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Late 70's and 80's rack pack question

1all1all Posts: 511 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I am looking to organize my collection and would love to store my rack packs in their proper box. I have a box from 1977 and one from 1981 and they look the same. Also, they sure look a lot like the boxes from 1987. Is there any way to tell what year and/or sport a rack pack box is from? Are there subtle differences? Thanks for your help!

Doug (1all)

Comments

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,743 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I am looking to organize my collection and would love to store my rack packs in their proper box. I have a box from 1977 and one from 1981 and they look the same. Also, they sure look a lot like the boxes from 1987. Is there any way to tell what year and/or sport a rack pack box is from? Are there subtle differences? Thanks for your help!

    Doug (1all) >>



    The product code number appears on the bottom of the box. Topps did use same boxes in some years. The last
    number in the product code corresponds with the year of issue.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭
    Hey Doug,

    Flip the boxes over, there should be a code on the bottom. Boxes ending with a "1" for example would have been used for 1981 and possibly 1982 as they sometimes would use the left over inventory before using the new boxes.

    Also, from 1977 until 1983 they used longer rack boxes for the racks with the cardboard header to accommodate the fact that the cardboard header couldn't bend underneath the rack.

    Good luck with the collection!!!

    Edited to add: Damn you Grote, I type too slow. image
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • 1all1all Posts: 511 ✭✭✭
    Thanks Tim. Once again, you are on point - my 1977 box does end in a 7 and my 81..... is covered by a big a$$ BBCE sticker. Any idea if they used the same product code for baseball as they did for football? I'm sure I can find a 1986 Baseball rack box easier than an 86 Football image


    Edited to say "Thanks Mike"!

    It's good to see that you guys are still around. It's pretty nuts over on the "other" board these days.

    Doug
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Thanks Tim. Once again, you are on point - my 1977 box does end in a 7 and my 81..... is covered by a big a$$ BBCE sticker. Any idea if they used the same product code for baseball as they did for football? I'm sure I can find a 1986 Baseball rack box easier than an 86 Football image


    Edited to say "Thanks Mike"!

    It's good to see that you guys are still around. It's pretty nuts over on the "other" board these days.

    Doug >>



    Shhhh!!! They may send spys over here. image
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,219 ✭✭
    Looking for a NM or better Tom Seaver RC to complete my Mets collection.

    Damn Mike ... just buy one already!!! image
    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.
  • 1all1all Posts: 511 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Shhhh!!! They may send spys over here. image >>



    Ha! Yea, and they'll force us to *only* discuss the subtle variations of the reverse side advertising on the T206's and how that quotient differs from that of a T205.
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Shhhh!!! They may send spys over here. image >>



    Ha! Yea, and they'll force us to *only* discuss the subtle variations of the reverse side advertising on the T206's and how that quotient differs from that of a T205. >>



    imageimageimageimage
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • 1all1all Posts: 511 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Also, from 1977 until 1983 they used longer rack boxes for the racks with the cardboard header to accommodate the fact that the cardboard header couldn't bend underneath the rack. >>



    Actually, now that I look at them next to each other, my 1977 box *is* longer and shorter than the 81 box so I'm thinking that they may have started earlier with the tuck under approach. Interestingly, it looks like 1980 baseball had the cardboard header card while 1980 football used the soft header. I've only got a couple 1980 FB racks so I'm not too worried about that.

    Thanks again!
    Doug
  • PaleoanthromanPaleoanthroman Posts: 56 ✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>I am looking to organize my collection and would love to store my rack packs in their proper box. I have a box from 1977 and one from 1981 and they look the same. Also, they sure look a lot like the boxes from 1987. Is there any way to tell what year and/or sport a rack pack box is from? Are there subtle differences? Thanks for your help!

    Doug (1all) >>



    The product code number appears on the bottom of the box. Topps did use same boxes in some years. The last
    number in the product code corresponds with the year of issue. >>



    Grote, my ’74, ’75’ and 76’ rack boxes all have the same numbers all ending in ...01-4. Can you confirm this correct?
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Grote, my ’74, ’75’ and 76’ rack boxes all have the same numbers all ending in ...01-4. Can you confirm this correct? >>



    I'm at work right now, but I'll take a look at my two 1975 rack boxes when I get home to see what code is showing. It would make sense that Topps would have loaded up on rack boxes in 1974 and used up their inventory until 1976.
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,743 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>I am looking to organize my collection and would love to store my rack packs in their proper box. I have a box from 1977 and one from 1981 and they look the same. Also, they sure look a lot like the boxes from 1987. Is there any way to tell what year and/or sport a rack pack box is from? Are there subtle differences? Thanks for your help!

    Doug (1all) >>



    The product code number appears on the bottom of the box. Topps did use same boxes in some years. The last
    number in the product code corresponds with the year of issue. >>



    Grote, my ’74, ’75’ and 76’ rack boxes all have the same numbers all ending in ...01-4. Can you confirm this correct? >>



    Topps did use product code ending in 4 on packs in both 1974 and 1975 so that makes sense before changing to 5 in mid 1975. I belive the 76 rack box ahould bear a 5 as well but I'm not certain of that as Topps may have continued to use 74 boxes even after changing the wrapper and product codes on 1975 packs.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>I am looking to organize my collection and would love to store my rack packs in their proper box. I have a box from 1977 and one from 1981 and they look the same. Also, they sure look a lot like the boxes from 1987. Is there any way to tell what year and/or sport a rack pack box is from? Are there subtle differences? Thanks for your help!

    Doug (1all) >>



    The product code number appears on the bottom of the box. Topps did use same boxes in some years. The last
    number in the product code corresponds with the year of issue. >>



    Grote, my ’74, ’75’ and 76’ rack boxes all have the same numbers all ending in ...01-4. Can you confirm this correct? >>



    Just checked, both of my 1975 rack boxes end with the ...01-4 too.
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,743 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Now that I think about it, I'm fairly certain Topps did use the same design rack boxes for 1976, too, before changing to a totally new design for
    rack boxes in 1977, which they then continued to use for the remainder of the 1970s. Those rack boxes which had the word "Topps Sports
    Picture Cards" on the front edge instead of just the logo and "Baseball Trading Cards" like they used on 1974-1976 boxes, bore a product code
    ending in "7" as they were designed for 1977.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭
    I agree. The 1977 rack boxes were the design Topps stuck with into the late 80's, but were the longer variety to fit the cardboard headers used during the 70's. My 1977 rack box code ends with a "7".
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
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