Opening a 1st Edition Base Set Booster Pack?

**EDIT:

Update (9/26/17):** The booster pack ended up being a resealed one that PSA authenticated. I have made a video of this here:

Plenty of discussion going on and it’s a relatively… exciting (?) saga to follow, so please check out the rest of the thread haha. I will be posting updates from eBay/the seller of the pack/PSA when I get them.

Original post:
Hi guys! So today I grabbed a PSA 9 graded 1st edition base set booster pack on impulse because I thought the price to be relatively good. I just wanted to kind of have discussion and gauge opinions- how would you all feel about opening it? As it stands the things pushing me to crack it out are:

  1. It’s the Venusaur artwork and I’m a Blastoise fan. (Nothing wrong with Venusaur!)
  2. I don’t like how PSA graded booster packs look- those folds, ew! If anything I’d rather free it for display, as silly as that may sound.
  3. I believe that there is a high enough chance of decent cards, even if the packs were weighed, to offset the cost of the pack, or at least make the total cost of the pack at least a decent amount less. I’m more than willing to eat the cost of the pack to open it, but with this set I at least have a decent shot of recouping some of the money.
  4. I just… want to? I’ve never opened a 1st edition base set pack in my life. When I was a kid I only ever had unlimited onwards, so I just think it’d be fun.

Opinions? Questions? Comments, concerns?! Figured it’d be a fun discussion- I know there was a previous thread but now that both the packs themselves and the cards are worth more, I figure my situation would be somewhat fun to discuss.

The pack in question:

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It sounds like you have already decided to open it, so go ahead.

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Just about everything you said pointed to opening it so you should just so you realize there is zero chance to get a holo.
If that’s acceptable to you then knock yourself out kid. Have a ball;)

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If you do open it post what cards you got here. I’m curious to know what you get.

If you purchased it with the full intention of opening it then go ahead bud :blush: theres are a first time for everything !

These days, when you see a graded pack just accept that it has been weighed.

Go for it!

Worst case scenario you lose maybe half the money depending on how much you paid. Best case scenario you pick up a few 10 worthy cards. I say there’s a PSA 10 Charmeleon in there!

Please let us know the results.

I hope for you that the last card in the pack isn’t a Wartortle because the pack folding could’ve damaged it. But get out the camera and break the case!

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Any PSA 10 non holo rare and you are likely breakeven and many of them will put you in the positives alone. Non holos are much easier to grade as 10’s than holos, but still not the easiest. There are several great C/U out there too that can pay for the pack alone or at least nearly. Haunter, Wartortle, Charmeleon, Bulbasaur, Prof. Oak are just a short list that comes to mind of some solid ones to hit 10 on. I opened about 10 packs last year (one heavy pack) and it was a thrill. Not too many boxes are out there to crack anymore, so if you ever want to experience it, this is the way to go. I was able to break even on mine and its nice to have a few PSA 9 base 1st cards in my own complete set that I pack opened myself.

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absolutely open it !

I would keep it this way.

  • PSA grading could have damaged the cards in the pack.
  • Maybe the pack is weighted for holos.
  • Packs should become more scarce overtime as people will continue to open packs
  • You have to grade the new cards again

But then again, I’m not you. Do whatever you think is fun. Opening an original booster pack is a cool experience for every pokemon fan.

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Open and post results. Im pumped now!!! Pull some of the starter pokemon, pikachu, dragonair etc and youll be makin mo’

Open it and post pics of what you get…that is the only correct answer here. :wink:

The literal worst case scenario is you open a pack of cards that are off center or slightly knicked in the corners and such and PSA gives you a bunch of 8/9’s back. The thrill of opening it will make it money well spent. Good luck and post pulls!

Is the current bid of $50,300 on the 1st edition base set booster box supposed to deter me from opening this pack now…? Is my pack going to be worth over $1,000 when it’s all said and done? No matter. I am a man of my word and I will be opening this pack tomorrow when it comes in. Some say I may be the last to ever even open one of these… (just kidding, but yeah.) Stay tuned everyone and thank you for all of the advice/pushes to open it! I will record it too, just in case of… well, a miracle!

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I’m on the edge of my seat boy. Pumped as!

Grading packs works as a pretty good way to make sure you never open them.

Also, like I told someone else, you can always open the pack but you can’t seal it back up…

[the devil’s advocate appears]…

open it! open it! open it!

Hi guys!!

@milhouse @garyis2000 @spinch @prochaos @poken00b88 @genosha @gottaketchumall @ssjc @lelas @peacock @1by1collector @thecardguyz @budget @muddy !!

I guess there is a worst case scenario beyond the scenario of getting only PSA 8/9 cards.

I have a video of myself cracking it out of the case and opening it, too. How do I proceed? Happy Tuesday eveyone. Also, to make it better, none of the cards are mint. The Electabuzz is creased. :blush:

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