1952 Topps Baseball Cello Packs?

[postwarcards]

Howdy! Is there a consensus amongst folks on whether Topps ever packaged 1952 Topps Cellos? I shared an article from Ted Taylor, published in Baseball Cards Magazine (Sept 1987), saying, "I also recall that 1952 Topps cards were readily available at our local five-and-10 cent store in cello packs during the summer of 1953. I've heard from other veteran collectors of similar packs being available at stores deep into the 1950s." (link to full article here).

In March 1998, Ron Oser had the attached "1952 Topps Cello Box" as a lot in their auction, but I recall an example of this box popping up and being dated to 1953.

Thoughts?

[NiceDocter]

As I recall….. I think MrMints 1952 high number “find” were in cello wrappers…. and the guy had opened them up and had the cards stacked on a table by numbers…..

[toppcat]

TCG, Trading Card Guild, would be Topps method to sell gumless cello packs, possibly during the next season with the prior season's cards. I've not seen this particular box design (with BASEBALL typeface from Baseball Candy in 1951) but have possibly seen a 53, per the attached.

[postwarcards]

I found the images of the box I referenced, which has the same top as the Ron Oser one I posted; here's the link to the thread on these forums!

All the players listed on the box were in both the '52 and '53 set.

[toppcat]

Compare to the 1951 Graphics. These wrappers held the 2 card red and blue back panels plus the standups and team cards. The typeface for BASEBALL is a match as is the reversed batter (Ted Williams imitator and I think the stands are reversed as well). The Doubles one cent packs that held red and blue backs came out in 1952, per a T.C.G. copyright found on the retail box bottom (see a post I made about that box HERE).

If you could find a scan of the box bottom for this particular TCG box it could be definitive. Not an unprecedented move by Topps at the time and I lean toward it having held 52 cello's. TCG distribution was done with no confection (caramel or gum) in the pack, so cello really makes sense.