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1968 and 1969 Philadelphia Gum Dark Shadows Display Boxes (2)
Starting Bid - $200, Sold For - $353
Each of these two empty display boxes, dating from 1968 and 1969, respectively, once housed twenty-four five-cent packages of Dark Shadows bubble-gum cards and were issued by the Philadelphia Chewing Gum Corporation. The lids and front side panels of each box feature a portrait image of the series' star, the vampire Barnabas Collins, who the 1968 pink box promotes as "TV's Cool Ghoul!" Dark Shadows, which debuted in 1967, was a gothic soap opera featuring vampires (and other monsters) that was extremely popular and remains a cult favorite to this day. While at first glance, the subject matter may have seemed like an odd choice for a TV show directed at kids, let alone for bubble-gum cards, it just goes to show that vampires have been popular with youngsters long before the current Twilight craze. Kids obviously bought enough of the "wallet photos" contained in each pack to make it economically feasible for Philadelphia Gum to offer them again in 1969. The Dark Shadows cards, both pink and green, have always been difficult to collect in high grade, and the display boxes from each year are rare. This is an ideal set of two boxes. Each is an exceptional high-grade example. Each box measures 8 x 3.75 x 1.75 and is in impeccable condition, especially given its age and fragile nature. Aside from some very minor handling wear, both boxes are in Near Mint condition and present exactly as they did some forty years ago. The 1968 pink box has been professionally sealed in cellophane for optimal preservation. The boxes are each accompanied by a Nr/Mt-Mt wrapper which are naturally ideal for display with the boxes. Total 2 boxes and 2 wrappers. Reserve $200. Estimate $400+. SOLD FOR $353
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