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Some packaged cards are prepared for a nuclear attack!

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Randy Shields

Well-known member
Aug 20, 2008
2,224
441
OH-IO
Again, I've been away from the hobby for quite some time but I've recently been buying some cards to try to restock my inventory.
So today for example I get 8 packages in the mail. It literally took me the better part of a half hour to get them all opened. I promise you I have no inferior dexterity issues!

A lot of them come packaged many different ways but on so many occasions now it's a fight to the death to get them opened.

You start out with a bubble mailer, but you can't just tear the bubble mailer open because there's tape all over it, especially on both ends. So you cut into the mailer. Then once you get inside inside the bubble mailer there is another bubble mailer.

You think the battles almost won!

So you rip open that bubble mailer only to find cardboard taped around your card(s), and a lot of blue duct tape that appears to be selling very well these days!!

You then remove the blue duct tape from the cardboard and you feel like you're getting closer to the finish line!
BUT, after you've managed your way through this jungle you find your card in a team set bag that's all taped up... So you free your card from the team set bag and you finally get your card out and you are victorious!!!

Until you realize the top loaders been way over taped and you have to cut it open as well! The top loader isn't even usable anymore so you throw it in the trash can.
On some occasions, like today, incredible amounts of bubble wrap were included in two of my packages. They both had to be cut open with a chainsaw! And then the same thing, cardboard, blue tape, team bag, toploader.

I'm telling you these cards are packaged to survive a nuclear attack!

I don't know if these sellers are extremely wary of receiving a hit on their packaging but to me this is overkill! I just want to get my card out! Is it too much to ask to get my card out without spending 5 minutes to do it? Is it?? IS IT?

Can I get a witness?
 

Randy Shields

Well-known member
Aug 20, 2008
2,224
441
OH-IO
Just wait til you get a high end card with no protection bent up in a PWE, you’ll be wishing for all the tape and bubblewrap


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board

Oh I've had that happen, just luckily not a high end card. It's even better when it's in a white envelope without the toploader being taped shut and the card is either half out or all the way out. I've experienced that more than once. Your right though, I need to count my blessings as I'd rather have a package that could survive being run over by tank than be in a PWE!
 

David K.

Active member
Aug 26, 2008
1,338
12
Fresno, CA
The blue tape method! I'm into the rubber band method.....much easlier and the card does not stick to the rubber band! Best regards, David
 

mmier118

New member
Jan 29, 2010
536
0
I'm with you, some of these cards are so taped up with all sorts of tough to cut packing tape that i fined it hard to not damage the card trying to cut it out of it's tomb. I get protecting the card, but I really wonder if some of these sellers ever buy anything, because once you try to free one of these cards you wouldn't ship a card this way unless you really wanted to make an enemy.
 

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,736
1,498
Oklahoma
For me shipping is pretty straightforward. Penny sleeve and top load or magnetic goes into a team bag. One wrap of bubble wrap that is taped closed with painters' tape then into a padded mailer and out the door. If it is several cheaper cards then they get penny sleeved, put into a used thick top loader of appropriate size then team bagged etc.
 

death2redemptions

New member
Feb 4, 2016
12,488
0
The Carolina on the Southern side
Yes, it took me forever to unwrap my BGS 9.5/10 Juan Soto refractor auto. It came in one of those Priority Mail mailer boxes. For some reason he felt it necessary to use 10 yards of mailer tape on the outside of the box...every single corner...my scissors couldn't even cut through it cuz it was so thick. Three hours later when I finally get the box open...we've got more cardboard with more mailer tape on each side....get through that and now we've got 20 sheets of bubble mailer...and more mailer tape. Had to be careful cuz I didn't want to accidentally scrape the BGS case while cutting through the mailer tape.

This was a $480 purchase so I'm glad he took the time to protect it but he could have done without all the damn mailer tape and much less bubble mailer.

People these days just love their mailer tape, they go nuts with it.
 

Randy Shields

Well-known member
Aug 20, 2008
2,224
441
OH-IO
Ha! I wanted this to be a funny/serious/true kind of post and it's been all of that in particular the funny part. "Cut it out of it's tomb", "It was the size of a softball", "10 yards of mailer tape" Lol... That's just some funny stuff, but it's TRUE!!! I mean at some point these packages won't even be able to fit in the mailbox, they'll have to be left on the doorstep in they're padded, bubble-wrapped, cardboard encased, blue painters taped, peanut filled Cocoon's!!!

I honestly felt bad for the postal carrier the day I posted this because she came walking up the driveway with my 8 packages appearing as if she were playing a huge yellow and white Accordion while trying to manage her Electronic Signature Device at the same time, because unfortunately for her I had to sign for one. At one point she just about made it to me and then everything shifted on her! Luckily she quickly re-grasped this accordion of cocoons, regaining control of the entire monstrosity of cardboard coffins all the while I'm not only applauding her efforts but also thinking to myself "She definitely doesn't have to worry about dropping and damaging any of those damn things!!"

Looking back I should have just stood in the doorway with my arms grasped together in a giant circle and she could have seen how many out of the 8 she could have thrown through at 10 feet. --Free water or soda for 5 or better! Either that or I could have propped the door open, held them up with my finger, yelled "Hike!" and seen how many she could have kicked through the door successfully, again for a refreshing beverage!!

Ahh well, they say hindsight is 20/20, so maybe next time.....
 

JVHaste

Well-known member
Jun 22, 2015
4,751
270
Vancouver WA
The strangest I have seen is cramming 2 cards in one penny slave and then into a toploader. . . . now its probably already damaged, so lets put tons of bubblewrap and protection around it so nothing can hurt it from the outside, because inside damage is all that matters! ;)


Funny thing about PWE, I've done TTM 40 or so times and never have had a card with any dings at all, no toploaders or anything.
 

death2redemptions

New member
Feb 4, 2016
12,488
0
The Carolina on the Southern side
The strangest I have seen is cramming 2 cards in one penny slave and then into a toploader. . . . now its probably already damaged, so lets put tons of bubblewrap and protection around it so nothing can hurt it from the outside, because inside damage is all that matters! ;)


Funny thing about PWE, I've done TTM 40 or so times and never have had a card with any dings at all, no toploaders or anything.

Hmmm...maybe I'll offer to pay extra for PWE with no top loader. Just ask for the "PWEHaste Special".
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,097
I was noticing this as I opened up a dozen or so packages. It really almost seems these days that I either get the over the top packager or the imbecile who doesn't know or care how to package anything to avoid damage.

Why do people feel the need to squeeze the outer package down to the size of the object inside and then seal it in tape. How the F are we supposed to open this?

A couple years ago, I posted one one of these sites a photo of an envelope and an item that I damaged while opening. I asked the group for some honest feedback and actually I was told that it was mostly my fault. I agreed to some extent, but the bottom line was the guy packaged a paper item in an envelope that was almost the exact size as the item, taped up all the flaps and included no protective material to further protect the item. I ripped about 1/4" off the top of the envelope to open it and the item was in that area, so I ripped the item!

It really is not that hard to properly mail something to protect it and not cause grief on the other end trying to open it.
 

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