Outbidded again on a Polar bear pouch

[rdwyer]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nice-Old-Uno...torefresh=true

They're getting hard to find. Who won? And this one had overprinting of 1921!

[3-2-count]

Not sure, but I was the under bidder. If I didn't already have 2 I would have bid a bit more than I did.

[1880nonsports]

they have always been kinda scarce. I've sold 5 or 6 since 1995 and all were still sealed. 215.00 for an opened one is a bit stiff but still within reason. I've sold the sealed ones from 400. to 700.. They have kept their value well and remain as good examples of supply/demand economics. I would put these packs in the 100 known or less category - a fairly high number when compared to some of the lesser known slide and shell brands - so don't give up hope Richard! Interestingly enough - I remember when an article (SCD?CRS) around 1995 highlighted an unopened pack of Polar Bear bought for around 20.00.. The valuation at the time was I believe a few hundred dollars or more (pulled out of the air by buyer at the time-there was very little interest then in the packs and such beyond curiosity - little history to base a price on - and good times were coming). The interesting part was that although the date on the stamp was 1910 - there was a red "cancellation" dated 1952! I just didn't understand! This got me started researching the seemingly strange connection and subsequently started me on my pack collection. Within the year I had scored TWO polar packs as well as some earlier packs and I was hooked. Sadly I've sold my Ramley, Gypsy Queen, TTT, and broadleaf packs along the way and haven't been able to replace them YET. Same with the Polar Bear. I'm basically a 19th century guy. I have quite a few Duke, Goodwin, and Ginter packs as well as gypsy queen and Old Judge "cases/cartons" to appease the need - but a run of the T206 packs seems quite the special chase.

[rdwyer]

I agree. T206 boxes are really scarce. Super scarce are ones that are period.

[arc2q]

I don't know much about collecting tobacco packages, so just curious. With the 1921 stamp this pack would obviously not have a T206 but did Polar Bear continue putting inserts I their packages - like soldiers, flowers, or movie star cards, etc.?

[ethicsprof]

I agree with the 'crowd'. I have an unopened Polar Bear pouch and haven't seen another in some time. I have an unopened Obak pack as well.
I have a number of other opened 'packs': Old Mill, Tolstoi, American beauty,
EPDG,turkey red,sweet caporal, piedmont, helmar, egyptienne straights,
sovereign, pirate, Turkish trophies,recruit, high grade,mecca,murad.
All are period or near period. I also have a drum pouch which never held anything but tobacco but still fun to display with a T206 Drum of Moeller.
It does seem to me--anecdotally--that the T206 related packs are getting tougher to come by.
all the best in your search,
barry

[JollyElm]

Help us T206 novices out. Do any of these packs people are talking about in this thread have cards in them??

[rdwyer]

Period packs are ones that have the right stuff. The right tax stamp, the right factory number, district, & state. There are approx. 100 packs out there, that have the right stuff. I could be wrong on that number, but it's probably close.