Original Series Wackys: Hard to Find in High Grade

[Paul_Maul]

We've had many discussions over the years about original series wackys that are difficult to find in high grade. Sometimes it's because of inherent centering issues, sometimes the reasons aren't as obvious.

Rather than mentioning some of the best known stickers in this category, I'll start with the Bum Choke 4th puzzle. After ten years, I have exactly one piece that's in true NM/M condition without any wax.

As far as stickers, I'll start with 2nd series 8-Lives and 3rd series Sweathard (both always off center) and let others add to the list....

[BumChex]

This is a good topic and would love to hear about the challenging cards. I think my 1-16 run is pretty solid so I will need to review what you listed tomorrow. If mine are nice I will post scans. I could be wrong since I haven't reviewed them in a couple of years.

For me the toughest one has always been choke wagon. They all seem to be miscut and a lot have a bad cut on the left so the top is bigger than the bottom.

[Kook]

We've had many discussions over the years about original series wackys that are difficult to find in high grade. Sometimes it's because of inherent centering issues, sometimes the reasons aren't as obvious.

Rather than mentioning some of the best known stickers in this category, I'll start with the Bum Choke 4th puzzle. After ten years, I have exactly one piece that's in true NM/M condition without any wax.

As far as stickers, I'll start with 2nd series 8-Lives and 3rd series Sweathard (both always off center) and let others add to the list....

Here are a few from my experience:
1st - Kook aid
2nd - 8 lives, awful bits, gyppy pop ditch masters
3rd - raw leaves, sweat hard, moon shine crackers, windchester
4th - blue beanie, gatoraid, land o quakes
5th - tijuana smells, shot wheels
6th - play dumb, clammy, bum bums
7th - big muc, contrac, creature crackers
9th - Pigpen oil, GI toe, Jerky fruits
10th - tic toc, caraid
11th - gulp, fib, bash, alpain
12th - battlecaps
13th - doomed, sneezer
14th - Aint, sell'em
15th - fang edwards, bandage

This list varies mostly they are hard to find centered. A few are notorious diamond cut or misshaped cuts. And another few just NEVER seem to show up in nice condition no matter how many lots I look thru.

[BumChex]

Here are a few from my experience:
1st - Kook aid
2nd - 8 lives, awful bits, gyppy pop ditch masters
3rd - raw leaves, sweat hard, moon shine crackers, windchester
4th - blue beanie, gatoraid, land o quakes
5th - tijuana smells, shot wheels
6th - play dumb, clammy, bum bums
7th - big muc, contrac, creature crackers
9th - Pigpen oil, GI toe, Jerky fruits
10th - tic toc, caraid
11th - gulp, fib, bash, alpain
12th - battlecaps
13th - doomed, sneezer
14th - Aint, sell'em
15th - fang edwards, bandage

This list varies mostly they are hard to find centered. A few are notorious diamond cut or misshaped cuts. And another few just NEVER seem to show up in nice condition no matter how many lots I look thru.

WOW! You put that list together pretty fast. Now I have to do some searching tomorrow.

[Paul_Maul]

Here are a few from my experience:
1st - Kook aid
2nd - 8 lives, awful bits, gyppy pop ditch masters
3rd - raw leaves, sweat hard, moon shine crackers, windchester
4th - blue beanie, gatoraid, land o quakes
5th - tijuana smells, shot wheels
6th - play dumb, clammy, bum bums
7th - big muc, contrac, creature crackers
9th - Pigpen oil, GI toe, Jerky fruits
10th - tic toc, caraid
11th - gulp, fib, bash, alpain
12th - battlecaps
13th - doomed, sneezer
14th - Aint, sell'em
15th - fang edwards, bandage

This list varies mostly they are hard to find centered. A few are notorious diamond cut or misshaped cuts. And another few just NEVER seem to show up in nice condition no matter how many lots I look thru.

Definite agreement on Awful Bits, Blue Beanie, Tijuana Smells, Shot Wheels, Clammy, Pigpen, Jerky Fruits, Bash and Fang E.

Other long-standing upgrade needs for me include (1st) Dopey Whip and Grave Train, (4th) Choke Wagon (as Brad said),  Brute 88 (same deal as Jerky Fruits), (5th) Sicken of the Sea, and (8th) Rolaches (same miscut deal as the others).

[Paul_Maul]

1st - Kook aid
 

[bandaches]

Definite agreement on Awful Bits, Blue Beanie, Tijuana Smells, Shot Wheels, Clammy, Pigpen, Jerky Fruits, Bash and Fang E.

Other long-standing upgrade needs for me include (1st) Dopey Whip and Grave Train, (4th) Choke Wagon (as Brad said),  Brute 88 (same deal as Jerky Fruits), (5th) Sicken of the Sea, and (8th) Rolaches (same miscut deal as the others).

anyone have issues with Taxim and Alpain?

[Paul_Maul]

anyone have issues with Taxim and Alpain?

Alpain, yes. I never viewed the 9th series as super tough, but now that I've gone through them carefully, there are a lot of annoying 9th series issues. Ironically, as series, I'd rate series 6-9 as the toughest to find in near perfect shape. And 14th tans too.

[BumChex]

(Image removed from quote.)

Is this one that hard? I have a PSA8 on this one. That could still be subjective. Hey, once it's stabbed its a real gem

[Paul_Maul]

Is this one that hard? I have a PSA8 on this one. That could still be subjective. Hey, once it's stabbed its a real gem

Honestly, this one is way nicer than the average PSA 8. Check out all the PSA 8's on ebay, many have wear at multiple corners,
tilt, diamond cut, tanning, etc.

[Paul_Maul]

Not that the PSA population report is an absolute barometer, but if you look at that you'll see a lot of this is borne out. For example,
there are only 12 Kook-Aids graded PSA 8 or higher. Many titles with the same sheet frequency are in the 20's and 30's. In fact the Kook-Aid >8 population is the same as Mutts.

[Kook]

WOW! You put that list together pretty fast. Now I have to do some searching tomorrow.

Only 2 or 3 years of non-stop upggrades to draw from

[ToadallyDude]

This is a great topic!  I don't know how many Wackys I've owned over the years.  Certainly not as many as you guys with the websites or eBay stores, but 3 complete 1-16 runs and tons of singles & sets.  I agree with some of the ones on that list.  Choke Wagon and Shotwheels are definitely a challenge, partly because they're harder to find (pulled title & cross-collected by Hotwheels & car people).

3RD SERIES, though, is by far the worst case overall, though.  Obviously, a pack-fresh set of white-backs would be the exception.  But there was something about the way they printed the 3rd tans that made them MUCH duller than any other series.  Finding NM examples that are both centered AND bright is a challenge, even though the print run was high for 3rd. 

4th/5th/6th series often had the same problem, BUT when they started using the "glossy" variation paper, it gave collectors a way to get ultra-bright (not ultra-blight) versions of those.  I've never seen a "glossy" 3rd, though.  And by the 7th/8th, it seems like something changed in the quality of the normal non-glossy paper and that problem went away.

Kook-Aid always reminds me of my old IronMan#1 comic.  Something about dark purple ink that makes it hard to find in really nice shape.  (Sold mine at ComicCon in 2010 for $75 after it didn't really appreciate after the movie versions.  For some reason, it's always been one of the Silver Age #1 dogs.  Bought it for $12 in 1980 or so instead of X-Men #1 for $25.  Dumb choice.)

[BumChex]

I finally found a little time to scan.
I checked on my PSA 8 Kook Aid and it's OC.
Here are scans of my series 2. All white back. The top Awful Bits is a black ludlow. I don't know why my scanner is showing the bottom of ditch master and the bottom awful bits with a curve. Both show a slight curve on the bottom and they are not. They Gyppy Pop is OC but still pretty solid.
I'll post more later today.

[BumChex]

Here's series 3. Looks like my Moonshine is a bit OC and my Raw Leaves is OC with a couple bumped corners.

[BumChex]

Series 4. I don't know if they would call the Land O OC? The Beanie is OC but still pretty sharp.

[BumChex]

Series 5 - these both look pretty decent. The smells has a little faint yellowing.

[BumChex]

series 6 - Clammy is really nice but it would be considered OC. Play Dumb could be upgraded.

[BumChex]

Series 7 - I had Creature slabbed so I could get a good opinion of my overall series 7 series and it's one of my faves.

[BumChex]

Series 9 - Pigpen is a tough one for me as well. Mine has a bit of a dog ear on the top left, track marks, & a bit of staining on the back. GI Toe is OC

[BumChex]

Series 10- I think these both look good. Might be considered OC but it would be close.

[BumChex]

Series 11 - This one has always been dear to my heart for some reason and I worked a bit harder to find NM cards. The FIB looks to be a bit miscut though.

[BumChex]

Series 12 - My series 12 is pretty rock solid. This Battle Caps could be considered OC though.
Series 13 - mine are all slabbed. They all came back as PSA 6's because of tractor marks.

[BumChex]

Series 14 - Pretty solid but my aints is OC. That one is really tough!

[BumChex]

Series 15 - I think I have a pretty solid series here. This has been a fun exercise to go through my collection again.

[Paul_Maul]

Your Sweathard and 8-Lives have way above average centering, but unfortunately appear to be no better than 7's due to corner wear and other issues.

A PSA 8 Sweathard is worth over $100.

The 8-Lives is more like a PSA 6 actually.

[BumChex]

Your Sweathard and 8-Lives have way above average centering, but unfortunately appear to be no better than 7's due to corner wear and other issues.

A PSA 8 Sweathard is worth over $100.

The 8-Lives is more like a PSA 6 actually.

That's OK for me. I want a fairly solid 1-16 run. I'm happy if most of my cards are PSA 7. NM is what I am striving for.

[Kook]

Series 9 - Pigpen is a tough one for me as well. Mine has a bit of a dog ear on the top left, track marks, & a bit of staining on the back. GI Toe is OC

That's an exceptional jerky fruits. Most are cut long on the right side.

[gumby8691]

Series 14 - Pretty solid but my aints is OC. That one is really tough!

I agree with you about 'Ain't' - It's one of the few holes in my 1-15 series collection. I have two but each one is off-centered. I do have a trifold which is easily NM AND centered but I keep my tri-folds separate for some reason (same with ludlows).

[BumChex]

I agree with you about 'Ain't' - It's one of the few holes in my 1-15 series collection. I have two but each one is off-centered. I do have a trifold which is easily NM AND centered but I keep my tri-folds separate for some reason (same with ludlows).

This one is really centered well but it's got a big fold in it eBay auction: #160822042000

[BumChex]

Could this be why Clammy's are so hard to find centered? eBay auction: #370709907993
There is another one in completed auctions that has a little black on the top as well.

[BumChex]

I was just looking up a few of these on ebay and noticed this seller and her completed auctions. I can't believe the prices some of these went for. Amazing! Plus it looks like she's pinching a corner on every card.

[Paul_Maul]

Could this be why Clammy's are so hard to find centered? eBay auction: #370709907993
There is another one in completed auctions that has a little black on the top as well.

This has been discussed in the past. Based on the way the sheet is laid out, any truly centered Clammy will appear miscut. So the best hope for a "centered" Clammy is one that is about 60/40, just O/C enough for the image of the other sticker to disappear.

[gumby8691]

This one is really centered well but it's got a big fold in it eBay auction: #160822042000

Thanks - I saw that one too. Too bad about the crease. 

[Porkie]

There were several auctions recently by a "coca_cola_collecting" that appeared to have some higher grade Wackys in them (although the images were definitely saturated/brightened a bit).

I put in a snipe or two but someone really wanted these sets, going to $180 for a partial (29/30) 4th series set and amazingly $220 for a partial (28/33) 7th series set!!

Was it one of you, perhaps?