This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/15/2017
While the bright white borders of 1964 Topps football cards suggest a reasonable chance of earning GEM MINT grades at PSA, the common chipping and flaking of the powder blue backs negate the possibility for most, with only 81 examples out of nearly 17,000 submissions getting top honors. Released a year before the legendary "tall-boy" issue and the introduction of the iconic Joe Namath rookie card, the 1964 Topps collection has the fewest PSA submissions of any Topps set from the 1960s. Kemp, Dawson, Blanda, Alworth and the Lamonica RC lead a list that includes only players from the American Football League, since the Philadelphia Gum Company had the rights to NFL players. Without the possibility of getting a Unitas, J. Brown or Starr card, the Topps series didn't enjoy the same level of popularity as the Philadelphia collection and so was produced in much lower quantities, which is why unopened packs of 1964 Topps cards are one of the toughest finds of any gridiron collection ever produced. Offered here is one of the feature items of the now nationally known "Beer Box II" find, a near complete wax box containing 23 of the 24 packs. As with many other boxes offered in this auction as well as the previous event, one pack was removed and opened by the consignor, an executive at a confectionery company that was producing non-sports cards, to evaluate the material for research and development purposes. On the bottom of the box is written, "Aug 4, 1964 - Wayne's Candy - Memphis Item #464-310842," suggesting it was acquired shortly after its initial release in the 1964 preseason. Steve Hart of Baseball Card Exchange has examined and authenticated the packs, mostly NM/MT with a few higher or lower, and sealed it with shrink wrap. While the set cannot claim a landmark card like Namath's debut pasteboard or offer the allure of the 1965 Topps boxes in this auction, the fact that there are only a few known examples of single packs makes it just as significant!