The Post War Cards Newsletter #9
Hobby Cheers!
👨💼 Woody Gelman's Collection of 27 Topps Advertising Sheets
Before the internet, Topps used printed flyers to promote its latest products to dealers and retailers. These sheets were essential for communicating release information, product codes, distribution, and pricing. Today, they’re rare but valuable resources for researchers and collectors. A significant lot of 27 from Woody Gelman’s (Topps’ director of product development) collection entered the hobby in November 2001 through Mastro Auctions.
Here's a complete list, some of which I've still never seen!
1951 Red Backs
1961 Baseball with stamps inserts
1962 Baseball picturing a 29-cent RAK-PAK
1962 Baseball 5-cent wax packs
1963 Baseball 10-cent cello pack and 29-cent RAK-PAK
1963 Bazooka Bubble Gum Box that includes "Golen Edition Baseball Cards"
1964 Baseball 10-cent cello pack and 29-cent RAK-PAK
1964 Bazooka Bubble Gum illustrates the 20-count box. A bonus bazooka baseball stamp sheet of 10 was included in each box.
1964 Bazooka Bubble Gum Box, 120-count display-shipper
1966 Baseball 10-cent cello and 29-cent RAK-PAk
1966 Baseball 29-cent RAK-PAK
1967 Topps Pirate Stickers Test Issue 5-cent wax pack 24-count box
1967 Topps Red Sox Stickers Test Issue 50cent wax pack 24-count box
Advertising sheet that offers both the 1968 Topps Baseball 5-cent wax pack 24-count box and the 1968 Topps Baseball Action Stickers 10-cent wax pack 12-count box
Advertising sheet that offers both the 1968 Topps Baseball 5-cent wax pack 24-count box and the rare test issue 1968 Topps Baseball Punch-Out 10-cent cello pack 12-count box
1968 Topps Baseball 5-cent 24-count wax pack box and 1968 Topps All-Star Baseball Plaks 10cent wax pack 12-count box
1968 Topps 10-cent Baseball Team Poster 24-count wax pack box
1968 Bazooka All-Time Baseball Greats 25-count box
1969 Topps Baseball Stamps plus Team Albums
1970 Topps 10-cent wax pack
1971 Bazooka Bubble Gum illustrates 25-count box
1972 Topps 10-cent Baseball Posters
1973 Topps Baseball Stars Bubble Gum Candy Lid Issue
1973 Topps Baseball 25-cent cello pack 24-count box
1974 Topps Baseball 15-cent wax pack 24-count box
1974 Topps 10-cent Baseball Stamps & Album wax pack in a 36-count box
1951 Topps Bring 'em Back Alive
🏴☠️ Vintage Non Sport Auction Auction #18 And A Pirate's Legacy Map Card
Vintage Non-Sports Cards 18th auction wrapped up last week on November 10th. Their auctions are a little under the radar, but the niche is growing.
A few of the pricey highlights included an N365 Lone Jack Inventors - Thomas Edison ($8,638), an N365 Lone Jack Inventors - Benjamin Franklin ($6,302), an R69 Gum Inc Horrors of War Complete High Grade Set of 288 with SGC-Graded Keys ($5,801), an R73 Goudey Gum Indian Gum Complex set of 216 Cards with 10 Key Variations ($5,355), and an N19 Allen & Ginter Pirates of the Spanish Main #34 Edward Teach (Black Beard) PSA 6 ($4,874).
But to me, the highlight was a card that's been blasting in price the past couple of years, a 1933 World Wide Gum Co. Sea Raiders #45 Pirate's Legacy Card, commonly referred to as the Map Card. This SGC 5.5 sold for $3,485.
The set is a little complicated, the Canadian versions (V359) were issued over two series (1-24, and 25-48) with english only and english and french backs, but both say "Printed in Canada" on the back. There were only 24 cards issued in the USA (R124), but the backs state either Montreal or Boston as the home of World Wide Gum on the back with both saying "Printed in "U.S.A."
Here's an example of a bilingual backed Map Card that Goldin sold for $2,684 just the other week (November 2nd).
✍️ Great Hobby Writing
SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee: Angel Scull and My Road Back to Collecting
Pre-War Collector: Tris Speaker's Rookie Card? It's Complicated
Sports Collectors Daily: 1964 Kahn's Football Set Ended NFL Run with Full Color Stars
The Shlabotnik Report: Your Cardboard-Ignored Award for Twenty-Four
Cards as I See Them: If it Looks Like a Dodger and Quacks Like a Dodger...
Sports Card Info: Product Highlight: 1990 Score McDonald's Baseball Super Set
Topps Ripped: Hardwood Hobby | All-Time Starting Five & 1965 Topps Football | Set Design
Wax Pack Here: 1980-81 Arby's University of Illinois Fighting Illini Basketball Card Team Set
Japanese Baseball Cards: Stadium Mug Shots
Foul Bunt: Another TTM Success from Jerry Koosman
Collectibles on SI: Iconic Sports Agen Leigh Steinberg Talks Childhood Collection, Sharing The Hobby with His Son and Memorabilia
👑 Unopened Items Of The Week - 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Full Box
The 1933 Goudey Sport Kings are one of the most popular pre-war sets, and it shouldn't be surprising to say that its unopened items are scarce and expensive; it's been 90 years since they were printed! But there's some sales history about wrappers, packs, and display boxes.
The wrappers are actually relatively common for a pre-war release; REA soldthis copy for just $78 in May 2024.
Only a handful of authenticated packs exist; Memory Lane Inc. sold this GAI-6 in September 2007 for $11,157.
Mile High Card Company also has a pack sale in its archives; in May 2011, they sold a GAI-7.5 example, including a BBCE LOA, for $12,440.
A few years later, in December 2010, Memory Lane Inc. sold an empty display box for $2,318.
I haven't seen any examples of sales of complete boxes or any recent photos, but SportsAntiques.com has a page that shares the story of a pair of unopened boxes found in the 1970s and the advertising poster that was sitting in one of them.
📝 On The Blog
November 14, 2024: Exploring Mickey Mantle's Home Run History Through 14 Iconic Baseball Cards
November 15, 2024: 1984 Topps Football Cut Card Cases
November 16, 2024: A Rare 1937 R342 Goudey Baseball Thum-Movies Window Sign
November 16, 2024: The Only Card Topps Made for a Pinch Runner: Herb Washington's 1975 Topps "Rookie" Card
November 17, 2024: 1953 Topps #136 Ken Heintzelman Original Artwork
November 18, 2024: A Rare 1966 Exhibit Baseball Uncut Sheet?
November 19, 2024: Mark Murphy The Baseball Card Kid - Unopened Advertising in Late 1993
November 20, 2024: Prince of Cards - The "Best" Unopened Product You Will Ever See
📰 In The News
The Athletic: Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card Case Going Back to Auction After $3 Million Unpaid Tab
Sports Collectors Digest: Toronto Sport Card Expo Attracts Big Crowd of U.S. Collectors
Sports Collectors Daily: After Tom Brady Signing Fiasco in Miami, Collectors Still Looking for Answers
44News: Affidavit: Former County Commissioner Spent Campaign Funds on Sports Cards, Basketball Tickets
Collectibles on SI: New Social Platform a Hit With Collectors
cllct: Braves Respond to Ex-Employee's Countershit in Hank Aaron Bases Dispute
WJAC: Altoona Man Allegedly Fractured Other Man's Skull During Argument Over Baseball Cards
Nat Turner's X Account: Update on "Declared Value" at PSA
MLB.com: What's Skenes Debute Patch Card Worth? Pirates Trying to Entice Fan Who Finds It
🔨💵 In The Hobby Library - Guernseys Topps Auction
Guernsey's Topps Auction, which included over 3000 lots, took place on August 19th and 20th, 1989, following a two-day public exhibition at the Hunter College Sportsplex in New York.
In the introductory section of the catalog, titled "The Topps Archive at Auction: A Definition," Guernsey's offered insight into the auction's contents:
"What you will find in the pages that follow is Topps, its products and their history. You will find original artwork covering most of Topps' categories: from bubblegum (Bazooka) to stickers (Wacky Paks), to educational and humorous cards series, to baseball, football, basketball, and hockey cards and posters. In addition, we have finished products, such as uncut baseball cards on their original production sheets. The items that grace the next two hundred pages sweep across five decades, often reflecting the tenor of the times. For each section, you will find several art mediums, from photography to flexichromes, from pen and ink to full-color painting."
Guernsey's concluded by emphasizing that "Topps has one archive to offer, and this is it. Take part in what clearly will rank as one of the most interesting auctions ever." With proceeds reportedly around $1.6 million, it certainly lived up to its billing. And the catalog is a must-have for fans of the hobby. You can find copies on eBay for ~$45.
Happy collecting!