year, then Leon took over for good. Lots of improvements, lots of community building, and a new platform, which is why Network 54 is now Net 54 and on a more reliable platform.

[Mike D.]

For me it’s usually junk wax, but occasionally something random...like the 1994 Bowman wax box that’s currently on its way to my mailbox.

Some of the worthless junk wax is shredded and composted.

[WA_HOF_rookie]

I'm new to Net54 and just got back into cards when Covid hit. I hadn't purchased any packs (nor even thought about them) since the mid-80s, and really got confused with cards on eBay today being primarily chrome doodads, numbered rainbow sprinkles, and orange sherbert refractors, so I bought 5 Hobby boxes to try and understand the 'new' market (Archives, Heritage, Donruss, Series 1/2). I had a blast opening them, and even more fun putting them in penny sleeves and adding cards to binders like I did when I was a kid, but I don't like clutter, so no more packs for me.

I really, REALLY wish I had that money back to buy more old Ernie Banks cards, but live and learn. :)

I bought my first s74 silks on eBay last week and it feels good to have found vintage cards...and that's what led me here. If I do get the hankering to open a pack, I'll buy a box of old 1980-something Topps off eBay and try to finish the 1984 set I abandoned when I was a kid!

Nice to e-meet everyone and stay safe,
Chris

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Timely thread! Got the hankering to rip some packs last week and just got these from BBCE.

[Den*nis O*Brien]

... for the older members here. I thank the OP for putting the question up here. It really was rewarding to put the weekly allowance into a pile of wax packs with all the magic of hidden possibilities. And to go a bit afield and grab a few Zorro, Jets, Davy Crockett and various TV westerns packs. As has been mentioned, chewing so much gum the jaw hurt. The garbage can in front of the corner store over flowing with those glorious wrappers, huge wads of chewed pink gum and sometimes discarded baseball commons from a disappointed buyer. I have fuzzy memories of opening '55 Bowman and clear pictures of '58 and '59 Topps packs with those bright background colors bursting from the ripped wax . The Op is so very right there are a few important missing components to modern collecting. That is one of the reasons that I have no interest in the shiny new stuff. But I have had this tray of '78 unopened packs for over 30 years and have tattered the cellophane a bit. Although it is way too new for my collecting tastes I have resisted opening them just to test my resolve. But some nights before the 3rd glass of box vino....they are in danger. I have found that handling the book "The Wax Pack" soothes my need enough until I fall asleep. With the cover, The author has recreated the wax pack feel pretty accurately. Yep...packs were great !!

[rjackson44]

Timely thread! Got the hankering to rip some packs last week and just got these from BBCE.

Nice a.j

[rjackson44]

I buy a case of Heritage every year and rip 11 of 12 boxes. It's a lot of fun but I miss the gum.

Ripping '50's and 60's packs is a good way to replay Brewsters Millions. It's almost always a losing proposition.

Hi Anthony how do you do value wise with the singles break even?..thought of doing this myself.

[Case12]

Packs I opened in the 70's had hard, dry, crumbling gum. Stopped trying to chew that stuff...

[Yankees1964]

Packs I opened in the 70's had hard, dry, crumbling gum. Stopped trying to chew that stuff...

We'd go to the candy store across the street from elementary school in the early 70's. The flavor from that gum was gone before you walked across the street, but man do I miss those days! Especially if I was able to take cards off another kid flipping them.

[Tere1071]

The liquor store in my neighborhood had cards late. For example, the 1970s Supers were available in 1971 and the 71s were sold in 1972. I still have the 1970 Clemente that I purchased. The killer was the 1970 high series that the owner put out in 1973. My next-door neighbor who kind of, sort of collected bought a number of these packs and I was able to get some of the high numbers. I was never able to complete the set, however, and I ended up trading off what I had for other cards.

I still wish that corner liquor stores carried cards.

[williamcohon]

I’m retired, now, but while I was working, I used to treat myself every day to a “vintage pack.” Every morning, I would grab eight or ten cards, randomly, from my collection, put a rubber band around them (yes, of course they were in hard sleeves), and slip the “pack” into my pocket.

Then, every day at lunch, I had the pleasure of “opening a pack.” It was fun to see who I got! And fun to see what years and types of cards I got. Of course, they were always old!

Now, when I travel, I often treat myself. I throw a couple of “packs” in my suitcase. It’s true, there are no wrappers to deal with, but it’s fun. Give it a try!

[conor912]

I’m retired, now, but while I was working, I used to treat myself every day to a “vintage pack.” Every morning, I would grab eight or ten cards, randomly, from my collection, put a rubber band around them (yes, of course they were in hard sleeves), and slip the “pack” into my pocket.

Then, every day at lunch, I had the pleasure of “opening a pack.” It was fun to see who I got! And fun to see what years and types of cards I got. Of course, they were always old!

Now, when I travel, I often treat myself. I throw a couple of “packs” in my suitcase. It’s true, there are no wrappers to deal with, but it’s fun. Give it a try!

Hey Bill,

Nice to to see your post. Cool idea. I hope you’re well!!

[Fuddjcal]

Haha...no, I'm not ACTUALLY that kid from Jerry Maguire. I've been using that as a username for various things for the last 20+ years because I was a fan of that movie and I have yet to find a site where that username has already been taken :)

And yeah, your comment about opening packs is just a bunch of cards nobody wants...that's exactly my problem. I want to open packs. I don't want modern cards. It's a real dilemma :)

Exactly. That's why most of my cards are safe worthy. If the others can't fit in 4-PSA boxes and 2 cigar boxes, they won't be around PERIOD. I don't need the clutter.

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

I’m retired, now, but while I was working, I used to treat myself every day to a “vintage pack.” Every morning, I would grab eight or ten cards, randomly, from my collection, put a rubber band around them (yes, of course they were in hard sleeves), and slip the “pack” into my pocket.

Then, every day at lunch, I had the pleasure of “opening a pack.” It was fun to see who I got! And fun to see what years and types of cards I got. Of course, they were always old!

Now, when I travel, I often treat myself. I throw a couple of “packs” in my suitcase. It’s true, there are no wrappers to deal with, but it’s fun. Give it a try!

I really LOVE this idea. It not only helps scratch that "what's inside this pack" itch, but it also allows you to enjoy your own existing collection without spending a dime.

And that's the cool thing about vintage...even a pack full of "common" players are interesting and fun to handle and look at. I'd never even consider tossing my vintage commons in the recycle bin (which is where most of my modern commons end up).

One little fun (and sort of weird) thing I did recently: I'm slowly building a 1935 Goudey set. I have a beat up raw copy of the Ruth card, and I recently purchased an authentic 1935 Goudey wrapper. So I wrapped my Ruth in the wrapper and had it sitting on my desk for awhile. I thought it was kind of cool to have an authentic "unopened" Babe Ruth bubble gum card on my desk.

[Leon]

Great stories, guys. I only remember opening late 60s and early 70s packs of Topps as a kid. If I only had those packs today.

[Rickyy]

Great stories...some of my recollections... I remember buying a whole wax box of 75 topps at local 7-11 back as a kid and ripped em open and saw that all the cards hard shrunk! Yep 75 minis tested out here in N. Calif. Also remember buying a couple of 73 rack packs late in the year to complete my sets and I recall it was mixed series...I got some 4th series cards along with high numbers..how I got my M Schmidt rookie. I have a couple of mid 70's topps baseball wax packs and topps 74-75-76 cello packs still left, but don't have the stomach to open them now...lol.

Ricky Y