I just wrapped up my four-part series on Topps file copy cards, but wanted to share another related item that’s been in my archives since shortly after Hake’s Auctions sold it in July 2016 for $436: a 1953 Topps Tarzan 3D five-cent display box.
Why? Well, this one was stamped as a “FILE COPY” and marked to be returned to Woody Gelman if found!
It’s not the first unopened or display box with such provenance to surface, either. One that immediately comes to mind is the 1966 Topps Get Smart five-cent display box that REA sold for $720 in their Fall 2017 auction.
Moving beyond Gelman’s file copies, there’s another fascinating unopened angle tied to Topps Tarzan cards. While I’ve shared the box image on social media before, I’ve never mentioned the details: a box and 29 packs auctioned by Mastro in April 2004. The box originally held 36 packs and was intended for Canadian distribution.
Though marked as a “24-ct” display, my understanding from the lot’s description and vintage non-sport collectors is that the Canadian Tarzan packs were made with thinner paper wrappers (please reach out if this is incorrect) and squeezed into the box in three 12-pack stacks.
Here’s another example of a box, with a slightly different design, that Lelands sold for $210 in March 2020, where you can also see a “24 COUNT” stamp — a neat example of how Topps adapted packaging for different markets. These differences could also be related to the different Tarzan sets (Tarzan & the She Devil vs. Tarzan’s Savage Fury).
Happy collecting, and be sure to check out The Unopened Archive for more!
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