In March 1998, Ron Oser Enterprises offered this circa 1935 R108 Pulver Pictures Wham Gum wrapper for sale, described as the most desirable 1930s non-sport wrapper in the hobby.
Here’s how they described it:
The most desirable 1930’s non-sport wrapper in the hobby. Extreme scarcity was assured, as the Wham wrappers could be sent in to the Pulver Company and exchanged for. “a gold-embossed leatherette pencil| pouch and 3 pencils.” The striking reddish-orange and deep blue wrapper is in prime condition, with a few very minor nicks at the edges and a nice clean center panel. An impressive Excellent/Mint condition on this truly important non-sports wrapper.
Reserve $500.
Given that scarcity, I haven’t been able to find many other examples. However, this one (perhaps the same one?) is for sale on eBay now (mid-April 2025) for $2,489.99 by Darby-s Vintage Baseball Cards.
And in the spring of 2009, REA sold an unopened pack for $2,350.
They included a fairly detailed description:
Unopened pack of Wham Gum, issued by the Pulver Company Inc., of Rochester, New York. Wrappers alone from this issue are exceedingly rare. We have never before heard of a surviving unopened pack. Each package of Wham Gum contained a stick of gum and a picture card from “The greatest assortment of picture cards ever compiled.” The colorful wrapper promises kids that inside they will find “Adventure, Excitement, Oddities, Spills, Tortures, and other delights no child could resist.” The colorful cards from this rare 1930s set are designated R108. The cards feature an assortment ofexciting subjects, many relating to weapons or animals, but all appealing (as suggested on the wrapper) to youngsters’ natural interest in the sensational. Because the set was not given a formal name by the manufacturer, it is listed in guidebooks under the title “Pulver Pictures.” The wrapper displays only a little dust from storage and is otherwise in exactly the same state as when originally issued. This is a spectacular unopened pack, very possibly the only one in existence, from this rare and extremely desirable 1930s gum-card issue.
Check out The Unopened Archive for more and happy collecting!