Collecting Boxes & Packs - the Future?

[Eric72]

A few observations and opinions:

Unless the cards are individually sleeved, many early UV coated products will "brick" (stick together) over time. This can ruin quite a few 90s releases, whether still in packs or stored loose in boxes. This (in my opinion) makes many early/mid 90s sealed products worthless. Imagine opening a pack and having the cards bonded together. I've been there...it's horrible...I can still hear the sound cards make when you peel them apart.

The recent BBCE episodes have weakened collector trust. Whether it's minor or major is a matter of opinion; however, I believe it killed their reputation. When GI Joe packs came out of a certified Pokemon case, it didn't look good. BBCE seemed to weather the storm, though. Their biggest mistake seemed to be stepping outside their areas of supposed expertise. Then, just when the Pokemon story seemed to fade, there was the 1986 Fleer Basketball box from the National. In the wake of that, BBCE doesn't seem to hold the same gravitas they once did. Additionally, they don't financially guarantee to make you whole if they've "authenticated" a tampered box.

Speaking of GI Joe cards appearing in cases where they don't belong, there are numerous instances in which people are defrauded by tampered product.
I'm certain there are lots of people who approach sealed product sales with integrity and class. However, there are also plenty of shady characters looking to part people with their hard-earned money. Unless you really know what you're doing, getting into collecting sealed product could very well include a steep and expensive learning curve.

So, you could pull a brick (literally) from your box, BBCE certification doesn't seem as safe as it used to, they don't guarantee their work, and random scammers are out there. If you're going into this, be very careful.