American Beauty Box

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Posted By: Richard Dwyer

I'm the lucky winner of the American Beauty Box that was sold on eBay. The auction ended a few hours ago.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-American-Beauty-cigarette-box-Battleship-Maine-NR_W0QQitemZ320139484323QQihZ011QQcategoryZ133QQss PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I also came across a bunch of non sport Allen & Ginter, Duke, & Kimball sets which I'll be buying over the weekend.

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Posted By: leon

Hey Richard
Nice pick up....do you know if it has a date overstamp on it? I believe there was a small hoard of these found (maybe a carton) not too terribly long ago. All were in nrmt-mt condition but were a few years later than when a baseball card would have been in them. I picked one of them up at that time....Love the packs.....regards

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Leon,

I believe there were 2 finds of them - albeit both small in number. The first find was from Westfield, NJ were a gentleman discovered 5-6 softpacks (not slide and shell boxes). I don't remember the date the packs were issued (whether before or after 1909-1911). I believe you won one of these when they were auctioned on eBay, correct? They were discovered in the summer of 2005 and all but one were in very nice condition and full/unopened.

The second find of these happened about a year or so ago. An antique dealer discovered 9 slide and shell boxes. All 9 were in pristine condition. I believe 7 of the 9 have been sold. All were full/unopened. They all had 1903 tax stamps on it except one did have a 1908 overprint. I purchased 2 of these as they were the right configuration for the card issues. One of mine is a 1903 and then I also purchased the one with the 1908 overprint (although my 1903 is much much much nicer condition-wise). So, in total, there were only 12-13 packs discovered, still making AB the 5th rarest pack in the T-206 distribution (Drum / Hindu are the rarest with no known packs, Broadleaf #3, Uzit #4 and American Beauty #5).

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Posted By: Richard Dwyer

If I remember right, he told me it was from 1888. Nice filler until I can find a better one. If that's possible.

What a week! Cracker Jack box, American Beauty Box, and now a bunch of the following Non-Sports N cards:

N8
N18
N30
N83
N88
N185
N186
N189
N219
N289
And one unidentified bunch

All together 348 cards!

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Posted By: mr. moses

from 1888 and post 1900 and prior to baseball card issuance - BUT they are the closest I've seen to a period box. As to the "finds" mentioned there are probably more than that nestled away in some drugstore or country store accumulations. CapTinToy on eBay has sold more than a carton's worth. He said they came from a drugstore collection. These new/old stock items have an implicit problem in that one never knows the quantity found. I wrote him about the quantity - he didn't tell me the whole truth (why should he?) - he lists one every couple of months. I think it might have been a 50 pack case but.....? Would love to see the carton or box Believe there are enough people to absorb them all (assuming under 50 avail.) while maintaining a decent price level and the eventual anticipated climb. All that have been listed from this find have sold from 160.00 each to just over 300.00. I bought mine at the same price point that you did - and I got mine 2 years ago or so. Before these "finds" the small round corner tin was about the best one could hope for as a "go-with". The condition is near mint and I'm happy to have it. Keep in mind that once these finds are absorbed SOME become in high demand again.....

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Henry,

Captintoy was the "second" find I was referring to. Maybe my numbers were off but by my count, only 7 have sold. Did I miss some?

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Here is the 1908 overprint pack I purchased...

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Here are the two other styles - both of which did not contain cards... The "round" pack was from the Westfield find. The flat box is from a collector in California - it was issued around the same time period as the T-206's, but was a 25 cig box.