Here’s a rare gem REA offered for sale in 2000: a complete set of 50 never-assembled 1977 Hostess boxes featuring all 150 cards in Mint condition.
Here’s the lot’s complete description from the July 2000 catalog:
The 1977 Hostess set of 150 cards was issued on the bottom of boxes of Hostess snack cake products, with one 3 card panel appearing on the bottom of each box. This complete set of 50 panels is very unusual (and possibly unique) in that they are on 50 complete never assembled boxes. This is what the boxes looked like before they underwent the assembly process into box form. These were obviously saved by someone at Hostess or by the printer. Each box has one three card panel for a total of 150 cards. Set includes many stars and superstars such as Bench, Brett, Brock, Carlton, Fisk, Hunter, Jackson, Munson, Rose, Ryan, Schmidt, Seaver, Yastrzemski and Yount. The boxes range from Nr/Mt to Mt, the cards are in Mint condition. Total 50 boxes (150 cards).
Interestingly, it appears REA may have re-sold the boxes twice, first in the spring of 2010 for $705 and then again the following year, in the spring of 2011 for $823. PSA had just started grading hand-cut panels around that time, so one has to wonder if these ended up being cut up for the registry or re-sale.
