The 1984 Topps Ralston Purina baseball set is one of those charming 1980s food issues that continues to intrigue collectors. With 33 cards and stars like Nolan Ryan and Pete Rose, the set was distributed through cereal promotions (in boxes of Cookie Crisp, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Junior cereals), direct mail (a complete 33-card set by mailing in three proofs of purchase and $0.50), and, apparently, directly to dealers. But as with many food issues, the details can get murky, especially when it comes to how these cards were packaged and distributed in bulk.
Over the years, three distinct shipping cases have surfaced, and each tells a slightly different story. I’m laying out what I know below, and I welcome any additional info that could help complete the picture.
Case 1: #265 — “The Real Deal?”
This seems to be the most legitimate and clearly associated with the four-card cello packs collectors know today.
- Case Code: 265
- Secondary Code: 09629 inside a small box
- Markings: “1000/4 CT” (suggesting 1,000 cards packaged in four-card packs)
- Other Notes: Topps logo, “1984 Baseball Picture Cards,” and “Printed in Republic of Ireland”
I’ve seen two examples of this case—both on eBay—with trays of four-card cello packs inside. Everything lines up: the pack format, the quantity, and even the geographical printing note (Ireland was a hub for printing for Topps in the ’80s). But was this case what dealers received when ordering the product in bulk or a distribution method of packs from Topps to Ralston Purina for insertion in cereal boxes?
Ralston Purina shipped this second case to Salem, Oregon. Today, 2635 Market St. is a residence.
Case 2: #265B — “Sheets or Packs?”
Things get trickier here.
- Case Code: 265B
- Markings: “360 Sheets” and “Ralston Purina” explicitly mentioned
- Observation: The seller (on Facebook) was offering four-card cello packs, but they didn’t appear to fit the case snuggly to the top.
Given the “360 sheets” marking, this box likely held uncut sheets of the 33-card set. These uncut sheets are still fairly easy to find on eBay today.
It’s possible the seller had transferred loose cello packs into the box for storage or display purposes, but that they didn’t originally come in it. Were sheets shipped to a distributor in the U.S. to cut up for the complete set offer (I think all PSA flips say “Hand Cut” on them)?
Case 3: #265A — “Red Text Riddle”
This one throws a curveball.
- Case Code: 265A
- Secondary Code: 09631
- Markings: “1000/4 CT” — but printed in red ink instead of black
- Seen On: Facebook, from a user asking what it was
The red ink and the different code raise questions. Could this case be associated with the 1984 Topps Cereal baseball cards instead? Those sets were incredibly similar in design and content to the Ralston Purina cards.
So far, no confirmed images show what filled this red-text case.
Interestingly, 1984 Topps Cereal cards were distributed in packs with three cards and a checklist, which still totals four cards, making the “4 CT” marking plausible. These cards (and it’s sort of speculation from BaseballCardPedia) were inserted into unbranded cereal boxes, but collectors could also mail away for 12 cards for $1.50.
There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding exactly how these items were distributed. However, I’m beginning to piece together how these cards ended up in collectors’ hands.
If you’ve seen a sealed version of the Red-Text or 360 Sheets case, or even better, opened one, please drop me a line. Solving this case, case by case has been a fun ride, and I’m always chasing more leads.
Happy collecting!
P.S. If you’re into unopened, I write a premium newsletter, The Unopened Market Report, that comes out every Monday.
Also, be sure to check out The Unopened Archive for more like this!
Be First to Comment