1969-70 Bazooka box question
 

Picked up a complete set of 1969-70 Bazooka complete boxes. (Hand cut-No top tab. All 12 boxes)

Question: How and why did these end up that way? NOTE: Second picture shows complete box with top tab.

I always figured that stores did that for kids to have access to the individually packaged pieces of gum to purchase them.

Makes sense. Could'nt figure out why someone would cut all 12 boxes that way. Thanks.

I’ve heard that before the larger PSA holders were available, the only way to get the larger full boxes slabbed was to cut off the flaps on one side.

Not sure if that comes into play here, but I’ve heard of other situations where it did.

Thanks for that. Better than a kid cutting them off for no reason. :)

I'm going to get SGC to grade all 12.

The boxes were cut long before grading companies existed
 

Interestingly the 1968 Bazooka baseball boxes are most frequently found with 1 set of flaps cut off similar to the ATG box you posted. Unfortunately, there is no confirmed/confirmable reason for this. The flaps were cut off long before the grading companies existed - I know because I saw a number of them. When PSA started grading them they folded the flaps (that is what is going on with the graded box you posted) back on the larger (25 piece boxes), the 20 piece boxes were small enough to fit into their holders from the beginning).

I don't "buy" the kids gum theory. Sadly I don't really have a plausible theory though I have considered and asked the question before. All other years of boxes are usually found intact with flaps (I did own a set of 1963 boxes with just the very end of 1 side of the flap cut off).

This does of course make boxes with both sets of flaps much tougher and more desirable.

I’m sure that Howard is familiar with the 68 boxes in my collection, because most of them are currently available on eBay for museum prices, which have the flaps cut off on one side. PSA has generously labeled them as complete boxes. Since I know that Howard is also a Clemente man, in addition to a big fan of the Bazooka boxes, here’s mine from that set.

Actually....
 

I have been buying and selling (and referring to) Bazooka boxes since the early 90's and was unaware that you happened to own some currently :eek:

and a scan of the truly "complete version"

Got a pretty good deal on the 1968 complete set from an auction house about 6 months ago. You must not have seen the auction, or else you might have outbid me for it.

Turned around and listed them on eBay. Actually jumped the gun a little because I listed them before they actually got to me. Figured no one would try to snap them up that quick based on how much I was asking.

As luck would have it, a buyer immediately made me an offer on the Mantle complete box in PSA 4, for a price that was about 3x the amount I paid for the full set. Had to stall for a couple of days until the complete shipment from my winnings got to me before I could ship it out to the buyer.

I’m not the Bazooka master yet, but I definitely learned from the master. With more learning all the time!

I remember buying these boxes in the stores and they were always sealed. Stores sold individual pieces of gum too, so there was no reason to open boxes to sell the gum individually.

Talked to (name withheld) at SGC. He said they would grade my boxes. I asked how much, and he said $22 each. So I ship them.

An hour later, he says they're oversized. Now they want $100 each! Thank you SGC, you just cost me $45 and I have to get them graded somewhere else. $1200? Last time I submit anything to them again. I hope they get a hernia shipping them back!

Yeah…sadly, the jumbo items cost a lot more to get graded. I think there is an $80 tier right now at PSA, assuming you are willing to wait a few months.

I think the math breaks down as $50 for grading plus an extra $30 for the jumbo.

To my knowledge, PSA doesn’t let you submit jumbo items at the bulk service level.

I didn't know that. These were before my time, I was four in 1971. I always just figured they held 1 cent individual pieces of gum. What was the MSRP on a complete 1968, 1969, or 1971 sealed Bazooka box full of 25 pieces of gum? I don't think I have ever seen a 1959-1971 Bazooka box with a price tag or a price written on them.

The box itself from the 1968 boxes has a half-circle spot with a blank, followed by a ¢ symbol.

So I've got to think it would vary depending on the retailer.

And I suspect it also means that you're looking at somewhere south of a buck.

Update: At the same time, it does say, just to the side of that, that they are 1¢ pieces...

I think it was 29 cents for the 25 pack.

in 1960....
 

it was 18¢

Looks like there's an upcoming Huggins auction with some similarly positioned Bazooka boxes with the flaps cut off of one side, so just another data point to confirm the trend.

https://www.hugginsandscott.com/cgi-...l?itemid=63227