The Post War Cards Newsletter #20
Aaron's Debut Ticket, '64 Topps Art, OPC HK Cellos, Home Run Hitting Signers, And VintageGas Station Albums
It's crazy how time flies; 20 Post War Cards Newsletters! I’d love to hear your thoughts—what you’re enjoying, what you’d like to see more of, and what I should ditch. Hit me up with an email and let me know!
Here’s what I’ve got for you this week: Hank Aaron’s debut ticket and other interesting items from Heritage Auctions, 1964 Topps baseball back of card artwork, 1974 OPC Hockey Cello Packs, two great home run hitters signing at a card show, and one of the 1957 Sohio Gas albums.
⚾️🎟️ Heritage Auctions and Hank Aaron’s Debut Ticket
While the ticket niche of the hobby seems to have come off its peak, prices for unique items remain really strong, especially compared to a few years ago. One such example that Heritage sold in their Winter Sports Cards Catalog Auction, which ended Jan 31/Feb 1, was a PSA-graded ticket stub from Hank Aaron’s debut on April 13, 1954, against the Cincinnati Redlegs. It sold for $23,790.
PSA’s Pop Report shows there’s a single graded full ticket and 12 stubs from Hammerin' Hank’s debut. Here are a few previous stub sales (kudos to those who held a ticket for the past 10+ years):
Lelands sold a PSA 5 for $42,6722 in August 2023
Heritage sold the same PSA Auth pictured above for $17,400 in April 2023
Mile High Card Co. sold a PSA 2 for $2,241 in July 2019
Heritage sold a PSA Auth for $3,600 in February 2019
Heritage sold an SGC Auth copy for $1,200 in May 2018
Heritage sold a raw copy for $657 in May 2015
Huggins & Scott sold a PSA 2 for $381 in June 2012
Huggins & Scott sold a PSA 4 for $470 in February 2012
A few other unique high-priced ticket highlights from the Heritage auction included a PSA 1 1919 World Series (Game Five) Ticket Stub ($4,270), a PSA 4 1998 NBA Finals (Game Six) “The Shot” Ticket Stub ($5,124), and a PSA 9 2018 Shohei Ohtani MLB Debut Full Ticket ($2,806).
Overall, the auction’s three priciest items were a 1997 Skybox E-X 2001 Allen Iverson (Essential Credentials Now) #3 PSA 5 ($701,500), 19978-98 SkyBox Metal Universe Michael Jordan (Precious Metal Gems, Ruby Red) #23 PSA 5 ($378,200), and a 1984-85 Star Co. Michael Jordan #101 PSA 8.5 - with Chicago Bulls Team Set ($366k).
Also, it’s totally random, but I thought the 1985 Topps Hockey Wax Box Production Proof, which went for $129, was pretty darn cool, too.
🎨 1964 Topps Baseball Back Of Card Artwork
A really cool piece, originally from The Topps Vault, was sold on eBay for $41 on Jan 26th: the 1964 Topps baseball back of card artwork with the following text, “Who was the Red Sox Home Run Leader Last Year? - Dick Stuart 42 Homers.”
But the cartoon wasn’t featured on Dick Stuart’s card; that would’ve been too easy for kids in the spring of ‘64. It was actually on John Buzhardt’s card #323.
✍️ Great Hobby Writing
Night Owl Cards: Late-night learning
Sports Collectors Daily: 1956 Topps Baseball Pins Right on the Button
The Shlabotnik Report: TCMA & SSPC, Majors & Minors
A Pack to be Named Later: 1992 Topps Gruesome Greeting Cards
The Topps Archives: Rats!
Junk Wax Jay: Finally…
Nine Pockets: A Smorgasbord! Drake's Big Hitters and Super Pitchers
Uncle Charlie’s Shoebox: Sandberg Collection Top 10
The Chronicles of Fuji: 660ct. Storage Box of Cards
Number 5 Type Collection: 1973 Topps Baseball #273 Chris Speier, Photo Identified from July 15, 1972
🏒 Unopened Item Of The Week - 1974 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cello Packs
This 1974 O-Pee-Chee Hockey cello pack was sold on eBay a few weeks ago by 4SharpCorners for $948. That's 30 cards for 20 cents if you can’t see behind the marker. By comparison, 1974 O-Pee-Chee wax packs offered eight cards for 10 cents.
These cello packs are scarce. Though this particular pack appeared for sale on Facebook twice last year, it was listed for $1,750 in June 2024 and $1,395 in December 2024.
I’ve seen raw packs with McCreary and Potvin on top and GAI-graded ‘74 OPC cello packs with Andre Boudrias, Darryl Edestrand, and Bill Mikkelson on top. The Mikkelson pack was crossed to PSA and the only other PSA-graded copy I’ve seen featured Wayne Merrick on top, though PSA's Pop Report shows 12 graded copies.
Given the 1975 date on the cello pack label and cards/price ratio, I thought perhaps OPC was trying to dump inventory at the end of the season. However, Bobby Burrell thinks it would have been tough for OPC to develop that packaging at the 11th hour. Topps perhaps could have, but not OPC.
If you enjoyed this piece, consider upgrading to receive the weekly Unopened Market Report.
📝 On The Blog
Jan 31, 2025: A Tribute to a Baseball Legend: The 1976 Douglas Cool Papa Bell Set
Jan 31, 2025: Collecting the Jerry West Kahn’s Wieners Basketball Cards
Feb 1, 2025: A Look Back at the 1952 Topps Partial Uncut Sheet Auctioned at the 1992 National
Feb 2, 2025: Rarity and Intrigue: The 1954 Bowman Metal Printers Sheet with Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams
Feb 3, 2025: PSA’s Alleged 1964 Kahn’s Wieners Jerry Lucas Variation: Real or Not?
Feb 4, 2025: The Set That Never Was – The 1976-77 HRT/RES 1947 Bowman Baseball Cards
Feb 5, 2025: The PSA 8 Graded 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Sotheby’s Auctioned In 2005
🇺🇸⚾️🇯🇵 Card Show History - The Two Greatest Home Run Hitters
Here’s an ad from the August 1994 issue of Trading Cards Magazine for The International Sportscard and Memorabilia Expo - “The Biggest Event to hit Anaheim since the 1991 National Convention.”
And who were the headline signers? “The Two Greatest Home Run Hitters in the World!” Hank Aaron and Sadaharu Oh!
⛽ In The Hobby Library - 1957 Sohio Gas Cincinnati Redlegs Photo Album
In 1957, Sohio (Standard Oil of Ohio) gas stations issued a pair of sets for the state's baseball teams, the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Redlegs. Here’s the front and back of the Reds album.
It was designed to hold each of the 18 perforated 5’’ x 7’’ photos and included biographical information for each player.
The front of the album included “Cincinnati Redleg Records,” and the back page had a much longer biography of manager George Tebbetts.
I‘ll share the Indians album another time!
Happy collecting!
Love the “Back-of-Card” Art!!! How cool is that!?! My step-father was an artist for Disney, and it’s the little weird stuff that ends up being a part of a finished product that is most interesting. Very cool.