1950s Topps Wax Boxes
 

Does anyone know if Topps wrapped their wax boxes in cellophane in the 50s?

They weren't wrapped in the 80s

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Others may know better, but to my knowledge no Topps boxes were wrapped until 1992 - that year Football hi-number and basketball boxes came wrapped. Baseball didn't come wrapped until 1993.

Baseball was wrapped as early as 1986. There are cellophane wrapped boxes in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1989. Not sure about 1990. They were wrapped in the "stiff" cellophane used for cello packs, with folds at the ends of the box. Cases with cello wrapped boxes have a different case code designation on the outside of them. In 1986, Topps also produced wax boxes with plain yellow tape across the opening of the box, as well as yellow tape with a red "SWC #2365" on the end. All three of these types of boxes were produced for the "cost club" stores like Sam's and Costco, to prevent people from taking individual packs out of them when they were sitting on the shelves. It's a myth that Topps didn't wrap any wax boxes until 1992.
kevin

Argh! I forgot the club store cases!

I have 1986 and 1987 Topps "Price Club" sealed wax cases and can attest to tulsaboy's info. You can shine a flashlight into the gap in the top of the case to see the light reflect on the cello wrapping.

You couldn't possibly tell me the codes on the outsides of those cases could you??

Photos of each are probably too much to ask for......they'd be most helpful on sites like this: https://mrpekrul.wixsite.com/narcissism/1987

Here you go.

Thanks!

That's wild, the 86 case was packed in Sept. of that year, the 87 three months later!

Help me out with this - the code on the '86 cases is 331961.

I suppose the "9" is for September and the "6" is 1986? What to the other digits mean?

Sure-the first digit of the quarter kicks it off (in this case quarter 3) and the next the month in the quarter (3rd month, so Sept.). The date covers the next two (19) and the year is a single digit (6) followed by the plant shift that packed it (1). So Sept. 19, 1986, 1st shift.

Quite a helpful thing sometimes.

Thanks! So the 1987 case would have shipped December 8, 1986?

Yessir!

Superb information. Thanks for posting. :)