In a stroke of luck for sports memorabilia enthusiasts, a stunning collection of approximately 2,000 unopened 1963 Exhibit “stat back” baseball cards has recently surfaced. These baseball cards, still enclosed in their vintage brown packaging, have created quite a buzz within the hobby due to their pristine, untouched condition. The incredible find was revealed to the public through a social media post showing a retro arcade machine that used to dispense these cards.
Bill Mendel, a well-known figure in the sports memorabilia industry, was amazed when he received a call from a contact on the east coast about this discovery. The contact had connections to the arcade business and had acquired the cards from Mike Munves, a reputable distributor and repairer of arcade machines during the 1950s and 60s. The inclusion of the original Exhibit Supply address in Chicago on the sealed packages confirmed the cards’ authenticity and added to their historical value.
As the representative of Memorabilia Experts, a Las Vegas-based memorabilia store and auction house, Mendel wasted no time in organizing the consignment of these remarkable treasures. These unopened packs, likely containing multiple complete sets of the 64-card series, could potentially be worth thousands of dollars each due to their mint, uncirculated state. The collection also featured a partially opened fifth package and hundreds of loose cards, including ten Hank Aarons, ten Willie Mays, nine Mickey Mantles, and other baseball legends, further enhancing the astonishment of this find.
The 1963 “stat back” cards are renowned for their red-printed career statistics and are considered rare due to their size and quality. While loose cards from this era and series are not uncommon, finding them in unopened vending packages is exceptionally rare. Similar items in the collector’s market have commanded high prices, establishing the desirability of these cards among seasoned collectors.
Both the unopened packs and the loose cards from this extraordinary collection are now slated for auction, garnering significant interest and bids from collectors worldwide. This auction not only presents a unique opportunity for dedicated collectors to acquire these artifacts but also celebrates the rich history and nostalgia associated with baseball card collecting. It takes us back to a simpler time when obtaining a card was as easy as inserting a coin into a vending machine.
For Mendel and Memorabilia Experts, securing these items for auction is a major accomplishment. It highlights the never-ending allure and excitement of unearthing valuable sports memorabilia. Whether the winning bidders choose to open the packs or keep them sealed will be their decision, but the fact that these cards exist in their original state is a victory for collectors and historians alike. It serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of baseball’s past and the joy it brings to fans of the sport.