Black Lotus for Christmas!

[mystical_tutor]

I an an engineer who has seen far too many shrink-wrappers to know that it is actually very very easy to duplicate the sealing process with regular clear wrap. So my comments regarding the wrap issue were totally sound. The original image posted by the buyer (not Gary) could have been easy to fake - ...

I am very interested in this as I marvel at the way these early decks were wrapped as compared to the present ones. One of the early issues we had to work out with CM was some type of pull tab to open sealed products as it took a seven-year-old or a Buck belt knife to open them and I have never seen anything else so wrapped.

Is my assumption correct, however, that this kind of wrapping could not be done with a home wrapping system but would need an industrial grade wrapper? What I recall of the wrapper at CM was that it was a integrated part of a massive packaging operation.

Gary

[thulnanth]

Hey Gary,

You are correct in that it would most likely take an industrial wrapper to get the same "type" of wrap. Unfortunately, the wrappers are not all that uncommon - I've worked with several types over the years; we have a couple at my current job that most likely could do the trick. They are not huge machines at all (well, I guess they are kinda big, just small compaired to a double-web press - lol). We also have die cutters for corners (think Alpha-cut) and a very impressive digital plating department.

Now, our company does $100 mil in sales a year and is very aware of copyright issues, but I can say with certainty that fakes could be done. OTOH, the tools required would be far too capital-intensive to make it really possible right now. I feel pretty safe in saying that fakes will most likely come from smaller operations, and as such will be detectable with the right knowledge.

As for the original post, I agree with Len's notion that an Emerald is most likely the other rare. Knowing that I'd probably open it, but that's just me. I prefer my sealed starters to be sealed both inside and out - if the outside is opened then you may as well go all the way, right?

Sigh... yet another cool item from Gary's vault - glad you were there to save some of this stuff for us, Gary =D>

Take it easy,
Jared

[mystical_tutor]

"What would you do?"

Depends on why the guy bought it in the 1st place. I'd open it and see what else is there. The temptation to re-sell might be too great then? I'd like to get one of those decks Gary

LOL, so would I. I have only pulled one P9 card and that was a Pearl from a booster box long ago.

I can sell you a deck but can not give you any idea as to what will be in it....LOL

Gary