Sealed Factory Sets that are now "bricks"

bagman1960 · 06-06-2020, 09:34 PM

Recently purchased a 2001 Topps Sealed Factory Set. Opened it and the cards were stuck together like a brick.

What are some of the other sealed factory sets that are probably "bricks" now if opened?

BigL7370 · 06-06-2020, 11:14 PM

Any UV coated - basically from the early 1990s onward.

BGT Masters · 06-06-2020, 11:16 PM

1993 upper deck for sure. Had it happen to me.

EldoEsq · 06-07-2020, 07:34 AM

I opened a 2004 set a year ago... Bricked up

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Mister2Bits · 06-07-2020, 08:40 AM

Anything Fleer Ultra

I still have the Tom Brady RC that I peeled off the back of another card. It's completely ruined

shrevecity · 06-07-2020, 08:44 AM

Just about any base set after 1992. YOu can try putting them in the freezer for an hour or 2 then try to seperate them. That can help minimize the damage.

Edgespear23 · 06-07-2020, 08:50 AM

When did or have they stopped doing this with newer stuff?

Callmethevreez · 06-07-2020, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edgespear23

When did or have they stopped doing this with newer stuff?

Im wondering the same, so is everything basically just a ticking time bomb!?

imbluestreak23 · 06-07-2020, 01:44 PM

Just opened a 1997 UD Collector's Choice Draft Trade Set w/ Duncan, Billups, McGrady rookies. They were all perfect, but bricked, and had surface issues

ThoseBackPages · 06-07-2020, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edgespear23

When did or have they stopped doing this with newer stuff?

2001 Heritage

mfw13 · 06-07-2020, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigL7370

Any UV coated - basically from the early 1990s onward.

This.....

Soxfan26 · 06-07-2020, 05:37 PM

Recently opened UD Collector's Choice from '94 to '97 just for kicks, and they were all fine. Some of them had some slight stick, but no paper loss at all. I think much of it has to do with the temperature and humidity conditions that the cards have been stored at for the past twenty years also.

80pc · 06-07-2020, 05:53 PM

Not much info on complete sets, but I recently started keeping track of boxes since I like to open older stuff.

Passed:
2001 Bowman DPP Set/Case - minimal sticking, surfaces okay
1995 Bowman Hobby - No Issues
2001 Bowman Hobby - Minimal sticking, surface okay
1997 Bowman Best (3) - Easy separation, no surface issues
2001 SPX - Easy separation, surface okay
1993 Finest - No issues at all

Failed:
1997 Fleer Ultra Series 2 Hobby - Extreme sticking and bricking. Extreme surface damage. I would only buy this box for display. Fortunately there were no mangled David Arias cards in there for me to get sad about.

eye4talent · 06-07-2020, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister2Bits

Anything Fleer Ultra

I still have the Tom Brady RC that I peeled off the back of another card. It's completely ruined

Ultra from ‘92, ‘93... That bricked up within days of boxing it. That stuff was garbage.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

eye4talent · 06-07-2020, 08:22 PM

This is making me a little worried about my ‘89 Upper Deck set, which I’ve managed to keep sealed for 31 years. Any bricking experiences with those?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

NHRonin · 06-07-2020, 08:52 PM

I haven’t tried it but someone claimed they put them in the freezer and we’re then able to separate the cards.

Not sure why this should work.

JUNKWAX · 06-07-2020, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eye4talent

This is making me a little worried about my ‘89 Upper Deck set, which I’ve managed to keep sealed for 31 years. Any bricking experiences with those?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I bought a factory 1989 UD set a few years ago. There were no issues at all. Havent run into any issues with the packs either. I did have some early '90s UD that was at the bottom of a storage container under extreme weight that had some serious sticking.

JUNKWAX · 06-07-2020, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NHRonin

I haven’t tried it but someone claimed they put them in the freezer and we’re then able to separate the cards.

Not sure why this should work.

I tried this with some 1993 Fleer packs I think it was. Didn't change a thing. Gently flexing the packs before opening is what I have had the most luck with. You can hear them unsticking themselves when you flex them.

Zauron · 06-07-2020, 09:14 PM

I bought sets from 2011 and 2018 to hope to keep sealed(my kids birth years), but this thought always had me worried since this happens very easily.

espnfanco · 06-07-2020, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NHRonin

I haven’t tried it but someone claimed they put them in the freezer and we’re then able to separate the cards.

Not sure why this should work.

I have heard this too. I will give it a try and post the results when I get to opening them.

espnfanco · 06-07-2020, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JUNKWAX

I tried this with some 1993 Fleer packs I think it was. Didn't change a thing. Gently flexing the packs before opening is what I have had the most luck with. You can hear them unsticking themselves when you flex them.

Thanks for the tip!

HarryLime · 06-08-2020, 08:04 AM

It's a chemical bond. Putting them in the freezer won't do jack squat.

Arthur

CardMarkets · 06-09-2020, 08:42 AM

had this issue with multiple 2003 Topps complete sets

BlowoutBuzz · 06-09-2020, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eye4talent

This is making me a little worried about my ‘89 Upper Deck set, which I’ve managed to keep sealed for 31 years. Any bricking experiences with those?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's not glossy.

80pc · 06-09-2020, 04:38 PM

I tried using heat on 97 Fleer Ultra. It did allow them to separate a bit better but not enough to prevent surface damage. I was able to get a few cards and inserts separated with minimal damage but not many.

Towards the end of the break, I found simply cracking/bending the stack as I believe someone mentioned earlier, as the best way to separate them, but even then, the cards are still damaged.

06-06-2020, 09:34 PM	#1
bagman1960 Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 210	Sealed Factory Sets that are now "bricks" Recently purchased a 2001 Topps Sealed Factory Set. Opened it and the cards were stuck together like a brick. What are some of the other sealed factory sets that are probably "bricks" now if opened?

06-07-2020, 08:40 AM	#5
Mister2Bits Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Florida Man Posts: 4,540 mistertwobits mistertwobits	Anything Fleer Ultra I still have the Tom Brady RC that I peeled off the back of another card. It's completely ruined __________________ Collecting: Ohtani, Judge \| Skateboarding Cards, Autographs & Decks

06-07-2020, 01:44 PM	#9
imbluestreak23 Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Lex KY to Phx AZ Posts: 16,660 shortslabs	Just opened a 1997 UD Collector's Choice Draft Trade Set w/ Duncan, Billups, McGrady rookies. They were all perfect, but bricked, and had surface issues __________________ @shortslabs SPORTS CARD HOT LISTS / MARKET ANALYSIS GRADED BREAKS & MAIL DAYS https://www.youtube.com/c/TylerShort

06-07-2020, 09:14 PM	#19
Zauron Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 5,465	I bought sets from 2011 and 2018 to hope to keep sealed(my kids birth years), but this thought always had me worried since this happens very easily. __________________ Champ Bailey Collector! Currently: 909/2602 hermanotarjeta: You've been BRIOSED!!!!!!!!!

06-06-2020, 11:14 PM	#2
BigL7370 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 931	Any UV coated - basically from the early 1990s onward.

06-06-2020, 11:16 PM	#3
BGT Masters Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wellsville, New York Posts: 9,938	1993 upper deck for sure. Had it happen to me.

06-07-2020, 07:34 AM	#4
EldoEsq Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: UP Upstate NY now! Posts: 1,459 roryladd Eldoesq	I opened a 2004 set a year ago... Bricked up Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

06-07-2020, 08:44 AM	#6
shrevecity Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 27,824	Just about any base set after 1992. YOu can try putting them in the freezer for an hour or 2 then try to seperate them. That can help minimize the damage.

06-07-2020, 08:50 AM	#7
Edgespear23 Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 114 Canseco561	When did or have they stopped doing this with newer stuff?

06-07-2020, 05:37 PM	#12
Soxfan26 Member Join Date: Nov 2019 Posts: 331	Recently opened UD Collector's Choice from '94 to '97 just for kicks, and they were all fine. Some of them had some slight stick, but no paper loss at all. I think much of it has to do with the temperature and humidity conditions that the cards have been stored at for the past twenty years also.

06-07-2020, 05:53 PM	#13
80pc Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 698	Not much info on complete sets, but I recently started keeping track of boxes since I like to open older stuff. Passed: 2001 Bowman DPP Set/Case - minimal sticking, surfaces okay 1995 Bowman Hobby - No Issues 2001 Bowman Hobby - Minimal sticking, surface okay 1997 Bowman Best (3) - Easy separation, no surface issues 2001 SPX - Easy separation, surface okay 1993 Finest - No issues at all Failed: 1997 Fleer Ultra Series 2 Hobby - Extreme sticking and bricking. Extreme surface damage. I would only buy this box for display. Fortunately there were no mangled David Arias cards in there for me to get sad about.

06-07-2020, 08:22 PM	#15
eye4talent Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 7,668 eye4talent eye4talent	This is making me a little worried about my ‘89 Upper Deck set, which I’ve managed to keep sealed for 31 years. Any bricking experiences with those? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

06-07-2020, 08:52 PM	#16
NHRonin Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Southern NH Posts: 1,174 roninent1 Roninent1	I haven’t tried it but someone claimed they put them in the freezer and we’re then able to separate the cards. Not sure why this should work.

06-08-2020, 08:04 AM	#22
HarryLime Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Spaceball 1 Posts: 4,793	It's a chemical bond. Putting them in the freezer won't do jack squat. Arthur

06-09-2020, 08:42 AM	#23
CardMarkets Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 431 CardMarkets CardMarkets	had this issue with multiple 2003 Topps complete sets

06-09-2020, 04:38 PM	#25
80pc Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 698	I tried using heat on 97 Fleer Ultra. It did allow them to separate a bit better but not enough to prevent surface damage. I was able to get a few cards and inserts separated with minimal damage but not many. Towards the end of the break, I found simply cracking/bending the stack as I believe someone mentioned earlier, as the best way to separate them, but even then, the cards are still damaged.