Stacks and stacks of wax packs, now obsolete, summon the joy of baseball-card childhoods

Baseball card fans are revisiting the joy of opening wax packs as modern collecting becomes more specialized and value-driven. The Associated Press describes how the wax pack format emerged as Topps’ delivery method in 1951 and became a ritual built around anticipation, the scent and feel of gum, wax, and cardboard, and the thrill of pulling stars or “common” cards. It notes that while actual wax wrappers largely ended about 35 years ago, the phrase “ripping wax” remains. Collectors say the experience cannot be matched by foil wrappers and chase formats. The article quotes Brian Pirrip, owner of M1NT, who said the sensory mix transports people back to another time. Pirrip has taken his collection hobby to 47 states and staged recent pack-ripping at Citi Field during a night with 1987 Topps cards, featuring names such as Nolan Ryan, Don Mattingly, Roger Clemens, and Kirby Puckett.