Help Needed with Unopened Cases

[MazHOF2001]

I am trying to assess what I have managed to stash away over the past dozen or so years. Unfortunately, nearly all my unopened material in Topps shipping cases are not well -marked.

Can anyone help me, or direct me to an online source of uinformation that deciphers the case codes printed on the sides of Topps cases? I can at least figure out the year of issue, but the product codes like 316 or 780 are a mystery, without (gasp!) breaking the sealing tape.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tom Oates]

I would search eBay for cases of the same products for sale. Sometimes the auctions contain pictures of the sealed case and you can make out the numbers on the box. This is how I identify the Topps and Donruss factory sets that do not have a year printed on them.

Tom

 

[MazHOF2001]

I would search eBay for cases of the same products for sale. Sometimes the auctions contain pictures of the sealed case and you can make out the numbers on the box. This is how I identify the Topps and Donruss factory sets that do not have a year printed on them.

Tom

Thanks for the helpful suggestion, but I'm really holding out hope for access to some sort of "answer key" chart. There are dozens of numbers I have to identify, and searching auction photos for a lucky aspect in a snapshot of brown cardboard box with black lettering, will be really a pot-shot, hit-or-miss project. About 90% of the cases are Baseball, and jsut a little bit of Football and Hockey.

 

[gvsu96]

You try to call or email Topps?

 

[MazHOF2001]

You try to call or email Topps?

No, I haven't. I began with the expectation that the information I am looking for was relatively easy to get, through people who have been Topps or Topps HTA accounts. (I usrd to be the favorite customer of an HTA dealer who has since left the business.) Certainly (or so I thought) there are ways to find out that "380-01H" is a case of 12 24-count boxes of Topps Stadium Club baseball, from 2001. (At least I had that one labelled!)

 

[rico08]

You try to call or email Topps?

No, I haven't. I began with the expectation that the information I am looking for was relatively easy to get, through people who have been Topps or Topps HTA accounts. (I usrd to be the favorite customer of an HTA dealer who has since left the business.) Certainly (or so I thought) there are ways to find out that "380-01H" is a case of 12 24-count boxes of Topps Stadium Club baseball, from 2001. (At least I had that one labelled!)

I worked at a hobby shop for years and I never heard of any kind of labeling key; that's why we marked all our unopened cases. I think contacting Topps would be your best bet.

 

[gvsu96]

You try to call or email Topps?

No, I haven't. I began with the expectation that the information I am looking for was relatively easy to get, through people who have been Topps or Topps HTA accounts. (I usrd to be the favorite customer of an HTA dealer who has since left the business.) Certainly (or so I thought) there are ways to find out that "380-01H" is a case of 12 24-count boxes of Topps Stadium Club baseball, from 2001. (At least I had that one labelled!)

I worked at a hobby shop for years and I never heard of any kind of labeling key; that's why we marked all our unopened cases. I think contacting Topps would be your best bet.

The shop I'm at marks everything too.

 

[MazHOF2001]

I have been busy squinting at online photos of brown cardboard boxes. Well, at least so far, I have been able to sort out the Heritage Baseball cases and the Bowman's Draft Picks & Prospects, and some regular Topps (jumbos). A tedious task!

 

[boomo]

damn, just rip the stuff.
isnt that why you have it

 

[rico08]

damn, just rip the stuff.
isnt that why you have it

Hahah! This is definitely not the place to ask whether to "hold or bust" anything!

 

[hofmichael]

Try using bbcexchange.com.They have good sized photos.
Mike

 

[leatherman]

FCB sponsor dacardworld.com.

Link to page for 2007 BDP Case: http://www.dacardworld.com/sports-cards ... case#image

and their pic:

David

 

[MazHOF2001]

FCB sponsor dacardworld.com.

Link to page for 2007 BDP Case: http://www.dacardworld.com/sports-cards ... case#image

and their pic:

David

Yes! I had some success with the dacardworld page. It's kinda hit or miss, hoping that they have what I have.

 

[MazHOF2001]

damn, just rip the stuff.
isnt that why you have it

I had left 1999-2008 pretty much unopened, because there was no room to expand those cases, boxes, and packs into countless 1600 and 3200 count boxes, and set boxes. My available space was overwhelmed with mostly early 1970s material, although I collect sets back to 1957 and Indians & Pirates back to the dawn of time (or bubble gum, at least.)

Thanks to the antics of the modern professional athlete, bad publicity, and steroid abuse, I've been reluctant to commit myself any further. To think, how many Clemens and Bonds artifacts I've already carefully preserved, only to see their esteem turned to dust!

I turn 50 y/o, right after this year's National is over. Priorities change. I still love 20th Century baseball lore. The 21st Century? I'm not so sure.

I wish THIS was still full!

 

[MazHOF2001]

I wish THIS was still full!

In case some didn't recognize it, it's an EMPTY box for 1961 Topps baseball nickel wax packs.

I sent off numerical lists to some folks, last week. As of early Monday morning, none of the promised help showed up in my inbox. One inquiry about the Bowman Chrome baseball, though.

i found seven more cases on Friday night and Saturday night, though. Sheesh. I was a busy boy, especially in 1999 and 2000.