Hobby influencers In The Spring Of 1981

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The Premier Issue of Baseball Cards was released in the Spring of 1981 as “the complete sports collectors’ magazine,” the team behind it introduced themselves with this great piece.

Bob Lemke was always known to make great cards, so I presume he designed these. Unfortunately, he died in 2017, but his blog remains online.

Here’s the cover of the issue, too.

24 1961 Fleer Basketball Wax Packs

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In August 2004, this lot of 24 1961 Fleer basketball wax packs was auctioned together with a GAI-encapsulated empty wax box.

In the summer of 2023, a GAI 7.5 pack sold for $4680; in August 2022, a PSA 6 pack sold for $8100. If that’s outside your price range, you can pick up a nice wrapper for under $100. There are three variations: Science Kits-Set, Dubble Bubble, and Airplane.

1955 Topps All-American Jim Thorpe Original Wire Photo

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Here’s the original picture used for Jim Thorpe’s 1955 Topps All-American card.

The April 2002 auction that featured the item described the original wire photo as 8’’ by 10’’ and taken between 1919 and 1920, capturing Thorpe posing as a member of the Canton Bulldogs. The reverse has the original paper caption and two stamps: “Central Press Association September 21, 1935 Reference” and “National News Photos, Inc.”

This photo was enhanced for newspaper use, including details added to his leg pads, helmet, and hands.

1969 Topps Display Box Proof Sheet

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Here’s a 1969 Topps Cello Box Proof Sheet. Notice both the purple and red box variations on the single sheet.

The sheet was described as a large 29” x 38” uncut final process sheet that contains six complete 24 count ten cent 1969 Topps display boxes, with each box containing the color photos of Willie Mays, Carl Yastrzemski, Bob Gibson, Pete Rose, and others. The sheet was folded down and across at the center over the years and was listed as in VG condition.

Here are examples of both 1969 Topps cello box variations.