1952 Christmas Rack Pack with Mantle

[Snapolit1]

I have to confess that if I saw them at goodwill for a few bucks I'd buy everyone they had. Maybe a losing lottery ticket but who knows.

Other than second and third and fourth hand knowledge, has anyone every bought one and taken it apart? After 500 posts on the subject over the years I still don't know if anyone knows

a. are they all 100% counterfeit cards

b. are they just repacked real cards and essentially fake retro items but in crappy shape

c. or some mixture of fakes (rarer) and real (cheapos)

Maybe I've missed it but I still have never seen that simple question definitively answered.

[Republicaninmass]

I got smoked an a 56 rack a while back before there was more info in them. It had an Aparicio RC on top that graded a 7. The rest were ex commons.

[steve B]

I bought a 58, haven't opened it. The cards showing are all real, and look pretty good as far as corners go. But have typical centering issues. There is a high number on the back, so it's not entirely junk.

Looking at the ones on Ebay, there's a few different types of packaging. I'd expect worse stuff from some of them, although I'd have to really study them to figure out which are fakes of the old repacks.

[ALR-bishop]

I have been told the answer lies in the staples

[Volod]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

I have been told the answer lies in the staples

Wha..., steel versus aluminum?

[ALR-bishop]

Originally Posted by Volod

Wha..., steel versus aluminum?

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0SO8...tlLey.Q5Inzsc-

[kvnkvnkvn]

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

I got smoked an a 56 rack a while back before there was more info in them. It had an Aparicio RC on top that graded a 7. The rest were ex commons.

So, just to be sure, all the cards were authentic though, right?

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by kvnkvnkvn

So, just to be sure, all the cards were authentic though, right?

Yes all were authentic.

[SMPEP]

I have a 1961 one. I assume it's fake because when I purchased it - the guy "threw one in for free". (Total move to get a sucker to keep coming back I decided).

I sold the one I bought (broken even) and have the other one still.

Can't decide whether to open it or just sell it for whatever I can get on Ebay and take a profit .

So the analysis is opening it worth $75-100 on the off chance it is "real" (at least came from the 1960s/early 1970s)? Never been able to convince myself to open or sell it - so it just sits in a box!

Cheers,
Patrick

[ALR-bishop]

Like any "unopened pack" whatever is in it could never be as good as what you hope might be in it

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Like any "unopened pack" whatever is in it could never be as good as what you hope might be in it

I hate unopened stuff, I just have to rip it open to see what is in there.

I only have 1 unopened item. A 1986 Topps rack pack with the Roger Clemens Blue Streak error showing in the center. It is killing me not to rip it open because I know that elusive Terry Puhl Blue Streak error is in there.

[CW]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

I have to confess that if I saw them at goodwill for a few bucks I'd buy everyone they had. Maybe a losing lottery ticket but who knows.

Other than second and third and fourth hand knowledge, has anyone every bought one and taken it apart? After 500 posts on the subject over the years I still don't know if anyone knows

a. are they all 100% counterfeit cards

b. are they just repacked real cards and essentially fake retro items but in crappy shape

c. or some mixture of fakes (rarer) and real (cheapos)

Maybe I've missed it but I still have never seen that simple question definitively answered.

You'll find a few videos on Youtube where collectors open some of these up.

Here's a 1958 rack pack being opened:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-NpONNnjR8

1967 pack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yfrK0x1tq0

This guy doesn't open any, but claims to have about 100 1952 pack and about 1,000 Christmas rack packs in all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya3m0P4TbN8

[ALR-bishop]

CW-- no red dots on the 67 Mantle.

We needed a sample of the staples to carbon date it

Ben --- pretty sure the Puhl is there, better open it

He should not have made so many cuts, makes it harder to reseal