I never tried it , but is it possible. I have bought loose packs some good ,some bad obviously. Just curious about card talk members input on this subject.

The short answer is yes. It would depend on the product, the type of insert, the difference in pack weight that would occur, etc.

Some inserts may not be detectable, but the stories about people trying to use jeweler scales to spot weight variances are not urban legends.

There are *many* ways to cherry pick packs.

This is why you need to be careful buying lots of loose packs.

This is also why packs at the local Targets in my area *never* have 'hits' in them.

Jon

I hate to play the heavy here folks but please remember that discussing specific ways to cherry pick boxes is not permitted on the forum (not that anyone has yet).

Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by H_Toser:
I hate to play the heavy here folks but please remember that discussing specific ways to cherry pick boxes is not permitted on the forum (not that anyone has yet).

Thanks.

I've got the perfect way to cherry pick a box, "buy the lot"

quote:

Originally posted by treksearcher:
I've got the perfect way to cherry pick a box, "buy the lot"

Oh, go on then... if you insist...

Thanks for your comments.

If you run this search in the Trading Card category on you-know-where, you can get some idea as to which series are susceptible to cherry-picking.

(hot, guarenteed) pack

Not only can weight can be used for this purpose, but also the thickness of the pack. I've heard stories of people using micrometers which can measure minute differences in the thickness of a pack, although I've never seen anyone do that personally.

I have seen someone use the micrometer- walked into a Target and a guy was looking for relic cards from a Topps baseball set.

If people want to use scales or micrometers to find special cards, more power to them. I hate those jerks who damage the pack by bending it or cut the packs open with a razor blade to look inside.

A year or two ago in Northern Illinois we had "The mad Slasher" who cut open packs of sports, Donruss Americana and others looking for inserts. Haven't seen any sign of him lately.

Let it be known that if I ever witness anyone measuring, weighing, or obviously cherry-picking packs in a retail outlet, I vow to call attention to the scoundrel in a very loud and annoying fashion. So loud and annoying that the culprit will think twice about cherry-picking in that establishment again.

Cherry-pickers, you have been warned!

Thank again everyone for your input. I also think it's a disgrace to cherry pick. My god have mercy on there souls, because thats stealing. If you do bad, bad things will happen.

This is exactly why I hate all the chase cards and emphasis on Sketches, Autographs, Pieceworks...Its all about the high dollar cards and nothing about the actual set.

Cherry pickers go to a special hell, a level reserved for child molesters and people who talk at the theatre. (Kudos if you can name the TV show I'm referencing! )

quote:

a level reserved for child molesters and people who talk at the theatre

Firefly?

I won't say what it was, but I recall a 1995 or 1996 SkyBox comic book related set (not Marvel or DC) that has long since been forgotten. The comic itself hasn't been published in 15 years, at least

In any event, there was a card set which had a few, very thick motion cards in it, and it was so obvious as to which packs contained them. They were twice the size of the packs that had just common cards or the regular chase.

I have been to Target stores in my area and watched people with scales weigh every sports related pack in the store. I reported this to the manager who said he didn't mind since the wasn't damaging the cards and made large $ purchases.

CardFan the people weighting the packs, was the box/Boxes opened or sealed?

If I ever see anyone weighting packs of cards. I'll make sure I get a piture of them and post there face/faces on the internet. To let other collectors know. Like a most wanted list. Maybe then those people will think twice about weighting cards.

I know I might catch some flak for saying this, but here it goes.

I don't have a problem with people looking for a special pack of cards.
Heck, we all do it when we stand in front a box of fruit at the market. You pick up the fruit, you look it, you squeeze it, etc. Same thing here. Your trying to pick the best for yourself. We all do it.

Once the product is on the floor, it's first come first serve. If someone saw a box of Thor cards on a U-Boat, they are more than in their right to pick up the box and purchase it. Or even go through it. As long as they don't damage the contents inside.

Now using tools like a micrometer and scale are a little over the top when it comes to trading cards, but as long as they are not opening up the packaging they aren't breaking any store rules. The box is out there, on the floor, and they are the consumer. They are aloud to scrutinize their purchases. Doesn't a diamond jeweler {or a guy buying an engagement ring} use a mini-scope to check the clarity of the stones?

Hypothetical. There's a mega-special pack of cards in a random box at retail stores, that is twice the thickness of a regular pack, and contains say 5 special cards, no one here would at least eyeball said box and then purchase it ? I would fine that hard to believe.

Food for thought,
Fred

quote:

Originally posted by Freddy:

Heck, we all do it when we stand in front a box of fruit at the market. You pick up the fruit, you look it, you squeeze it, etc. Same thing here. Your trying to pick the best for yourself. We all do it.

While I totally understand what you are saying, there are a few key differences. . .

The main one is that you don't go into the store and buy all the good fruit, leaving all the old browning pieces to the side, then go home and sell the fruit you just bought. So the analogy doesn't quite work as the objective of most cherry pickers isn't to buy something for themselves, it is generally to buy to resell.

This is a huge issue in my area, not only cherry pickers, but people who open packages looking for inserts.

I will agree with you though that this isn't necessarily an issue for the retailer to solve. This needs to be solved at a manufacturer level, I wish all products would be sold as blaster boxes (but cherry pickers even weigh those -- seriously). Cherry pickers hurt sales, and they hurt the hobby. I personally would spend hundreds of dollars a year on wax at mass merchants if they couldn't be cherry picked, but as it is I might buy 1 or 2 blasters in a year.

It is kinda funny that companies like Panini and Upper Deck are so worried about retail sales that they are limiting internet sales, but no one is addressing this issue at all. . . It's especially odd as I'm sure more of us have mass merchants readily available than card shops.

I'd love to see wax/blaster/box vending machines at Target selling hobby materials.

Jon