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As a kid - did you ever use a Topps, Fleer, Bazooka wrapper redemption of any kind?

In the spirit of discussing and of course reminiscing about our card collecting days as a kid - I wanted - again - to share one of the few real photos that I've been able to find that captures the spirit of youth hobby activity:

image

Now to the redemption. Wrapper redemption goes way back - I remember in the 50s buying Bazooka bubble gum and reading the comic strip on the back - Bazooka Joe and his Gang.

I redeemed the wrappers for a cool knife - which unfortunately never survived the summer - it was lost.

I did pick a copy of it up on ebay - tho I can't find a scan right now. I sure wanted that knife bad too!!!!

Here's an ad from the 40s on the knife - it's exactly like the one in the pic!

image

It was a very cool knife - with the Bazooka name on it!

So, did anyone else do a redemption as a kid? I did others but this was my favorite.

mike
Mike

Comments

  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,219 ✭✭
    Mike,

    Back in the mid/late 60's, my grandfather used to chew BAZOOKA ALL THE TIME. My grandmother used to buy the boxes by the dozens (yeah, the ones with the friggin cards on the back ... why did I let her throw out the box!!!!) ANYWAY, my grandfather saved the comics for some reason and one time he let me redeem them for some type of toy ... but don't remember what that item was.

    Although I was so into baseball cards at the time, I remembered thinking "Who the hell wants those cards with the blank backs when you can have Topps"? Oh to be young again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,478 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Mike,

    Back in the mid/late 60's, my grandfather used to chew BAZOOKA ALL THE TIME. My grandmother used to buy the boxes by the dozens (yeah, the ones with the friggin cards on the back ... why did I let her throw out the box!!!!) ANYWAY, my grandfather saved the comics for some reason and one time he let me redeem them for some type of toy ... but don't remember what that item was.

    Although I was so into baseball cards at the time, I remembered thinking "Who the hell wants those cards with the blank backs when you can have Topps"? Oh to be young again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>

    Go figure!

    In my case, my mom wouldn't buy the boxes, so I never had that opportunity. I did cut out things from the backs of cereal boxes but don't remember what I did with them or what they were. I think they were redemptions for toys.

    mike
    Mike
  • PoppaJPoppaJ Posts: 2,818
    Hi Stone,

    I remember sending away wrappers for all kinds of stuff, but I don't think I have any of the items now.

    It seemed like my siblings and I sent away for just about everything else though! (The Mickey Mouse Club Fan Club, the Roy Rogers Fan Club, the Cisco Kid Fan Club, The Hopalong Cassidy Fan Club, and even the Kellogg's Tony the Tiger Fan Club)

    I still have this Mickey Mantle toy ring that I got from a 25-cent gum ball machine about 45 years ago!
    image

    PoppaJ

    p.s. Having some nostalgic flashbacks lately, Stone??? image
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,478 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>p.s. Having some nostalgic flashbacks lately, Stone??? >>

    Always.

    I think that's the reason I collect and put on the "oldies" station on Time Warner while chatting here and ebaying and looking at cards and stuff.

    When I totally retire, I'm gonna have this laptop tatooed to my ass!

    image

    BTW - cool Mantle ring!
    Mike
  • PoppaJPoppaJ Posts: 2,818
    image
  • AFLfanAFLfan Posts: 1,272 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I remember saving Bazooka comics and sendignthem in for an umpire's ball/strike counter. It was really cool, but unfortunately I left it in my pocket one day and it came out of the washing machine in a bunch of little pieces.
    Todd Tobias - Grateful Collector - I focus on autographed American Football League sets, Fleer & Topps, 1960-1969, and lacrosse cards.
  • zep33zep33 Posts: 6,897 ✭✭✭
    I think I got the Army men collection one time - Came in a plastic chest. Can't remember if it was from a Bazooka comic or from the back of a comic book though. I used to love looking at the ads in the back of comic books too. I remember having a cool catalog that listed all those novelty items. It was a blast to read through and dream about all the neat stuff in it. Can't remember the name of the company.

    Edit - Just did a google search and they may have been Johnson - Smith catalogs I'm thinking of
  • stevekstevek Posts: 30,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A little OT - I bought one of those metal detectors sold in the comic books for $19.99...a lot of money for me back then...I'll admit I enjoyed it even though the dam thing was a piece of chit and really didn't detect anything good. But the "naive thrill" of a boy combing the beach thinking there might be some washed up gold coins on there just underneath the sand from some ancient sunken ship....was still a lot of fun...IE the dream. LOL
  • zep33zep33 Posts: 6,897 ✭✭✭
    Johnson - Smith catalog 1979


    off to revisit my childhood for a few......
  • funny you should mention this as i was looking over hakes newest premiums i notice this time around they had a few baseball related premiums and wondered where they got them, never ever remember a Ted Williams send off from nabisco,, jeepers how hard was it to keep that sucker intact, talk about using cards in spokes, how the heck would you keep something like that as it is,,, wow,, ,, Hake's Premiums
    very cool to look through,,, bj
    how cool is this ring
    image
    imageimageimageimageimage
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,478 ✭✭✭✭✭
    imageThat's an incredible catalog Mike!

    I liked looking at all the ads in the back of comic books - unfortunately most of what I bought was crap - but I liked it!

    I've never heard of "Hakes" John - I did notice a Ruth pin - coincidentally, I just picked up a few Ruth pins - I'll probably send them to PSA for grading.

    Thanx for sharing
    mike
    Mike
  • BPorter26BPorter26 Posts: 3,500 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Pappa J, That's a very neat ring you have, more impressive is that you have kept it in your collection for 45 years. It looks like it's in fanastic condition. To be young again.
    "EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY IT SAYS IT RIGHT THERE ON THE WALL" - JACKIE MOON
  • Remember distinctly ordering a Topps Baseball Card Locker from a wrapper redempption I believe in the 70's. I also remember ordering a Batman Ink and Stamp Kit as well as a Batman Periscope from Frosted Flakes redemptions in the 60's.
    Collecting Pre-War, Pre-War HOF Types, Pre-War Postcards
  • Nathaniel1960Nathaniel1960 Posts: 2,330 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Closest thing would be 1986 Topps glossy sets.
    Kiss me once, shame on you.
    Kiss me twice.....let's party.
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,478 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Remember distinctly ordering a Topps Baseball Card Locker from a wrapper redempption I believe in the 70's. I also remember ordering a Batman Ink and Stamp Kit as well as a Batman Periscope from Frosted Flakes redemptions in the 60's. >>

    Did it look anything like this one?

    image

    Don't know what the origin of this holder is.

    I was satisfied with a shoe box - we didn't have velveeta in our house to recollection.

    mike
    Mike
  • EchoCanyonEchoCanyon Posts: 2,303 ✭✭✭
    Our big redemption, as a family, was on the side of milk cartons. It was Brooklyn, around 72-75, and DairyLea (I believe) has a promotion to collect coupons for FREE Mets tix. We didn't have lots of money, so free appealed to my parents. They were also a team sponsor. A quart of milk was worth 1 point, half gallon 2. You needed a lot for just one ticket. For a family of 5, you collected ALL year (asked neighbors, too). We usually went to a Sept weekend game that was a promotion giveaway day, too. (That appealed to Mom and Dad as well.)

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,478 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Our big redemption, as a family, was on the side of milk cartons. It was Brooklyn, around 72-75, and DairyLea (I believe) has a promotion to collect coupons for FREE Mets tix. We didn't have lots of money, so free appealed to my parents. They were also a team sponsor. A quart of milk was worth 1 point, half gallon 2. You needed a lot for just one ticket. For a family of 5, you collected ALL year (asked neighbors, too). We usually went to a Sept weekend game that was a promotion giveaway day, too. (That appealed to Mom and Dad as well.) >>

    Thanx for sharing - that was a humbling story - one of my favorite posts in some time (encompasses the spirit for why I'm here)!

    image
    Mike
  • EchoCanyonEchoCanyon Posts: 2,303 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Our big redemption, as a family, was on the side of milk cartons. It was Brooklyn, around 72-75, and DairyLea (I believe) has a promotion to collect coupons for FREE Mets tix. We didn't have lots of money, so free appealed to my parents. They were also a team sponsor. A quart of milk was worth 1 point, half gallon 2. You needed a lot for just one ticket. For a family of 5, you collected ALL year (asked neighbors, too). We usually went to a Sept weekend game that was a promotion giveaway day, too. (That appealed to Mom and Dad as well.)

    >>

    Thanx for sharing - that was a humbling story - one of my favorite posts in some time (encompasses the spirit for why I'm here)!

    image >>



    Stone, thanks for the compliment
  • I don't know that I ever redeemed anything from wrappers, but I can remember ordering stuff from the comics and Boys Life (like the personal hovercraft plans). Other than that I remember Topps putting the scratch off game cards in the packs where you collected so many runs to redeem card sets, I learned very early on that if you took your parents slide projector and put the scratch off card in front of the lens you could see through it.....collected a lot of runs.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    I never did, don't know why maybe it was the wait 6 to 8 weeks I couldn't deal with?



    I always wanted those xray glasses though.


    image



    Steve
    Good for you.
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,478 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I never did, don't know why maybe it was the wait 6 to 8 weeks I couldn't deal with?



    I always wanted those xray glasses though.


    image



    Steve >>

    One of the most disappointing things I ever got suckered into buying Steve!

    Best? The whoopi cushion. image

    mike
    Mike
  • detroitfan2detroitfan2 Posts: 3,366 ✭✭✭✭
    Mike,

    I sent in some wax pack wrappers back in the late 1970's to get the set of team cards. Much to my chagrin, they arrived in an uncut sheet. Here is the only picture I can find, but I swore they were available in years other than 1979:

    image

    The toy army guys sounds familiar as well. Does anyone remember the magazine adds for ordering sea horses, or is that my imagination?

    Good topic as usual Mike.

    -Tom
  • TJMACTJMAC Posts: 864 ✭✭
    I remember doing it with Starting Lineups to get a baseball with facsimile autographs. I also did when I collected toys. I specifically remember getting a G.I. Joe Major Blood in the early 80's.
  • I don't remember seeing sea horses, but I do remember sea monkeys.
  • jmoran19jmoran19 Posts: 1,626 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I remember saving Bazooka comics and sendignthem in for an umpire's ball/strike counter. It was really cool, but unfortunately I left it in my pocket one day and it came out of the washing machine in a bunch of little pieces. >>



    I still have one of those counters image

    Current obsession, all things Topps 1969 - 1972

  • NickMNickM Posts: 4,895 ✭✭✭
    I did the Topps Glossy sets during the '80s too.

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
  • nearmintnearmint Posts: 1,111 ✭✭✭
    Nice topic. The one thing I remember sending in was Mallo Cup money. (Mallo Cups had--and apparently still have--paper coins in them that you could submit for more Mallo Cups.) I was a sucker for that marketing scheme: I ate a ton of Mallo Cups, even though I'm sure I liked other candy just as much.

    image

    (Image from candyaddict.com.)
  • I remember sending in the 1992 Topps game pieces to get the "Winners" cards. I'm sure you remember that you could see through those game piece cards and find the winners on most of the cards. Hey does anyone want a bunch of Winners cards?
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,478 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Nice topic. The one thing I remember sending in was Mallo Cup money. (Mallo Cups had--and apparently still have--paper coins in them that you could submit for more Mallo Cups.) I was a sucker for that marketing scheme: I ate a ton of Mallo Cups, even though I'm sure I liked other candy just as much.

    image

    (Image from candyaddict.com.) >>

    When I was in college, we found a mallowcup with a screw neatly embedded into the chocolate - we mailed it off to the company.

    They sent us an entire case!!!

    Did you know that Mallos go great with cold Buds! image

    mike
    Mike
  • RipublicaninMassRipublicaninMass Posts: 10,051 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Nice topic. The one thing I remember sending in was Mallo Cup money. (Mallo Cups had--and apparently still have--paper coins in them that you could submit for more Mallo Cups.) I was a sucker for that marketing scheme: I ate a ton of Mallo Cups, even though I'm sure I liked other candy just as much.

    image

    (Image from candyaddict.com.) >>

    When I was in college, we found a mallowcup with a screw neatly embedded into the chocolate - we mailed it off to the company.

    They sent us an entire case!!!

    Did you know that Mallos go great with cold Buds! image

    mike >>



    That would have been a big lawsuit nowadays image
  • HoofHeartedHoofHearted Posts: 2,537 ✭✭
    I don't remember exactly what it was I had to collect and send in, but I got my favorite baseball glove in the mid-to-late '60s from Coca Cola. Man, that glove played in a lot of games of baseball when I was a kid and softball as I got older. It's a Jim Lefebvre model:

    image

    image

    image
  • GDM67GDM67 Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Mike,

    I sent in some wax pack wrappers back in the late 1970's to get the set of team cards. Much to my chagrin, they arrived in an uncut sheet. Here is the only picture I can find, but I swore they were available in years other than 1979:

    image >>


    They were available for the '81 set because I have a similar sheet. They're printed on the whiter stock that Topps started using a few years later for their Traded sets.


  • << <i>I remember sending in the 1992 Topps game pieces to get the "Winners" cards. I'm sure you remember that you could see through those game piece cards and find the winners on most of the cards. Hey does anyone want a bunch of Winners cards? >>



    I recall hearing you could see through them but they also fixed it at some point. I kept them unscratched and found ones that were the same and followed the pattern. I mailed them in and got a big box of packs (more than I sent) and later got even more for some reason. I just wish I had sent in more cards to Fleer in 1991 when they did the 3D custom basketball cards as they sell for a lot now.
  • WeekendHackerWeekendHacker Posts: 1,460 ✭✭✭
    The team card sheets were also available in 80, 81 & 82 as pictured. The fold out similar to a trifold wallet - I got them every year they were available.
    image
    image
    image
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