Question on Collecting Sealed Packs

[Ease]

Originally Posted by WhenItWasAHobby

Here's my advice. Since it's pretty much been proven that fraud is rampant with "unopened" packs and they are very difficult to authenticate, why not just collect the wrappers from those years and make a nice framed display of those wrappers? You'll save a ton of money, not get defrauded and at the end of the day you're viewing pretty much the same thing.

What a fantastic idea!

[ullmandds]

I "3rd" Dan's idea...collecting sealed packs seems like a very risky endeavor to me...with little enjoyment...unless of course you eventually open them!!!?!

[ALR-bishop]

I have done a Topps pack run, 51 to 2013 ( have had to settle for penny packs in 56 and 58, which I think are the toughest) Agree with Robert that reading Murphy's pack guide would be a good primer. I could lend you mine if you can't find one. He may still sell them on his baseball card kid web site

You are looking at a very expensive project

I have done wrappers as well and there are fakes of those too, particularly early 50s. But they would be less expensive, easier to find, and less likely to be counterfeited

[PolarBear]

If I were doing it, I'd stick with graded packs. It may be more pricy but from what I've read on the subject, tampering is a huge problem. I would personally never buy an unopened pack unless it was graded.

I think the wrapper idea was pretty good too.

[tribefan]

Start by buying some late 80's packs and looking at them closely. Try opening them and then immediately folding them back. This will give you an idea at least of an amateurish reseal attempt.

[DHogan]

There is another unopened pack guide from a dealer that called himself the Prince of Cards. (Darren Prince). I have the 3rd edition of the guide. Not as many color photos as Mark Murphy's. But, still had some good information.

[Blunder19]

Just looking to update this thread.. was able to find a happy medium collecting Topps packs... I collected sealed packs from 1970 to present... I collected wrappers for all the 1960 packs and just put 10 modern cards in them.. and folded them back up to look sealed..

for the 1950s I actually just printed out an image of an unfolded wrapper off google.. and put 10 cards in them... and folded it up and taped it shut.. haha it actually looks ok... (the 1951 pack is the only real one from the 1950s-1960s)

My amazing wife was kind enough to get me the display that I asked for... for christmas... and I put the whole thing together... 1950s at the top... each row is a new decade.. present day at the bottom..

I like the way it came out... Hope you guys like it.