The other day, Sports Collectors Daily shared a photo of a complete 1979 Hostess HoHos box, saying, “Hostess HoHos, anyone? Rare to see a complete box of 79s.” That sent me down a rabbit hole: Are they really that rare? Turns out, yes, they are.
The 150-card 1979 Hostess Baseball set was the final release in a five-year run of cards printed on the sides of snack cake boxes. Issued across various products like HoHos, DingDongs, and CupCakes, each family-sized box featured a three-card panel measuring 7 3/4″ X 3 1/4″. Collectors could cut them down into 2 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ singles and even order a custom album.
Despite plenty of individual cards and panels surviving, whole, uncut boxes are incredibly scarce. I could only locate two more images of full boxes (you can see the one featuring Pete Rose on 4192cards) in addition to the one shared by Sports Collectors Daily, plus a reference to a fourth that PSA has graded (featuring Bruce Bochte, Dale Murphy, and Jon Matlack). One of those surviving boxes is currently listed on eBay for $85.
Why are they so rare? For starters, 1979 is believed to be the lowest-printed Hostess set of the five-year run. Distribution was spotty. Collectors on the net54 forums note that HoHos weren’t even sold in the southern U.S. at the time. Combine that limited reach with the fact that most boxes were torn open and tossed, and you’ve got a tough oddball survivor on your hands.
While individual cards and trimmed panels remain relatively accessible, finding them still intact on their sugary cardboard homes is another story entirely.
So yes, 1979 Hostess HoHos boxes really are that rare.
Happy collecting!
P.S. Can you imagine what a complete box featuring Ozzie Smith’s rookie-year card would sell for since that panel also features Nolan Ryan??
P.P.S. Surely there are more than four 1979 Hostess HoHos boxes out there; after all, REA sold a hoard of 225 Hostess boxes back in the spring of 2017. Though they did highlight the two HoHos boxes, neither was a ’79.
Had no idea the 1979’s were the rarest year. Thanks for that tidbit of baseball card trivia. As for complete boxes, I’m not surprised at how rare they are. Storing these would have been a pain… especially for 46 years.
I don’t know who would think to save boxes back then, even collectors (mostly kids) didn’t exactly think in those terms then.
As a mere collector of the individual cards and some of the panels, I know ’79 will be the toughest of my complete-set pursuits. But a whole box is out of the question.
Agreed! And good luck with your set!