What do you all feel about Products that put graded cards in packs and boxes?


I personally love it! Unfortunately it seems like it this trend seems to be fading. Not having to pay and wait to get a card graded makes it all the more worthwhile. I love pulling a fresh BGS or PSA 10 rookie. UD Graded is the best of these products IMO. Just a little pricey.


BGray

I never even knew about this. More choices in the ever expanding card industry. At least this one is an appealing choice.

I think putting graded cards into packs/boxes would be a GREAT idea.

Of course, the concern is that dealers would try to figure out ways to get at these graded cards, then sell off the rest of the box.

Also, since graded cards are placed in their own special holder, how would this work in a wax pack, since you can discern which packs would have a graded card.

I have shifted towards buying cellophane-like packs (Upper Deck) for example. Wax packs make it too easy for corrupt dealers to open, steall all the good cards, then very carefully glue the pack back.

But, I think this would be the next wave that would attract more attention from the public.

You know what would lots of us back into collecting world --- fewer available products.

Back when I was a child in mid 1980s, all we basically had was Donruss, Fleer, and Topps (may be a couple of others like Sport Flics)..

Then I went to college in 1990s.

Now, I am back, sorting out all my cards...and I look at the Becketts, and the vast majority of pages are devoted to 1990s-2000s.

I just wish they'd stop all these products ---- esp. in this economy where the stock market tanks, where people get fired left and right the past 3 years.....who's got the money to buy all these products? I am sure Kobe and Shaq don't spend their $100M on sports cards.

An example of this is the 2001 Fleer Authority Baseball. They included in each of the hobby boxes, 2 graded rookies. You had a chance to get a BGS graded card, up to a 9.5 (no 10's at all) of a card numbered to 2001 of a rookie. These include Pujols, Shinjo, Prior, Texiera & Ichiro, for a total of 50 rookies. You also had a chance at getting a card graded by BGS, rookie, limited to 25, 50, or 75 from the Prominence variation.

It was a great set! I'm one card away from completing the rookies 50 card set in all BGS 9's. All I need is Luis Lopez, and I'm done! I'm still debating if I want to put the whole set up on Ebay. I've got the first 100 cards as well, for a true complete set. I still have no clue what it's all worth though. It's been a tough build.

Originally posted by thekingpin
An example of this is the 2001 Fleer Authority Baseball. They included in each of the hobby boxes, 2 graded rookies. You had a chance to get a BGS graded card, up to a 9.5 (no 10's at all) of a card numbered to 2001 of a rookie. These include Pujols, Shinjo, Prior, Texiera & Ichiro, for a total of 50 rookies. You also had a chance at getting a card graded by BGS, rookie, limited to 25, 50, or 75 from the Prominence variation.

It was a great set! I'm one card away from completing the rookies 50 card set in all BGS 9's. All I need is Luis Lopez, and I'm done! I'm still debating if I want to put the whole set up on Ebay. I've got the first 100 cards as well, for a true complete set. I still have no clue what it's all worth though. It's been a tough build.

Wow Kignpin! That is friggin impressive! I'm sure it would bring a nice price as you would surely be the first to offer it as a set.

BGray

Can you please distinguish the difference between wax packs and cellophane packs? What are the advantages, disadvantages? Surprisingly, I know a lot about cards but never understood the difference between those types of packs. Perhaps it's misinformation.

Thanks.

Tim

Thanks BGray... like I said, it's been a really tough set to build. Some guy built the set in random BGS grades, some ungraded, but all 50 rookies. While it's still 1 of 2001, it's not near what I'm building. Mine will be one of a possible approx. 150. I've got several doubles, either I bought it twice by accident, or as part of a lot. If anyone's interested, let me know... these are great cards to have in your collection.

Stkmtimo...
Wax packs refers to the old wax paper wrapped packs of cards, and the cellophane is what Upper Deck introduced and has since become the standard. Cellophane is the metallic wrapped packs. While the material is mostly cellophane these days... most people still refer to the standard packs of cards as wax packs.

oh, by the way, that set that the other guy built just sold on ebay tonight for around $125 plus $12 shipping.

thekingpin, thanks, I understand now. So wrappers from products like 1989 Topps that can be easily glued back are wax packs? The cellophane packs are nearly impossible to open and reglue, in my opinion.

Tim

Originally posted by BGray
What do you all feel about Products that put graded cards in packs and boxes?


I personally love it! Unfortunately it seems like it this trend seems to be fading. Not having to pay and wait to get a card graded makes it all the more worthwhile. I love pulling a fresh BGS or PSA 10 rookie. UD Graded is the best of these products IMO. Just a little pricey.


BGray

What do I feel about graded cards in packs and boxes? hmmmm. I don't like it myself. I don't have anything against graded cards but I feel that it takes away from the excitement of pulling a great card and then having a chance of sending that card in to get graded.

Plus another thing I don't like about the packs/boxes with graded cards is that they are pricey. I know that sending a card in to be graded can be expensive too but you at least have the choice of what you want to be graded. To be honest would you want a graded card of a common player or a Super Star? When you send the cards in yourself at least you have the choice of the Super Star unlike you will never know who you would pull if it was already graded for you.

Welp I hope my side is understood and that is just my 2 cents. :)

Richie
mookigremlin

Tim, you got it... the reason most all card companies moved away from the old wax packs is because dealers would search packs for the good cards, reseal them, and sell them. Cellophane packs prevent this, and have enabled the current explosion of different card sets, inserts, etc. In the past, with real wax packs, dealers would make out like bandits.

Richie, welcome to SCF...

I understand what you're saying about the excitement of sending it in... but for the time and money it costs to do this... and the delicate nature of sending cards in, packaging, etc. to ensure that your best cards go for grading... it's a big process that most people can't afford or have the patience for.

By introducing graded cards to the average collector, the value of grading becomes appreciated amongst more collectors. There are some key problems I have with the whole grading industry, but overall, I would love to have every card I own graded. I certainly couldn't afford it, nor would it be worth it for most of my cards, but if I could, I'd want it. It'd make sure that my cards were protected forever... and I wouldn't have to think about the quality of each card.

As for a blind pack being pricey... that's just how the business goes. It's the same for any box insert. Typically, you get something of some value for your money with these. With Fleer Authority 2001, you got a rookie card, graded at least a BGS 8, numbered to 2001, 75, 50, or 25. Not bad in my opinion! In the Donruss 2001 hobby boxes, you also got a BGS graded Donruss Buy Back Rookie. Some were better pulls than others... but it was a great way to introduce graded cards to collectors, and a nice bonus for box buyers.

thekingpin

Thank you for the welcome. I hope I am going to be of help to some if not all. hehe.

Now with the graded thing I can understand where you are going with it. It is one of the if not the easiest way to introduce graded cards to people that are not aware of them. I personally have not bought any of the boxes with graded cards in them so I did not know how all of them were set up. Thanks for the info that you have listed and in time my opinion may open more to it. Take care and as always have a safe one. :)

Richie
mookigremlin

thekingpin,
Yes, I have heard many "horror" stories regarding the resealing of wax packs. Imagine buying a box from the 1960s (if available) for thousands of dollars...only to find it was opened along with the packs and resealed with all of the good cards being taken out. I'm glad they make cellophane packs now. Thanks for the info.

Tim

I remember when Edge Graded came out in 2000.
I bought some of that, and got several '10's that were worth more than $20 apiece then.
Now, you can buy them for $1 or 2.
Think about that! Rookies graded a '10' for $1.

I have stayed away from anything graded since they dropped.
I just have a few BGS's from '99 and will get no more.

I agree. I tend to stay away from graded cards. They don't appeal to me as much as normal cardboard, or now, eTopps.

Tim

sorry to see you guys are so jaded on graded cards. Honestly, check out the ebay auctions for graded cards vs regular cards. The ones that you can get in a pack aren't as marked up as the ones you get by submitting. The reason is simple supply and demand.

Guess we all have our own preferences...