The Auction at Graceland•Elvis Week•August 13, 2019
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/13/2019
In the 1800s trade cards were generally used to advertise a product, and because of the beautifully colored pictures, people started to collect them. As the practice evolved in the 1900s, tobacco companies began including a promotional card depicting a baseball player in each pack of cigarettes. As collecting of the cards grew in popularity, manufacturers of a wide range of products began producing these trading cards for a variety of subjects ranging from nature to sports. An ideal marketing and advertising tool, trading cards are still made and collected today. In 1959 Nu-Card published a Rock and Roll Stars set that included 64 different image cards of popular rock and rolls stars of the day. Stars were listed alphabetically up to the card number 49 of Conway Twitty, and with only three exceptions, all of the cards bore a description of the star pictured. Elvis was featured on card number 37 with the description “ELVIS PRESELY was born in Tupelo, Mississippi on Jan 8, 1935. Has a high school education. Appeared on TV and in films.”
Offered is an untouched hoard of Nu-Cards’ postcard-sized Rock and Roll collectibles, featuring Elvis Presley, still sealed within their plain cellophane wrappers in direct-from-the-factory form. The box’s 36 “5¢” packs remain in tightly sealed condition (with just one wrapping torn), and their decorative display container looks as good as the day it was delivered to the five-and-dime. A cavalcade of the period’s most prominent performers join Elvis inside, with such legends as Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Connie Francis, Bobby Darin, Fabian, Pat Boone, Paul Anka, Louis Prima and Ray Charles; a high-condition example of each of these “big names” appears in plain view on the top or bottom side of at least one pack, apiece, inside the offered box! The box measures 6 1/2 by 7 by 1 1/2 inches (16.51 x 17.78 x 3.81 cm) and is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Graceland Authenticated.
Only one pack has a tear in the cello wrapper, and the box has two small areas of separation on the lid, but few other major defects. Near Mint condition.