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Unopened 1963 Exhibit Baseball Card Packs Fetch Over $140,000 at Auction

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In a significant sale for the sports memorabilia market, a collection of four unopened packs of 1963 Exhibit Baseball "stat back" cards, a discovery new to the hobby, achieved a total of $107,311 at auction. These packs, still encased in their original plain brown wrappers marked with "Exhibit Supply Company Chicago," held approximately 2,000 cards, a treasure trove for collectors.

The intact packs, speculated to contain around seven complete sets of the 64-card series along with duplicates, highlight twenty-three Hall of Famers, offering a glimpse into a golden era of baseball. Additionally, a fifth pack, which had been partially opened and contained about 970 cards from the same series, brought in $40,832. This lot included nearly fifty cards of baseball legends such as Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, and Sandy Koufax, further amplifying the auction's allure.

The consignor, drawn to Memorabilia Experts by a 1930s Exhibit machine featured on the auction house's Facebook page, remembered the card stacks stored by his family, who were involved in the arcade business. These cards date back to the later years of the Exhibit Supply Company's two-decade-long operation, which produced sports cards for coin-operated machines located in penny arcades, carnivals, and various retail settings.

Unlike most Exhibit cards, which typically had blank backs, the "stat back" versions featured players' career statistics printed in red, adding an extra layer of interest and value. This auction not only highlighted the enduring appeal of vintage baseball cards but also underscored the rich history and nostalgia associated with collecting.