1959 Bazooka Complete Box

[raulus]

As some of you likely know, I've been building out my Willie Mays PSA Master Set for the last ~8 years. For some of you, 8 years is probably nothing, because you've been working on your sets for decades or even the better part of a century. And I tip my cap to your perserverence!

For the Mays Master Set, there are a number of items that seem to be virtually impossible to find. Over the last few years, I've been whittling down the list, to the point where I got stuck with about 5 items left that just seemed like they would never be found.

Until now.

Just arrived in the mail yesterday, a Willie Mays 1959 Bazooka Complete Box. One of only 2 that have been graded by PSA. For that matter, the other one is missing some of the side flaps, so we can debate whether it's truly a complete box in that condition.

Only a handful of these 1959 Bazooka complete boxes exist for any player (PSA pop 7 for the entire set. That's right - just 7 cards total, not 7 for each player). I'm proud to be the new caretaker of this grand piece, and to be one small step closer to completing my Master Mays set.

p.s. Shout out to Howard Chasser, who has helped me to chase down a lot of the impossible to find items on the checklist, including this one.

[mq711]

Fantastic pick-up. Where did you find this?

[D. Bergin]

Fantastic piece. I've always been way more impressed by these oddball issues, then any high end Topps or Bowman card.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by mq711

Fantastic pick-up. Where did you find this?

As I hinted at, Howard Chasser brokered it for me. I suspect Howard could tell you the tale, although he might be sheepish about revealing too much about his methods.

Howard has been in the hunt for me for a while, helping me to find impossible to find pieces for my Master Mays set, and I suspect for others as well. It could just be as simple as working his network and connections, he finally tracked down the owner, found a price that the owner would accept, contacted me with the price, and we closed the deal.

Unfortunately, when it comes to impossible to find stuff that is in demand, particularly in this market, you need to be willing to pay a king’s ransom to get it. My willingness to pay astronomical sums probably helped to get the deal done without it going to auction, or without some other collector elbowing me out before it goes to auction by offering the seller an even bigger king’s ransom.

[Cliff Bowman]

It amazes me that you still need the 1971 Bazooka numbered Willie Mays single card and panel considering everything else you have. The reason I mention it is that I need the 1971 Bazooka Numbered Randy Hundley that is on the same panel as Willie Mays and it is virtually non existent. The panel is on the proof sheet but is part of the full box, apparently whoever it was that cut up several of these proof sheets didn't cut up many of the Mays panels.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

It amazes me that you still need the 1971 Bazooka numbered Willie Mays single card and panel considering everything else you have. The reason I mention it is that I need the 1971 Bazooka Numbered Randy Hundley that is on the same panel as Willie Mays and it is virtually non existent. The panel is on the proof sheet but is part of the full box, apparently whoever it was that cut up several of these proof sheets didn't cut up many of the Mays panels.

Yep. Based on the PSA pop charts, there are only 2 of the 1971 numbered Mays, although there are 4 of the 1971 numbered complete panels with Mays. So they’re out there, but obviously also very difficult to find. For whatever reason, 2 of my 4 remaining items come from the 1971 Bazooka numbered set.

[Marckus99]

Incredible piece.

Congrats!

[quitcrab]

Great pick up… I would see if PSA would put it in a new holder so that tab isn’t bent over on the bottom.
Truly a remarkable piece!
Scott