How do you find a sports card hot pack?

Answer 1

I am aware that there is many different ways to pack search. There is the swipe, the fan, the sliding, using calipers, and even to some extreme, weighing packs. In this section we will talk about all of the above; with the exception of calipers and weighing the packs. That is a little extreme. However, if you use either of those techniques, please feel free to share in this post.

The Flex Test:

This technique only works for relics and not Autographs. Hold the pack by opposing corners and give it a slight flex. If the cards flex easily it is not a relic pack. If it has little to no flex then it is either a relic or a decoy pack. In order to determine if it is a relic or a decoy you must next do....

The Swipe Test:

This way will allow you to find almost any jersey, relics, or patch card. The game used and relic cards are often thicker than the base cards. However, even if they are not thicker, this technique will still work. Here is how I do it. I go through a product and find the thickest packs in the box. These packs are the game used packs and the decoys as well. I then place the cards on a flat surface (most commonly the register at whatever store I am at) and run my finger down the middle. If it is a jersey, you will feel an indentation. If I do not feel it in the middle, I will then run my finger down the left and right side of the packs. If still no luck, then the pack is a decoy. If you feel a dent, then BAM! You have found a game used card. Like I said, this is the easiest and most common way to find these cards.

The Slide Test:

This way is a little more difficult. This is also commonly know as sliding. To do this, you must separate each of the cards. This is the best way to find autographs that are on stickers. I normally take a pack and separate it from the front. I will move all the cards in the pack to the bottom of the pack and then one by one slide the top card up to the top of the pack. Then I very lightly run my finger over the card surface and feel for any bump. These is a significant bump on the card surface if there is an auto. This is the easy way to find autos in products like Topps and Bowman Chrome. It can also be used in SP Signature types, if the sticker is low enough. In the 4 card packs of chrome it is normally the second or third card and in the 3 card packs it will be the middle card. Rack packs are a little different. They are sometimes upside down and are typically the third card. It is easy to tell, cause the rack packs are normally see thru

These are pretty much the basics of card searching, without going into the weighing and caliper ways.

For more techniques, demonstation videos, brand specific tips, or to just see what your fellow packsearchers are talking about visit www.PackSearchers.com for all of your pack searching information.

There is also the fat pack test. This way is easy for Panini Classics Football 2010 Retail packs. you take all the packs from the box, and squeeze them all together. and the thickest pack is always a hit.