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Yes, Virginia 1948 Bowman baseball packs do exist (and more)

Some eye-popping vintage wax is entering the hobby.

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  • PiggsPiggs Posts: 1,934 ✭✭✭✭

    Amazing looking packs. Out of my price range.

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,480 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow, that is a major find indeed~might rival the Mary Murphy 52 wax pack find, lol..



    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.
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭

    Wow - some find. Will be exciting to see what the packs sell for. Thanks for sharing.

    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.
  • divecchiadivecchia Posts: 6,525 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow!!! I don't collect packs, but have some idea how rare these are.

    That is an incredible find.

    Donato

    Hobbyist & Collector (not an investor).
    Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set

    Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
  • flatfoot816flatfoot816 Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭

    wow! out of most people's range sadly. But hope the whales appreciate how rare these are!

  • davidlisadavidlisa Posts: 62 ✭✭
    edited May 15, 2017 10:57AM

    Just wondering, wouldn't the three large pieces of gum have practically destroyed the cards by now ?

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,480 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Do these packs contain just one card?



    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.
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭

    @grote15 said:
    Do these packs contain just one card?

    Click on this LINK and read the article by PSA. Look at the paragraph right next to the REISER card. Seems like only one card per pack.

    https://www.psacard.com/articles/articleview/6739/1948-bowman-baseball-set-small-deep-depth

    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.
  • ZTargZTarg Posts: 497 ✭✭✭

    @grote15 said:
    Wow, that is a major find indeed~might rival the Mary Murphy 52 wax pack find, lol..

    Readying for mikelowell's need to point out an obvious typo in 3....2.....

  • packCollectorpackCollector Posts: 2,786 ✭✭✭

    @Dboneesq said:

    @grote15 said:
    Do these packs contain just one card?

    Click on this LINK and read the article by PSA. Look at the paragraph right next to the REISER card. Seems like only one card per pack.

    https://www.psacard.com/articles/articleview/6739/1948-bowman-baseball-set-small-deep-depth

    Doug, the article also says the cards were issued without gum. It was almost purely speculation at that time as I can't think of another reference to a 48 bowman pack besides this new find

  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭

    Yes, I did read that. But it seems to state that there was only one card ... and PERHAPS no gum until 1949. But who the hell knows!
    An advertisement for "Blony Bubble Gum" is also included on the backs. According to Mark Murphy's The World's Best Unopened Pack, Wrapper & Display Box Guide, these cards were issued in one-card, one-cent packs. There are reports that gum didn't appear in Bowman baseball packs until 1949, but the pack specialists contacted for this article couldn't confirm this.

    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.
  • steel75steel75 Posts: 1,589 ✭✭✭✭

    Those are some THICK packs for 1 card.

    1970's Steelers, Vintage Indians
  • sushihotwingssushihotwings Posts: 452 ✭✭✭

    I can't believe someone had the patience to sit on that box for so many years watching the price explosion and finally deciding to pull the trigger with prices near all time highs. I am not saying prices have peaked, but nobody is a fortune teller and the timing seems pretty magnificent so far.

    On the hunt high grade Star Basketball.
  • MarsAttacksMarsAttacks Posts: 279 ✭✭✭

    Incredible - Those packs look like they're straight off the candy store counter. One of my favorite things about this hobby of ours are the awesome finds that astound. Thinking that the consignor (and the AH) will do very well here.

    Go Dodgers!
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,480 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @steel75 said:
    Those are some THICK packs for 1 card.

    There are three pieces of gum in each pack but only one card, from my understanding.



    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.
  • TheDudeAbidesTheDudeAbides Posts: 398 ✭✭✭

    Stunned, what a find.

    Collecting 64, 66, 67, 70 & 71 Baseball. Cubs, wax, cello & rack baseball.
  • galaxy27galaxy27 Posts: 7,113 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Seems stagnant.

  • mikelowell25mikelowell25 Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭

    @ZTarg said:

    @grote15 said:
    Wow, that is a major find indeed~might rival the Mary Murphy 52 wax pack find, lol..

    Readying for mikelowell's need to point out an obvious typo in 3....2.....

    Ztarg, there is no typo in Tim's post. Tim is correct in saying Mary Murphy because it was indeed Mark's wife Mary who discovered the 52 packs.

  • BrickBrick Posts: 4,923 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @davidlisa said:
    Just wondering, wouldn't the three large pieces of gum have practically destroyed the cards by now ?

    I don't see a group rip coming. I imagine once opened the value would go next to zero. Only thing to resale would be the wrapper.

    Collecting 1960 Topps Baseball in PSA 8
    http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/

    Ralph

  • steel75steel75 Posts: 1,589 ✭✭✭✭

    @grote15 said:

    @steel75 said:
    Those are some THICK packs for 1 card.

    There are three pieces of gum in each pack but only one card, from my understanding.

    3 chunks of gum and 1 card.....after almost 70 years do those cards stand a chance?

    1970's Steelers, Vintage Indians
  • mlbfan2mlbfan2 Posts: 3,115 ✭✭✭

    @sushihotwings said:
    I can't believe someone had the patience to sit on that box for so many years watching the price explosion and finally deciding to pull the trigger with prices near all time highs. I am not saying prices have peaked, but nobody is a fortune teller and the timing seems pretty magnificent so far.

    I think it's more likely that owner recently rediscovered them.

  • RipkenRipken Posts: 559 ✭✭✭

    Here's what I believe is a 1948 Bowman baseball 1c wax box...obviously very different than the new discovery but probably not unusual for them to be that way. 120 pcs per box.

  • lseeconlseecon Posts: 318 ✭✭

    cool picture. but what that looks like is a box of 1 cent pieces of gum, with a free package of baseball cards for the retailer to sample and sell. read the note on top carefully.

  • RipkenRipken Posts: 559 ✭✭✭

    You may be right...still an interesting box and I can't say I've seen another.

  • PiggsPiggs Posts: 1,934 ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 15, 2017 10:20PM

    If there is only one card per pack and I won one, there is no way in heck I'd open it. I can't see any sane person opening one.

  • flatfoot816flatfoot816 Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭

    @mikelowell25 said:

    @ZTarg said:

    @grote15 said:
    Wow, that is a major find indeed~might rival the Mary Murphy 52 wax pack find, lol..

    Readying for mikelowell's need to point out an obvious typo in 3....2.....

    Ztarg, there is no typo in Tim's post. Tim is correct in saying Mary Murphy because it was indeed Mark's wife Mary who discovered the 52 packs.

    This is correct. When Murphy's house burned down with all the rest of the Christmas racks--they divorced. Mary continued to collect and later changed her name to Felicia. She was a member of the boards at 1 time or another

  • 19541954 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭

    The 1948 bowman packs contain three pieces of gum and have 5 cards and not one. There was a pack that was opened from this find and it contained five mint examples which are at PSA for grading. This auction will be very exciting.

    Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
  • 1all1all Posts: 498 ✭✭✭

    Wait, I thought it was Merry Murphy who found the Xmas packs.

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,480 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @1954 said:
    The 1948 bowman packs contain three pieces of gum and have 5 cards and not one. There was a pack that was opened from this find and it contained five mint examples which are at PSA for grading. This auction will be very exciting.

    Thanks for the clarification, Shane.



    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.
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭

    Great info Shane. Does make sense considering the thickness (even with three pieces of gum) of the packs that are shown.

    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.
  • ugaskidawgugaskidawg Posts: 882 ✭✭✭

    @1954 said:
    The 1948 bowman packs contain three pieces of gum and have 5 cards and not one. There was a pack that was opened from this find and it contained five mint examples which are at PSA for grading. This auction will be very exciting.

    I was going to say that the easiest way to find out what's inside of them is to open one. Whoever can afford this partial box, could easily afford to rip one pack to see what it contained. I'm glad they ripped one so we could see what it housed!

    Do you know what 5 cards were pulled? Would be incredible if one of the cards contained the last name Spahn, Musial, Berra, Rizzuto, Schoendienst, or Kiner. At only 48 cards in the set, that gives you a high probability of pulling one...if not one of those, at least one of the 12 or so SPs.

  • baz518baz518 Posts: 1,231 ✭✭✭✭

    I wish Jenny would have offered these packs to board members before fleeing to an AH.

  • 19541954 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭

    What is really interesting about these 1948 Bowman packs having 5 cards to them is you can't see the front or back card due to the gum. Perhaps the most intriguing fact is opening up a pack from this find would yield the collector 12% of the set and a very realistic chance of landing a big HOF rookie in high grade. I would love to do a box break on this bad boy. We would only need around $350000 to make it happen.

    Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
  • 19541954 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭

    I was told that the one pack had two Rizzutos and one other HOF but not a rookie and two commons. Apparently, one Rizzuto looked like an 8 and the other had a shot at a 10.

    Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
  • Arsenal83Arsenal83 Posts: 1,176 ✭✭✭

    Great info as always Shane. Just for my own curiosity, was the gum individually wrapped which prevented the cards from being damaged?

  • 19541954 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭

    Brian, from what I was told the cards were stacked on top of the gum. The only damage from the gum would be the bottom back of the card. The owner of the boxes had stored them in a climate controlled area. I am not sure if the article mentioned what the other boxes are but this is not the only box they had.
    1961-62 Fleer box
    1960-63 Topps football
    1959 Fleer Ted Williams
    1961 and 1962 Fleer Football
    1961 Fleer baseball greats
    and another box or two.

    Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,480 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 16, 2017 10:47AM

    That is amazing! Imagine a Rizzuto RC PSA 10!



    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.
  • divecchiadivecchia Posts: 6,525 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Shane,

    Thanks for sharing this info.

    That makes more sense that there are 5 cards in the pack as the packs looked pretty thick to contain just 1 card.

    Donato

    Hobbyist & Collector (not an investor).
    Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set

    Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
  • packCollectorpackCollector Posts: 2,786 ✭✭✭

    rather interesting that the owner basically had boxes in all 3 US sports from 59-63 (majority fleer) and then had a 48 bowman baseball box. Maybe he has a few others stashed away to fill in the gap , we can only dream

  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭

    **An email from Kenny Meyer contained this:
    **

    I wanted to share this with my collector friends.

    MILE HIGH AUCTIONS just sent me this picture.
    The packs have been verified by STEVE HART.
    They are loose in the box, not holdered ------19 packs.
    5 cards per pack, three sticks of gum.

    A certain wrapper was put around the box-----not the REGULAR BBCE WRAPPING.
    HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS PICTURE.

    KEN

    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.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,480 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cool photo, Doug!



    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.
  • ugaskidawgugaskidawg Posts: 882 ✭✭✭

    I love unopened, but I so want to rip all that open. If money didn't matter, it would be an incredible experience to uncover the pristine cardboard inside. What a thrill to pull out a beautiful Musial or Spahn...or Rizzuto for that matter. Can't wait to see what PSA grades the 5 cards at.

  • 19541954 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭

    Wow, that is a pretty picture. Thanks Doug for sharing.
    I would be interested in hearing what collectors think this box (19 packs) will fetch? I think pack collectors are drooling all over their shirt for this, but knowing that most collectors only want/need a pack. Most won't pay for 19 packs to get 1 for their PC. On the other hand, most box collectors are going to want a full box for their PC instead of a partial. I believe this box will bring $300K. Am I too high?

    Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭

    Shane, at first I thought $15,000.00+ per pack was a bit much. But then all I had to do was look at the Memory Lane auction from the other day and see that a 48 Bowman Basketball Wax Pack went for $31,200.00. So who knows! Whatever it is, it will be interesting to see if the buyer keeps the packs or tries to slowly release a pack at a time to make a profit.

    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.
  • mikelowell25mikelowell25 Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭
    edited May 16, 2017 2:58PM

    @1954 said:
    Wow, that is a pretty picture. Thanks Doug for sharing.
    I would be interested in hearing what collectors think this box (19 packs) will fetch? I think pack collectors are drooling all over their shirt for this, but knowing that most collectors only want/need a pack. Most won't pay for 19 packs to get 1 for their PC. On the other hand, most box collectors are going to want a full box for their PC instead of a partial. I believe this box will bring $300K. Am I too high?

    Shane, I don't think you're too high (well maybe too high from a substance lol :p ) but rather too low. And way too low. The psa 8 48 bowman basketball pack in ML sold for over 55k. The raw 48 leaf pack in REA sold for 57K. No reason why these shouldn't sell for 50-60k apiece--unless of course the fact that there's a whopping 19 of them kind of waters it down and thus drives the price down. I'm thinking the lot could easily sell for a half a mil if not more.

  • UFFDAHUFFDAH Posts: 1,650 ✭✭✭✭✭

    UFFDAH!! That is one cool find.

  • mikelowell25mikelowell25 Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭

    @Dboneesq said:
    Shane, at first I thought $15,000.00+ per pack was a bit much. But then all I had to do was look at the Memory Lane auction from the other day and see that a 48 Bowman Basketball Wax Pack went for $31,200.00. So who knows! Whatever it is, it will be interesting to see if the buyer keeps the packs or tries to slowly release a pack at a time to make a profit.

    Doug, the 48 basketball pack sold for over 55k, so a bit more than 31200 :)

  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,220 ✭✭
    edited May 16, 2017 2:55PM

    @mikelowell25 said:

    @Dboneesq said:
    Shane, at first I thought $15,000.00+ per pack was a bit much. But then all I had to do was look at the Memory Lane auction from the other day and see that a 48 Bowman Basketball Wax Pack went for $31,200.00. So who knows! Whatever it is, it will be interesting to see if the buyer keeps the packs or tries to slowly release a pack at a time to make a profit.

    Doug, the 48 basketball pack sold for over 55k, so a bit more than 31200 :)

    OOPS! I was looking at Manny's Post in his contest thread. I guess the $31K was his guess. I think the seller is leaving money on the table by selling it in one lot. If it was a FULL BOX, then the whole would be greater than the sum of it's parts. I don't think that's the case here.

    What they should do is sell it like they have sold some sets. List each pack individually and then list another lot with all 19 packs and the box. If the individual packs bring in more money, then sell them individually. If the 19 packs and the box sell for more, then sell the one lot.

    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.
  • 19541954 Posts: 2,866 ✭✭✭

    The sale of those packs in ML were amazing and fun to watch, however to compare a one pack sale of a different brand and year is not a good gauge IMO. The value of the set and price of high grade rookie cards generally impacts the price of the boxes and packs. Seeing that 19 packs are in one lot could keep the price down to $10K-15k a pack. I would not be shocked to see it go to $350K for the lot but I would be very shocked to see it sell for $25K a pack considering there are 19 of them and the potential value in a pack is not as strong as a Leaf or Bowman basketball value pack.
    This auction will be very, very interesting.

    Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
  • lahmejoonlahmejoon Posts: 1,666 ✭✭✭

    @flatfoot816 said:
    Mary continued to collect and later changed her name to Felicia.

    Sorry, I'm late to the game. She was Felicia?!?

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