Back to crackin' wax

[mariner_gamers]

About 6 weeks ago my buddy and I were in a downtown Phoenix liquor store looking for a couple bottles of red. Normally we don't buy wine from LIQUOR and CIGARETTES but we had our ladies with us so we were on a tight schedule. They had a great selection for a little dive so we grabbed two and headed to the counter. To our surprise there were 2 boxes of 1989 Fleer baseball sitting at the register. The guy behind the counter offers us $10 a box if we take both. NICE! So we grab them and he assures us he will have more in a week.

Back at the ranch we start drinking wine, smokin' some Arturo Fuente Cubanitos and cracking packs. Suddenly we were both back in our youth looking for a Ripken error or Griffey rookie. It was a blast......

Fast forward 3 weeks and we are headed back to LIQUOR and CIGARETTES for more wax. This time we have my younger brother and his buddy with us. 2 boxes of '88 Donruss and a box of 1991 UD. My bro and his buddy are looking at us like we are crazy. A few hours later 4 "12-year olds" are sitting around the fire pit drinking wine, cracking wax and smoking cigars.

So far for next weekend we have 2 boxes of 1986 Donruss on tap. I suggest everyone who used to shuck boxes get together with another old junkie, have a few drinks and enjoy the experience. This same sort of feeling must be what started the great wax rush of the 1980's. Folks moving into midlife going back to what they remembered doing as kids.

[apfriz]

that sounds like some good fun ! did you pull anything ???
tks for sharing...

ant

[89ASMVPBats]

Davis:

Whenever I'm at a autograph show I always look for wax boxes from my childhood (late 80s/early 90s). For around 10 bucks I can feel like a kid again. Best retail therapy around.

Drew

[mariner_gamers]

Ant-Out of the 89 we pulled 3 Griffey's, 3 black box Ripkens an RJ and 2 or 3 Sheffields. Needless to say if was still 1989 we would have made a haul! The 1988 disappointed as it should have. We were unable to pull a Jefferies even though we were all chanting Jefferies by the last 8 packs. I think Roberto Kelly was our only short print. Funny thing it has been 22 years since we last cracked that stuff and we instantly knew the Kelly was a short print!

Drew-I am with ya! It even got to the point we were remembering the ridiculous nicknames we had for players.

[Jayworld]

About 20 years ago, I was helping my Mom clean out her closet, and she started to go through old purses for donating. In one purse, she found an unopened 1976 Topps baseball pack; evidently she had purchased it for me back in 1976 and forgotten to give it to me.

I remember debating as to whether or not to open the pack, as it was now (at that time) 1990, and the pack was from my childhood in 1976 when I was collecting baseball cards heavily. I decided to open it and enjoy the experience. Saved the wax wrapper to go with my 1976 baseball set....

[mariner_gamers]

About 20 years ago, I was helping my Mom clean out her closet, and she started to go through old purses for donating. In one purse, she found an unopened 1976 Topps baseball pack; evidently she had purchased it for me back in 1976 and forgotten to give it to me.

I remember debating as to whether or not to open the pack, as it was now (at that time) 1990, and the pack was from my childhood in 1976 when I was collecting baseball cards heavily. I decided to open it and enjoy the experience. Saved the wax wrapper to go with my 1976 baseball set....

Holy cow that's awesome! That has appeal on a whole different level. It was a physical reminder of your mother thinking of you and it was an unopened pack!!! I can't think of a better combo except perhaps if you found a wrapped and forgotten Christmas box of '76 from your mom!!

[Schmoozer]

About 6 weeks ago my buddy and I were in a downtown Phoenix liquor store looking for a couple bottles of red. Normally we don't buy wine from LIQUOR and CIGARETTES but we had our ladies with us so we were on a tight schedule. They had a great selection for a little dive so we grabbed two and headed to the counter. To our surprise there were 2 boxes of 1989 Fleer baseball sitting at the register. The guy behind the counter offers us $10 a box if we take both. NICE! So we grab them and he assures us he will have more in a week.

Back at the ranch we start drinking wine, smokin' some Arturo Fuente Cubanitos and cracking packs. Suddenly we were both back in our youth looking for a Ripken error or Griffey rookie. It was a blast......

Fast forward 3 weeks and we are headed back to LIQUOR and CIGARETTES for more wax. This time we have my younger brother and his buddy with us. 2 boxes of '88 Donruss and a box of 1991 UD. My bro and his buddy are looking at us like we are crazy. A few hours later 4 "12-year olds" are sitting around the fire pit drinking wine, cracking wax and smoking cigars.

So far for next weekend we have 2 boxes of 1986 Donruss on tap. I suggest everyone who used to shuck boxes get together with another old junkie, have a few drinks and enjoy the experience. This same sort of feeling must be what started the great wax rush of the 1980's. Folks moving into midlife going back to what they remembered doing as kids.


In a world gone insane.......that's just a great story. Just awesome. Just kind of opens a window back to what really matters in life.

The simple pleasures.

[Tay1038]

You just inspired me. I bought 5 boxes tonight on eBay. All from 1998-2000. When I was most active opening baseball packs. Should be a fun night in a week. I'm planning on inviting some buddies from back in the day to reunite crackin wax. Great post.

[commando]

To this day, the main focus of my card collection is sets and oddball cards from the 1980s. When you busted a pack of 1988 Score, there were no inserts. You were praying for Mattingly, McGwire and Boggs.

I love buying "junk" wax that isn't overpriced. I still find it from time to time at flea markets or thrift shops. A couple of years ago, I purchased a CASE (almost 20 boxes) of 1982 Topps Baseball Yearbook Stickers. For five dollars!

[Jayworld]

With all the commercialization and high prices of cards these days (which drove me away from the hobby), there's still nothing like opening a wax pack and getting that bad stick of bubble gum, and in some cases, a gum stain on the card(s). I used to save my money as a kid and go to the neighborhood 7-11 and buy a couple of packs (back then they were 20 cents each for a pack of 10 cards). If I was really adventurous, I'd purchase a dollar's worth of cards. And yes, I did chew the Topps bubble gum, too, and I did mark my checklists (heaven forbid in the modern days of "slabbing" cards) trying to complete my sets. Still have my 1974 - 1981 Topps complete sets....

I too sometimes purchase an old "clearance" price wax box just for the nostalgia.