Vintage card pack - open or not - thoughts?
 

Just wondering what your opinion is on opening a vintage pack, pre 1970, of cards. Would you open it? Have it graded? Leave it as is? There are many thoughts. What is yours? Does anybody out there have any?

Maybe this thread on the post-war board may be to your liking:
https://www.net54baseball.com/showth...ighlight=packs

I never had the opportunity to open vintage packs, and not sure I ever would.

Not so long ago, I tried out the virtual pack opening site that was here:
https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=316385

Opening those virtual packs was a good reminder to me that packs are usually disappointing.

Thanks, I just read through it. I think that part of the hobby is growing and there may actually still be some unopened vintage packs squirreled away somewhere just waiting for someone to discover them.

I believe PSA is still the only company out there grading them today. They've kind of cornered the market on that.

If your objective is to maximize value, I wouldn't open it in a million years.

Yes I agree, you'd probably get a better return "investing" the cost of the pack into scratch off lottery tickets. I would be tempted though. I would probably get the pack graded just so I wouldn't wind up opening it.

A graded vintage unopened pack is pretty darn cool. It would be a fun collection addition.

Open it if you want the thrill, don't open it if you want the money. If you open it, you are paying for the experience--which is fine.

Edited to add: Of course if you open it you could get lucky with your pack. But the odds are against it.

+1 , but if you can take the "hit" (lame pack...etc) open that baby up.

The value of the packs isn't just due to the cards. It's that it's the original "mint in box" product.

That a wrapper and an empty box have value demonstrates that the value is more than the cards.

usually becomes a case of
 

for maximum benefit
sell the
sizzle
and not the steak.....

If you open it, videotape it!!!

There are so many factors in opening a pack as you all mentioned. Once, I opened a cello 1959 Christmas pack (I know its not the same as a factory pack) that had a 59 Mantle showing. The centering was good, so I thought I would open it and have the Mantle graded as it should have been protected all those years. I had all cards graded. The Mantle came back a PSA 6, which is not bad. I also had all the other cards graded. Most came back a 5 or 6 with only one or so 4's and a couple of 7's. I still have all the cards. I think in this case it was a push/pull.

I keep leaning toward the thought that once it's opened - it's opened and can NEVER be corrected.

Another interesting question is: Should one sell it themselves or send to an auction house (If they decide to sell it). Just like opening it, once it's sold - it's sold.

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