Collect Auctions Offering Boxes Full of Dreams

Boxes, by and large, are not the most coveted things in the sports memorabilia industry. They are used to tote inventory and used as shipping materials. However, when the boxes are original to the items in which they were made to hold and still, indeed, hold those items, then boxes take on a whole new meaning and value.

Collect Auctions will have a whole bunch of “boxes” in a sale that runs from July 28-Aug. 7 at www.collectauctions.com. Select items from the sale will previewed at booth 501 at the National Convention in Cleveland.

The boxes in the Collect Auctions sale consist of unopened product, ranging from cases to vending boxes. The grouping is headed by a 1976 Topps Baseball unopened case consisting of 24 vending boxes that hold 500 cards each.

If football is more of your game, check out the 1978 Topps cello unopened case. The box holds 360 packs of 1978 Topps Football cards, with each pack containing 18 cards – an instant collection.

The four major sports are rounded out in the “case” category with a 1978-79 Topps Basketball and 1975-76 Topps Hockey vending unopened cases.

The unopened treasure trove doesn’t end there, with wax, cello and vending boxes joining the mix. Some of the highlights include 1973 Topps Baseball 4th Series wax box, 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.

A significant hoard of game-used bats are in the lineup, led by 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.

Sticking with cards, signed pasteboard collectors will actively seek the 1960 Topps Baseball signed near set in the auction, with 659 cards represented in all.

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.

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 team-signed 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 category also features a selection of extremely high-grade single-signed balls of Hall of Famers, such as 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.

More 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.

For more information on this auction, call (800) 463-3063 or visit www.collectauctions.com.