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macboube OK - I may get in trouble for this post from Leon, but anyway, it seems a lot of you are interested in the AA's. Several cello packs were found in a Southern California closet by my close friend. His father was formerly an owner of a toy store that was in business in the 50's. His Dad had some Trading Card Guild boxes leftover from when he closed shop about 50 years ago. Apparently, he really liked the set (who doesn't?) and just tucked these boxes away for about 30 years. Upon his death in the late 80's my pal found them in his closet and showed them to me, as I have avidly collected cards since I was a kid in the 60's. I knew they were incredible even then, as unopened material was starting to get a lot of press and notoriety. I gave him some of the values then, and I think in the late 80's the Thorpe booked for around $50. I recommended that he sit on them, keep them unopened, and just monitor their values from time and time. Fortunately, money has not been a huge object for him, so the cards did not need to be sold, or even opened.
Just to be sure you understand '55 Topps AA's, it was their first football set, focusing on the greatest collegiate football players in history. A 100 card set starting with Herman Hickman and ending with Wilbur "Fats" Henry. Two top cards are The Horseman and Thorpe. There are several other stars, rookies, and Hall-of-Famers, and Heisman winners in the set. Two error cards exist (including Byron "Whizzer" White). The cards are colorful, and much like '55 Baseball, horizontally formatted (except for a few vert.'s)and each one has these classic black and white background gridiron shots taken of Pro (not college) football players battling in action at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. They are hugely known for being very poorly cut and extremely difficult to find in high grades.
These cellos originally sold for 10 cents a pack and contained 19 or 20 cards. The cellophane itself, for the most part, remains very well intact. Tightly sealed and not horribly discolored. We have cracked open several and know for certain now that Topps packaged half the cards in the set in cellos, and the other half in wax packs. Fortunately for us, almost all the key cards and short prints are in the cello packs.