Oldest packs you've opened?

[JasonL]

What is the oldest pack of cards that you have opened?
Fun?
disappointing?
I'm getting the itch to open some packs and can't decide what year to select...also worried about fraudulent sellers...so let's hear some stories to tide me over and get me through the urge today!

[Chris Counts]

When I was about 14, in the mid 1970s, I picked up an unopened box of 1957 Topps football from a local card dealer. It simply wasn't considered something with much value at the time. I doubt I paid $20 for it. I happily ripped those packs open in about five minutes. Now if I had just saved those mint Unitas, Starr and Hornung rookies ...

[Beatles Guy]

1979 Topps. Of course you always go into it hoping for the big rookie and almost always come up short. I pulled some decent stuff, but not the Ozzie. I have pulled some decent rookie from early 80's packs though.

[ALR-bishop]

I have a Topps pack run, but have not opened one recently, new or old. I am an old guy ( DOB 1950), and still remember opening packs beginning in 1956 through 1962. After that I started buying my cards in series as they were issued from The Card Collector's Company in NY ( I still have one of their catalogs from 1967). It may not have been as fun as packs, but I can remember the excitement of waiting for those packages of cards to arrive over the summer

[JasonL]

What would be the oldest pack you would dare open if you had it in your hands today???

vs. decide that you just can't do it, and that you must hold or re-sell as unopened??

I am going to on record and say that I would probably have trouble opening any big-rookie year, like 1965, 1957, and 1955, or 1954. So...I will say 1956.

[ALR-bishop]

I could not bring myself to open or sell any of my older packs. My wife can decide after I am dead. ( as long as she does not sell them to a guy with crisp $ 100 bills) But, if I were going to open one, it would be 1952, since although expensive, it would be easier to replace

[Exhibitman]

1970. Of course I was 5 at the time. I don't recall what I got.

[GrayGhost]

Back in the middle/late 80s, I opened a59 cello, which had a GORGEOUS Dead centered Banks, some 1960 cellos, when they were cheap. 1963 Cello from Mr Mint, that had a Clemente, and I recall a 65 cello w a Koufax and Maris BOTH in it. Wish I still had those.

[Doug]

It's not technically a pack, but I opened a 1979 Topps vending box. I did get an Ozzie Smith rookie, but it was off center and had a corner ding.

[Chris D.]

Well, when I was a kid, the oldest pack I opened was 76 Topps. In the last few years, I opened some 82 Topps packs. It was fun...pulled some HOFers, but no Ripken RC. I felt like I was back in my childhood.

[Doug]

Opening several cases of 1985 Topps back in 1998 hoping to pull a PSA 10 Mark McGwire rookie (back when they were selling for about $5k) is actually what got me into vintage cards. My first experience with cards was going to the drug store as a kid buying 1985 Topps wax packs. The rush of nostalgia from opening those 1985 cases got me interested vintage Topps cards which led me to my first vintage purchase, an EX 1952 Topps Willie Mays. Ever since then, I've been hooked on '50s Topps cards.

[thekingofclout]

I have 5 or 6 slabbed 1962 Topps Baseball Packs and I've been considering maybe cracking one at Christmas...

Not this one as I'll leave the Mantle/Mays card be.
1962TOPPSpackMantleMays.jpg


But maybe this puppy. Series 1...
1962TOPPSseries1GAI7.jpg

[GrayGhost]

My friend at the time, Brian, and I used to run a small show in Meriden CT. We had a Monday Night show years back, and there had just been a "find" of several 1962 and 1963 wax boxes by a dealer/electrician. He sold a box to another dealer and as a "highlight" to our show, a 1962 pack was opened in front of everyone there. What a moment. A Gorgeous Brock Rookie came out of that pack I recall, and four commons. Was exciting, almost like when Mark Murphy used to videotape guys opening 86 fleer Basketball packs at the Westchester Shows. Ah, the days...

[Rich Klein]

I opened some of the 1960 Topps packs in Papa John Broggi's store and actually pulled two Mantle cards. NOW, if I could have actually KEPT what I opened instead of having to give them to John, that would have been a great find.

I also opened some of the 1955 Bowman packs from the same find at the AC National. Like I have said; nine cards in the packs; and EVERYONE was a different size

Rich

[whycough]

When I was 8, I opened a few 1953 Topps. The following year I was fully into this fun behavior. Now, I would love to open a '52 Topps, 5th Series. Anyone with a report on doing this? And I don't mean when they just came out.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by whycough

When I was 8, I opened a few 1953 Topps. The following year I was fully into this fun behavior. Now, I would love to open a '52 Topps, 5th Series. Anyone with a report on doing this? And I don't mean when they just came out.

The last time I saw a '52 Topps high number pack for sale I actually kicked around the idea, but I couldn't convince myself to pay that much for a pack without knowing what was in it and at the same time I couldn't risk spending that much to possibly get a pack of off center or wax/gum stained commons.

[D. Bergin]

Back in the late 80's I had several boxes of 1961 Nu-Card Football and opened a bunch of them. There must be a ton of them out there because I see they still don't go for very much.

Also had lots of 70' and 71' Football Cello.

I always opened more then I should when I did have nice unopened. I couldn't help myself............then when stuff started to get out of control and older packs became worth more then you could possibly get out of them except in extreme exceptions, I stayed away from them altogether. Never was a big gambler.

[GrayGhost]

I loved ripping open packs, and losing money..haha. Tho this isnt really, "old packs" I recall when I got back into the hobby in 1984, when I met a guy named Don, who was into the hobby. We went to a dept store in bloomfield and they had packs for 25cents of Topps. We thought they were 83s, w our limited knowledge then. They were 80s, and I recall we bought like all hundred of em, and pulled many Hendersons/ryans, etc. Fun times.

I guess thinking back the oldest pack ever was a 51 Redback. Got a Duke Snider out of it, and paid like 25.00 for the pack, back in the later 80s.

Hey Jimmy, if you open one of those 62s, you should do a live opening party on the net, and post one card and put a scan up at a time. Id tune in for sure.

[sox1903wschamp]

A few years back I won a couple of 54 Bowman FB 1 cent packs (sorry not BB) and opened the worst conditioned pack. Here is the card from that pack . Looks like the pack was exposed to heat at some point. No way to tell from the outside of the pack. This would be a difficult job for that "gone with the stain" company

[onlychild]

Same here. I opened a 1954 Football pack and a 1956 Topps Round Up (non sport)...then ate the gum.

The Round Up ended graded an 8.


Kevin
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.
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[GrayGhost]

Originally Posted by onlychild

Same here. I opened a 1954 Football pack and a 1956 Topps Round Up (non sport)...then ate the gum.

The Round Up ended graded an 8.


Kevin
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.
.

UGH. I had someone hand me a piece of 66 topps gum, I just nipped a corner, and spit it out. I loved 81 fleer and Donruss Gum, even in the 90s. Good stuff..haha.

[tedzan]

Mine are 1949 Bowman BB and 1949 Leaf BB


...................1949 BOWMAN............................................ ...........1949 LEAF


TED Z

[GrayGhost]

We have a winner so far. Did you get anything good when you opened them sir?

[ALR-bishop]

Originally Posted by onlychild

Same here. I opened a 1954 Football pack and a 1956 Topps Round Up (non sport)...then ate the gum.

The Round Up ended graded an 8.


Kevin
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.
.

Kevin

I still have some unopened Topps 1980 Thirst Break gum packs I would be glad to send you if you want to try them. I think they started out orange. They are a little green now, but still very juicy. And when to goo is all removed ( licked clean ?) you get that great sports comic

Al

[tedzan]

BUYER BEWARE !

The last 1949 Bowman pack (approx. 8 years ago) was a FAKE. I won it off ebay and was excited to open it.

My excitement instantly turned to disappointment, as it was obviously gimmicked up......

1st....it had a skinny slab of Topps gum in it (Bowman bubble gum was the same size as the cards).

2nd....the 5 cards in it were from 4 different series in the 1949 set (a real NO-NO).

3rd....and, the condition of the 5 cards ranged from Vg to ExMt.


I confronted the seller with this and he didn't want to hear it. He claimed he won this "unopened" pack from a
well-known Auction house.

Furthermore, ebay's Safe Harbor mediator ruled in favor of the seller. And, you don't want to know the details
of how the mediator arrived at that judgment....as they were outrageous.


TED Z

[GrayGhost]

Sadly, the fakes are all around. I recall buying a 1969 cello, first series, from Darren Prince at the 1992 Atlanta national. I got the itch and opened it. Not only did I get all commons, not even Nr Mintish, but THREE OF THE CARDS HAD WAX STAINS ON THE FRONT. Kinda hard to do in a CELLO PACK, don't you think?

Im sorry you got gypped on your purchase as well sir.

[Doug]

That would be another reason I would avoid buying high dollar packs. Not only is it a total gamble if you will pull anything worthwhile, it's hard telling if it has been doctored or not. I totally forgot I had bought a 1956 Topps 1 cent pack and it had a Ted Williams in it, but both PSA and SGC rejected it for evidence of trimming. The guy I bought it from said he was the original owner and did give me my money back. The card measured properly so I have no idea what was wrong.

[GasHouseGang]

Wow, a fake cello pack?! That's pretty hard to create I would think. I guess you gotta give the guy credit for being able to fake those. Sorry you got ripped off though.

[canjond]

While the experience is not my own, I do know an unopened Old Judge cigarette pack was opened at a show, yielding an OJ card which I believe PSA graded a 10. May Jay Miller can chime in?

[onlychild]

I still have some unopened Topps 1980 Thirst Break gum packs I would be glad to send you if you want to try them. I think they started out orange. They are a little green now, but still very juicy. And when to goo is all removed ( licked clean ?) you get that great sports comic

Al

Hey Al,

Thanks for the offer but I beat you to it. I bought a box and put together a set a few years ago (with some help from Dave), they are not distributed very well...at all. It was the mess from hell for about a week, everything was sticky. I popped one of those orange goo things in my mouth and chewed....almost lost it on that one.

For all cards...I opened a wax-paper pack set of 1936 Useful Birds of America. They didn't seem so useful but still have them.

Kevin Saucier
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.

.

[JamesGallo]

I have opened several 1975 Topps mini packs, a 75 O pee chee pack and will probably do more in the future. Ideally I would like to sit down and open a whole box. I have pulled some HOF but they have all been off center which is very common for this set. At least it is 10 cards but more often then not I get 10 commons. Still since I am building the set it's ok.

James G

[calaban7]

The earliest packs I remember opening was the 1965 baseball . I remember all the Batman sets. I remember 66 , 67 68 and the really cool Expos in the 69 sets. We had tons of cards , for the bikes and making large houses of cards.

Even though this wasn't exactly opening something , but when we moved out to the country in 1969 , we found a bunch of Goudeys in the garage attic. We had the coolest bike cards around .

Oh the pain , to look back at being young and dumb.


My mom got angry one day and threw them all away one day.---

Mothers , you got to love them.

[ksfarmboy]

1954 Bowman football. I got a great Bob Waterfield which I actually needed for my set. I also opened a 1955 Bowman and pulled a Gifford which I also needed. All cards in the packs were in great shape.

Clint

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by canjond

While the experience is not my own, I do know an unopened Old Judge cigarette pack was opened at a show, yielding an OJ card which I believe PSA graded a 10. May Jay Miller can chime in?

Is this what you are referring to (2nd from top)? http://www.bmwcards.com/PSAbaseball.htm

[Rob D.]

1933 Sport Kings.

Helene Madison.

Ugh.

[HRBAKER]

Oldest for me would be several 1951 Topps Red Back packs in the late 80's. They were so plentiful then I don't really count it.

[canjond]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

Is this what you are referring to (2nd from top)? http://www.bmwcards.com/PSAbaseball.htm

That's it Daryl. I have never heard of another Old Judge pack being opened and/or yielding a card in recent times.

[E93]

I opened a '61 Topps cello pack back in the late '80s. Recently I ripped two boxes of '75 minis.
JimB

[Oldtix]

but as the post indicates I confess to a 1933 Sport Kings opening frenzy back in the seventies...

http://www.network54.com/Forum/52660...89/Goudey+sign

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by sox1903wschamp

A few years back I won a couple of 54 Bowman FB 1 cent packs (sorry not BB) and opened the worst conditioned pack. Here is the card from that pack . Looks like the pack was exposed to heat at some point. No way to tell from the outside of the pack. This would be a difficult job for that "gone with the stain" company

That the pack you opened was also (See my post about 60 Topps) from the same Rosen find as the packs I mentioned which he purchased in Paris, Tenn.

Regards
Rich

[sox1903wschamp]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

That the pack you opened was also (See my post about 60 Topps) from the same Rosen find as the packs I mentioned which he purchased in Paris, Tenn.

Regards
Rich

Now that you mention it, I would have to agree with you. I remember that find. My guess is the other pack that I still have would yield close to the same result. Guess I will keep it unopened to go with my set.

Michael

[bijoem]

1951 Topps Red.


In the 80s... I also opened up a box of Polar Bear tobacco hoping their would be a card in the package. There wasn't.

[sox1903wschamp]

The post from Rich got me to looking and I actually had 2 unopened 54 FB packs left so I ripped one right now just for the heck of it.

The card is o/c but it is Chuck Bednarik . Don't think I will be submitting this one to a grading service. Nice generous chunk of gum from Bowman back in the fifties that is very much stuck on the card!

[PolarBear]

I opened a pack of Allen & Ginter cigarettes. Smoked the cigs, and threw the card away, someone named Anton or something. Never heard of him.

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by tedzan

BUYER BEWARE !

The last 1949 Bowman pack (approx. 8 years ago) was a FAKE. I won it off ebay and was excited to open it.

My excitement instantly turned to disappointment, as it was obviously gimmicked up......

1st....it had a skinny slab of Topps gum in it (Bowman bubble gum was the same size as the cards).

2nd....the 5 cards in it were from 4 different series in the 1949 set (a real NO-NO).

3rd....and, the condition of the 5 cards ranged from Vg to ExMt.


I confronted the seller with this and he didn't want to hear it. He claimed he won this "unopened" pack from a
well-known Auction house.

Furthermore, ebay's Safe Harbor mediator ruled in favor of the seller. And, you don't want to know the details
of how the mediator arrived at that judgment....as they were outrageous.


TED Z

Just brought back a BAD memory (fortunatley with a decent ending)- I purchased a magazine described as near mint with Marilyn Monroe on the cover - when it arrived, in addition to the staples being rusted, the cover was actually seperated from the magazine!! At the time it went to the ebay insurer - I will not bore you with more details - but after the insurance co approved the claim, then denied the claim, and I pursued it at length, I ended up with reimbursement and the magazine - idiots!

[Leon]

Nice job on the old '54 FB rip, Michael. That is pretty cool. I believe that nowadays the gum is so small it's not even there, but I don't know that for sure . I know I ripped '68 thru '73 packs, as a kid.

I guess I could rip this one from 1938 and see who's in it .

[canjond]

[ALR-bishop]

Very nice Jon.

If you have a party maybe you can light one up and pass it around

[JasonL]

but that card looks trimmed to me!


(actually, very cool...thanks for sharing that one)

some wicked good centering on that one...

[canjond]

Actually - I must confess, I was not the original person to open the pack. The card and pack were opened, and then sold to me as such. It's actually a little unfortunate - I would have LOVED for that pack to stay unopened.