Just A Penny – 1954 Topps Baseball 1 Cent Packs

After REA sold a 1954 Topps One-Cent Wrapper for $480 last October, I wondered if there were any complete packs out there. Yup, here’s an example Mastro offered for sale in April 2006.

By the way, here’s the 1954 Topps One-Cent Wrapper from REA.

It turns out there are a handful of these packs out there, but the most interesting one of these dated varieties has Jackie Robinson showing on the back. REA sold it when it was in a GAI holder in the Spring of 2018 for $1,645.

The owner then crossed it to PSA before selling it with Memory Lane Inc. for $3,392 in May 2011 (this pack would have to be at least an order of magnitude more expensive if it came to market today)

Speaking of Memory Lane Inc., they have sold a few other copies: GAI 7.5 for $2,603 in December 2007, one in a PSA-8 slab (but without the one-cent designation on the flip) for $1,261 in May 2008, and another GAI 7.5 for $2,921 in January 2015.

And to satisfy my OCD, here’s a copy of the 1954 Topps One-Cent Dated Display Box.

1954 Topps Display Box and Three Wrappers

1954 Topps baseball boxes are extraordinarily desirable (Hello Ted Williams!); Ron Oser Enterprises sold this one in December 2000 with three wrappers.

The lot’s description mentioned that the box had been repaired and glued but was otherwise in VGEX condition. 

Rockhurst Auctions re-sold the exact same box in April 2024 for $8,050.

If you’re a vintage display box collector, I’ve seen the following 1954 Topps baseball box variations:

  • 5-cent, 6-card, dated, 24-count (Ted Williams design); the box pictured above
  • 5-cent, 6-card, undated, 24-count (Ted Williams design)
  • 5-cent, 4-card (Canadian), dated, 36-count (Ted Williams design)
  • 5-cent, 4-card (Canadian), undated, 36-count (Ted Williams design)
  • 5-cent, 6-card, undated, 24-count (Green/Red design)
  • 1-cent, dated, 120-count (Green/Red design)
  • 1-cent, undated, 120-count (Green/Red design)