Just for fun I'm going to post scans of some of my cool wacky items here from time to time. Everyone else who collects wackys is encouraged to do the same!
1st Series unopened packs have really dried up...I haven't seen one offered for sale on ebay in the last 6 years, and even then, there's always a big risk of fake/resealed packs. It's too bad so few non-sports packs exist in PSA graded form.
These cello packs came free in a tub of Shedd's peanut butter in 1977. These unopened packs were incredibly rare until a bunch of them turned up about five years ago.
Thanks! Unopened packs are my primary interest. I also enjoy working to upgrade my series 1-16 wackys, which is harder to do than with sports cards for many reasons.
Here's a 2nd series pack with the rarer "ludlow" back showing. Seems too good to be true, but I know the person who found a partial 2nd series box containing about 25 of these.
OPC released four series of wackys during the original craze. For some reason, unopened packs for the 4th series (which come in both red and blue wrappers) are pretty common, but packs for the first three series are extremely rare. In fact, no unopened packs are known to exist for series 1 or 3. A few packs did turn up for series 2, but it's still very tough:
Test packs are always cool. Here's the test pack that was issued in 1979 prior to the 4 Re-Issue wacky series. The stickers it contained are almost exactly like original series 1 and 2 stickers....only the die cut shapes are different!
Another cool test pack...this one was issued in 1981 as a test for the Irish series that was eventually issued in 1985. These test packs were completely unknown for 23 years until two full boxes of them surfaced in 2004-2005. The vast majority of those packs were opened to put together a few sets, but a few remain unopened:
Display boxes are probably the toughest wacky items to find in high grade. High grade sports card boxes from the same era are orders of magnitude more common. The only original series for which boxes are reasonably available are 7th,10th, 14th and 16th.
No. I used to own several full boxes. Finally I decided it was way too much cash to have wrapped up, especially since I already had a very complete unopened pack collection. I sold the two really valuable boxes I had, partly to finance a purchase of some of the highest grade empty display boxes in existence (these are two of them). With many of the less expensive boxes, I kept the nice display boxes and sold off the packs over the years. The 6th series packs I now have comprise the contents of the last full box I had kept.
For some reason 11th series unopened material has always been very difficult to find. There was one noteworthy find of 11th series packs in funpack bags, but other than that, very little:
<< <i>Wow! Jackpot! Where did those puppies come from???? >>
This was the portion of my keeper set that I thought would do well. Actually, though, 16 of the 19 did come from the same source. I bought a 1st series set in 2005 at a comic book show for $200. I felt bad because the seller had gotten the price from NSU (the set was really worth around $600 in high grade at the time). They were clearly opened and put away untouched way back when. A few had a corner ding, and unfortunately some near the end of the checklist suffered from tilt/diamond cut, including Paul Maul and Band-Ache.
I actually picked up a 16th series set for $100 at the same show five years earlier!
Comments
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
I remember those wackys well as a kid.
Do you just collect unopened packs?
<< <i>Wow! Very cool items Paul!
I remember those wackys well as a kid.
Do you just collect unopened packs? >>
Thanks! Unopened packs are my primary interest. I also enjoy working to upgrade my series 1-16 wackys, which is harder to do than with sports cards for many reasons.
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
<< <i>Are those boxes full??? >>
No. I used to own several full boxes. Finally I decided it was way too much cash to have wrapped up, especially since I already had a very complete unopened pack collection. I sold the two really valuable boxes I had, partly to finance a purchase of some of the highest grade empty display boxes in existence (these are two of them). With many of the less expensive boxes, I kept the nice display boxes and sold off the packs over the years. The 6th series packs I now have comprise the contents of the last full box I had kept.
By the way, topcat, I sent you a private message, just in case you didn't notice it.....
(and a bump to keep this thread on the front page, where it belongs!!!!!)
<< <i>Any chance of a 10 on this one? I just can't see anything wrong with it!!
Thanks for the bump! As coincidence would have it, I had a submission pop this week. And the verdict is...
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
<< <i>Sweet! Let's see the rest of the submission. >>
Here's all the 1st series stuff. Needless to say I was pleased!
Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
<< <i>Wow! Jackpot! Where did those puppies come from???? >>
This was the portion of my keeper set that I thought would do well. Actually, though, 16 of the 19 did come from the same source. I bought a 1st series set in 2005 at a comic book show for $200. I felt bad because the seller had gotten the price from NSU (the set was really worth around $600 in high grade at the time). They were clearly opened and put away untouched way back when. A few had a corner ding, and unfortunately some near the end of the checklist suffered from tilt/diamond cut, including Paul Maul and Band-Ache.
I actually picked up a 16th series set for $100 at the same show five years earlier!
<< <i>Mike - any chance of a PSA 9 on this one, or is the vertical centering insufficient?
More happy poppage!