A mini time capsule of unopened cases and boxes from the 1970’s has entered the market, including an untouched vending case of 1976 Topps Baseball cards. Collect Auctions is once again feeding what’s been a very hungry market a treasure trove of sealed boxes and cases in its latest event, which opened Monday and closes August 7.
There are 24 boxes in the case of 1976 vending. After four days, the high bid stood at over $17,000. Earlier this year, a group of seven boxes sold at auction for $22,219 so a reasonable estimate on the final value of a sealed case is likely well in excess of $75,000.
Based in Waupaca, WI, Collect is also offering vending cases of 1975-76 Topps Hockey and 1978-79 Topps basketball as well as a 1978 Topps football unopened cello pack case, which holds 360 packs of 18 cards.
The unopened treasure trove doesn’t end there, however. Also being offered is a 1973 Topps Baseball 4th Series wax box, a 1975 Topps Baseball cello box, 1970 Topps Football Series 1 vending box, 1972 Topps Football Series 2 wax box, 1971-72 Topps Basketball vending box and 1971-72 Topps Hockey vending box.
Collect has handled numerous autographed card sets in recent years and this auction is no exception with a 1960 Topps near set, jammed with hundreds of signed cards.
Leading off the auction is a 1910 E105 Nap Lajoie Mello Mint Gum card graded SGC 4. The lot includes the original wrapper and a stick of gum from the prewar release. Collect Auctions is also offering complete sets of 1953 Topps and 1954 Topps Baseball and graded singles that include a 1902-11 Sporting Life (W600) Michael J. O’Neil SGC 1.5; 1913 Sporting News (M101-3) Eddie Collins SGC 2.5; 1954 Topps Henry Aaron PSA 4; and 1952 Bowman Mickey Mantle PSA 8.
A significant hoard of game-used bats are in the lineup, led by models attributed to Willie Mays (1965-68, Mears A8); Frank Robinson (1973-75); Harmon Killebrew (early 1960s); Lou Brock (1977-79, Mears A8.5); Wade Boggs (1993-97, Mears A10); and Mark McGwire (1998). Also look for examples from Rod Carew, Kirby Puckett, Tony Gwynn, Paul Molitor and George Brett.
Signed baseballs make up a large portion of the sale, led by a pair of Hall of Famers – Jimmie Foxx and Babe Ruth– both certified by PSA/DNA. There’s also a 
Satchel Paige single-signed ball and a 2000 N.Y. Yankees World Champions autographed ball with 32 signatures, including Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Joe Torre. Also look for team-signed balls from the 1946 N.Y. Giants, 1957 Cleveland Indians, 1960 Yankees and a 1971 Hall of Fame Induction multi-signed baseball with 25 signatures, including DiMaggio.
The selection of high-grade single-signed balls of Hall of Famers includes Stan Musial (PSA/DNA 10), Hank Aaron (PSA/DNA 10), Ted Williams (PSA/DNA 9), Mickey Mantle (PSA/DNA 9) and Willie Mays (PSA/DNA 10), among others.
Other autograph highlights include a 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers World Champions team-signed cut signature display housing 39 signatures highlighted by Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Sandy Koufax. Also look for a Ty Cobb signed four-page handwritten letter dated to 1959, Lou Gehrig cut signature, 1961 Green Bay Packers World Champions team-signed football, Ronald Reagan signed 8-by-10, 1961 Yankees framed signature display and a multi-signed Golden Years of Baseball book with 123 signatures in all, including 72 HOFers.
Select items from the auction will be available for preview at the Collect Auctions booth (#501) at the National Sports Collectors Convention. For more information on this auction, call (800) 463-3063 or visit www.collectauctions.com.
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