1971 Milk Duds - Unopened Boxes - Hank Aaron, Munson, and Harper (with pics)

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Posted By: Shane Hardie

I am a regular on the PSA boards, but am new here. I just wanted to share these with you guys and get your opinions. I ran across these this week and was wondering the approximate value. I know that in the SCD catalog, the Aaron books for $40 and the Munson for $45. However, these are unopened and contain the original contents. The Harper has been opened, but still contain the original contents. The scans of the side panels are from the Aaron. Sorry about the fuzzy digital picture. Here the are.

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Posted By: Jeff S.

Those are definitely a cool find, but it'd be tough to sell the "unopened" aspect because there's really nothing preventing someone from taking one of the flattened boxes and popping a few Milk Duds inside. There's no seal or cellophane in other words, although I'm not sure candy would add any value to these. Candy could also be dangerous towards condition, as it tends to break down and leak what I assume is corn syrup. On the other hand Bubble Gum often solidifies, or petrifies, but can also leave a mark.

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

Milk Duds boxes had wax paper bags/pouches inside. If so, it would be more than just pouring in new candy, unless they still make the same size boxes and you can drop a pouch in there. If not, then Jeff's right.

Cool items, display is problematic, but very nice.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I would imagine there's a distinct difference between new and 37 year old Milk Duds.

The full boxes get a premium. I don't think whether or not the full box contains the candies has much effect on the value. I ate numerous Milk Duds in movie theaters as a kid, and I recall the candies being loose in the box.

To forensically date the contents, offer one of the Milk Duds to your dog. If the dog turns it down, it's 37 years old. I have two dogs who try to forensically date my food all the time, except for the salad and sauerkraut.

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Posted By: Anthony N.

LOL. PSA is actively looking for graders- perhaps you can get Henry on payroll. He certainly can't be any worse than some of them!

My recollection goes with Todd's- while I've often seen milk duds loose in the box, in '71 they were in a wax bag.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

In short, it's safe to say there aren't people filling up empty 1971 Milk Dud boxes with new Milk Duds to make a killing on the market-- in particular as pouring in new Milk Duds might lower the grade of the box and most of the value is in the box. To preserve the box and card, many collectors are going remove the candy anyway. Some will flatten the boxes in order to get them graded. To these potential buyers, whether or not the contents are original is neither here nor there.

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Posted By: Jim VB

<<I would imagine there's a distinct difference between new and 37 year old Milk Duds.>>


David,

LOL! I respectfully disagree. I had a box of Milk Duds just last week that tasted exactly like it had been packaged in 1971.

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Posted By: Robert Collet

I ate a lot of milk duds from these boxes as an 8 year old kid in '71 and I don't remember the plastic bags inside.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

In a darkened movie theater during Raider of the Lost Ark, it's always possible to eat the wrapper.

I remember as a kid being given some Mexican candy where you were supposed to eat the wrapper (it was candy too). As a little kid that was the coolest thing-- eating the wrapper. I went to Mexico twice as a kid and, with the bad water, I was allowed to drink more than my normal allotment of soda pop (albeit Mexican pop). Naturally, I grew up thinking Mexico was a great place.

I remember sitting in a Mexico City hotel, watching a San Antonio Texas television station showing a travel show about Sydney Australia. Even as a kid I realized the surrealness of the situation.

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Posted By: dennis

there never was plastic/wax bag that held the candy in milk duds boxes, just one big clump of choc.caramel candy

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

but I'm almost positive there was one where I grew up.

Edited to add: BTW, the duds did not escape the clumping phenomenon inside the bag either, especially after the bike ride home from the Ben Franklin during the summer.

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Posted By: jeffdrum

I'll have to echo Todd's recall, I distinctly remember Milk Duds having a waxy bag inside the box in my early days. Bought a few @ PN Hirsch too!

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

I recall the waxy pouch inside the box as well. I have a distinct memory of fishing around the bottom of the bag trying to find one last Dud.

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Posted By: Shane Hardie

I had forgotten about this thread because no one was replying to it. I have an update. I listed the Aaron on Ebay last week. It ended last night and went for $180.

As I said in the first post, the Harper has been opened. It does have white wax paper on the inside holding the Milk Duds. They are very clumped together and smell pretty bad.

I will probably be listing the Munson in a week or two.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I would assume that by this time the candies are well dried out and won't cause much damage.

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Posted By: Shane Hardie

Just an update. I listed the Aaron one week and the Munson another week. I was pleased with the final bids. The Aaron sold for $180 and the Munson sold for $102.