1969-70 Bazooka box question

[rdwyer]

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.

[Cliff Bowman]

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

[rdwyer]

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

[raulus]

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.

[rdwyer]

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

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

[hcv123]

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.