I posted the Murphy team input earlier in the thread. No one I ever heard of, including Murphy, claimed these were Topps packaged products or that they were pristine cards. And you could always see most of the cards and their condition top and bottom yourself if the scans were any good. And there is no doubt they are still being produced to this day.
I have said this before, the intrigue to me was whether these were actually ever packaged by a third party and sold at retail, and if so where and when. Murphy and his partner could not or would answer that question. Some have speculated ( likely sellers) that the cards were first packaged and sold at retail in the 60s. Others have said 70s or 80s or 90s. It would only matter if some were originally packaged in the 60s or 70s, because then some of the middle cards could be stars given their lesser value in those times.
But I have never heard a credible story of someone saying they bought these packs in the 60s or 70s at a specific retail store. And despite internet advice on how you can tell older packaged packs ( staples and positioning of the decorations and such), I have never felt I could readily ascertain the difference to those being marketed now from those Murphy sold. Maybe other can
Murphy's partner, see above note, did say their original find/purchase of these involved only packs from 53 to 63.
They continue to interest me because it has never been shown for sure when these things originated for the first time and if they were ever really sold at retail. A hobby mystery of sorts that I find fascinating.
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