X-raying unopened packs

[packs]

That wouldn’t recoup much. Individual packs are not highly sought after by modern collectors. The assumption is that they’re left over packs from after the hit as it is. Novice collectors might think they have a shot at a hit but experienced collectors already know the scam.

For example, a box of 2024 Topps a chrome jumbo has 3 autographs and a $400 price tag. You won’t recoup $400 from selling the unopened packs and the chances of you making your money back by x-raying hits is just as slim as getting a good card in the first place.

There's also the issue of configuration. If you buy a case of a product, the likelihood of the hit pack being in the same spot for every box in the case is very high. If you watch a lot of breaks, you'll always see the breaker pull the hit packs from the stack and open them last. That's another reason why it is always assumed by anyone who collects modern in a more than casual way that any individual pack for sale has nothing in it.