24 1961 Fleer Basketball Wax Packs

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.

Check out The Unopened Archive for more!

1955 Topps All-American Jim Thorpe Original Wire Photo

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

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.

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1975/76 Topps Hockey Unopened 3-Box Rack Case

This is the only 1975/76 Topps Hockey cack case I can recall ever seeing.

Mastro Auctions offered it in their April/May 2008 Sports & Americana Catalog. The case has three 24-count rack-pack boxes, each holding 42 cards.

BBCE Auctions sold this single 1975/76 Topps Hockey rack box for just under $15k in November 2023.

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1952 Topps Baseball High Number Partial Uncut Sheet With Eddie Mathews

Here’s a gem from the past: a 1952 Topps Baseball High Numbers Partial Uncut Sheet featuring Eddie Mathews in the lower right corner. It’s been a while since I’ve spotted this beauty in the hobby.

While just a partial sheet, it’s pretty rare to find 25 1952 Topps high-number cards together, let alone in an uncut 5×5 grid! The sheet’s overall condition was described as “Very Good” in the lot’s description in Mastro’s November 2000 Fine Sports Auction catalog.

Check out The Uncut Sheet Archive for more!

1961 National City Bank Cleveland Browns Jim Brown

Over my years studying the post-war hobby, I can’t recall ever reading about the 1961 National City Bank Cleveland Browns set. The priciest card to sell from it is this PSA 9 Jim Brown, which sold for just over $20k in Memory Lane’s Summer 2022 Auction.

National City Bank released the 36-card set in sheets of six to depositors in the bank’s Quarterback Club.

Besides the Jim Brown, the set’s most desirable cards include the Quarterback Club Membership Card, Len Dawson, Lou Groza, and Bobby Mitchell.

Naturally, since drafting this post, I’ve been seeing these cards everywhere!