Cello Pack Fake?

[ALR-bishop]

Even Murphy who I think was the first to offer them around 2001 or so admitted they were presented to him as just cards repacked by a 3d party, not Topps. Not aware of anyone who has claimed different. The questions I have are who first packaged them, when, whether they were ever sold at retail, and if so when and where ? Blather or not I would like to know.

[T.S. OConnell]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Even Murphy who I think was the first to offer them around 2001 or so admitted they were presented to him as just cards repacked by a 3d party, not Topps. Not aware of anyone who has claimed different. The questions I have are who first packaged them, when, whether they were ever sold at retail, and if so when and where ? Blather or not I would like to know.

I don't believe that any major retailer would offer a product with no clear indication on the packaging of origin, authenticity, etc. I also don't believe the repackaged cards could ever have done at a large-enough scale to tempt such retailers in the first place. I believe that the stories about the cards having been found at retail are part of the "legend" used to afford some additional authenticity to the effort.

[ALR-bishop]

You may be completely right about all that. But I would still like to know who first put these together and when.

On the retail issue there have been posters who have claimed on this board and one other to have seen and bought them at retail, even naming the stores. Maybe their recollections are faulty but I doubt they are lying about it.

I have been collecting since 1957. To me it is just an interesting hobby issue regarding the initial origin of these things. As I said above I do not know anyone who has ever said they were anything other than Topps cards repackaged by a 3d party.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by T.S. OConnell

I don't believe that any major retailer would offer a product with no clear indication on the packaging of origin, authenticity, etc. I also don't believe the repackaged cards could ever have done at a large-enough scale to tempt such retailers in the first place. I believe that the stories about the cards having been found at retail are part of the "legend" used to afford some additional authenticity to the effort.

The christmas packs are a puzzle, the "cellos" in the original post seem to be two different groups depending on how well the header cards are done.

The cellos are almost for sure some flea market type thing.
Im unsure about the christmas packs. Repacking stuff has been going on a long time, both by third parties and manufacturers. (Halloween fun packs anyone?)
The big repacker is Treat Entertainment co. which from the little I can find was/is a stamp and coin dealer started in 1964. Their repacked products have been available pretty much everywhere, especially in the late 90's.

I don't think a major retailer would handle the christmas packs without a barcode,* but a small toy shop like the one I went to as a kid would. The main store was a fabric/sewing store, and the basement was a toystore. A small shop like that would probably have bought something similar. They did carry the mesh stockings full of repacked cheap trinket type toys. The same ones that could be bought for a few cents from the toystore equivalent of the penny candy section.
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...mas-3783171282

But, while looking for those just now, I found what may be a suspect or partial suspect for the christmas packs. Retrocandyonline sells stocking packs of candy that use a nearly identical plastic sleeve.
http://www.retrocandyonline.com/cand...stockings.html

And just an interesting thing in the "yeah, like weird stuff never happens at retail" category... The box of Topps holiday series cards I bought - a Wal-Mart exclusive came from a K-Mart. for slightly over the wal-Mart price. Apparently they were buying stuff at retail from Wal-Mart marking it up slightly and reselling it.




*The UPC barcodes were fist used in 74, a different system was tested in 72. But they didn't become almost universal until the mid 1980's