Space 1999 Partial Wax Box

[bigdog2003]

I found a partial wax box today at a antique store. The box isn't in great shape but the 22 packs are. I don't collect non-sports at all, should I sell it as is, or by the pack?

[PoPCulture]

This will give you some nice, real-time data in about 32 hours…

https://ebay.us/m/bIwDff

For me it would be quite the pain to ship out 22 individual packs unless you got these really cheap.

[glen87]

how is the box compared to this one?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/D~4AAeSwvN5oH04Y/s-l1600.jpg

this box had all 24 packs and sold for $40 last week

https://www.ebay.com/itm/135779476433?_skw=space+1999+box&itmmeta=01JVWK3VKQ9MFG4M6K9KEREW0M&hash=item1f9d1663d1:g:D~4AAeSwvN5oH04Y&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1eBPBKtSBszBDLaYzmCxZM8ZrPQYRI3EBazR4L%2F3l81MCgpiPzV6d7mrxrQnG%2FfSdtjl2%2BKXwIqQODgyRl8gpcOfzNXdEm%2Bo4oMbPbQIv6KiZuEOOclwXIaaZtKOq69wp9QXOnUn04MR3vn0juPIb4fzgk97o31YVJsHnbQyiFOJ%2BynxeXdxSJd7lUUY6Lx0j6k7V238ljPXdQHVUi5zcWMGwVr4KX4cD04APNMsA7I4ka9ko5kQl35z4yfgHukqv6HCAcYSj%2FnaoDUNfp19A0%2F%2BfZCd191KcgTRYAK60NWUw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4y6j5PfZQ

[glen87]

it was a good find if you planned on keeping the box, not a great find for re-selling

[PoPCulture]

As someone who remembers buying those packs out of those boxes from the bottom shelf of my small-town Malik Market, I would have bought that also if I saw it in some random store.

[DynaEtch]

how is the box compared to this one?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/D~4AAeSwvN5oH04Y/s-l1600.jpg

this box had all 24 packs and sold for $40 last week

https://www.ebay.com/itm/135779476433?_skw=space+1999+box&itmmeta=01JVWK3VKQ9MFG4M6K9KEREW0M&hash=item1f9d1663d1:g:D~4AAeSwvN5oH04Y&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1eBPBKtSBszBDLaYzmCxZM8ZrPQYRI3EBazR4L%2F3l81MCgpiPzV6d7mrxrQnG%2FfSdtjl2%2BKXwIqQODgyRl8gpcOfzNXdEm%2Bo4oMbPbQIv6KiZuEOOclwXIaaZtKOq69wp9QXOnUn04MR3vn0juPIb4fzgk97o31YVJsHnbQyiFOJ%2BynxeXdxSJd7lUUY6Lx0j6k7V238ljPXdQHVUi5zcWMGwVr4KX4cD04APNMsA7I4ka9ko5kQl35z4yfgHukqv6HCAcYSj%2FnaoDUNfp19A0%2F%2BfZCd191KcgTRYAK60NWUw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4y6j5PfZQ

Is it me or is vintage nonsports wax cheaper than it should be/undervalued? You can buy whole boxes of a 1976 product for $40-60? I know it comes down to brand brand brand, but still I find this surprising, not being much a wax collector.

Even boxes from the 60s…some of those off brand boxes go for way cheaper than you’d think. I mean to even have a box of sealed packs from the 60s seems pretty impressive regardless of what even it is.

[glen87]

you are not incorrect....part of it is due to the fact that you can (usually) get multiple base sets (and there are no inserts) per box. so by now most people who want the cards already have them. so the only "real" value in vintage unopened is when it is when nice condition for the unopened collectors.

[DynaEtch]

you are not incorrect....part of it is due to the fact that you can (usually) get multiple base sets (and there are no inserts) per box. so by now most people who want the cards already have them. so the only "real" value in vintage unopened is when it is when nice condition for the unopened collectors.


Yea that makes sense. I do think the box as a sealed collectible unit would be desirable itself regardless of even what’s inside.

It’s kinda funny that you take any sports box, especially Topps from early to mid 70s and a whole box of sealed packs is off the charts. Then random nonsports is like a $50 box. I know *some* key boxes in nonsport are very big ….like a 1966 Donruss Marvel or 1962 Topps Mars Attacks…with one of those, congrats you have a down payment for a house or a new car money (possibly a very nice new car too). And 77 Star Wars etc.

But for offbrand…there’s late 1960s full boxes of nonsports stuff on ebay, $100-300 range. Regardless of what’s even inside…the just the art of the box and having one still unopened after 5 decades is kinda a thing in itself. The prices surprise me.

Like take a box like this from 1971 Fleer
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250522/a91095c8106d74a195a4eab0e58c8a0d.jpg

Ok obviously offbrand and it’s tats…but how much does this unopened box from 1971 go for, with 5 cent packs advertised on the front? Ooh that’s gotta be a lot right. There’s some sitting on eBay $140-150 unsold. Supply and demand I guess. (sorry OP for the tangent)

[PoPCulture]

You have to remember how much of this stuff was produced back then. These were sold at every drug store and convenience store in the country and when one box emptied another quickly took its place. Nonsports sets from the 60’s - 80’s (with a few exceptions like Star Wars) will never be good investments. The nostalgia factor is off the charts though.

[Tim]

Space 1999 is one of the least valuable of the vintage non sports wax boxes that you can find, doesn't mean it's a trend for all non sports vintage wax

[Tim]

You have to remember how much of this stuff was produced back then. These were sold at every drug store and convenience store in the country and when one box emptied another quickly took its place. Nonsports sets from the 60’s - 80’s (with a few exceptions like Star Wars) will never be good investments. The nostalgia factor is off the charts though.
This is completely false to generalize. But very true of space 1999.

[DynaEtch]

Yea I guess that makes sense (for some- always seems to be some examples of unopened boxes on eBay at any given time). I agree with Tim there are some examples that definitely aren’t common though- particularly some of those 60s boxes.

I think I’m just trained (mostly from comics or sports cards) to think high price when I see price tags of 5 or 10 cents on a vintage collectible, like the box in the OP…for it to be just a $40 box.

[Grid]

Yea that makes sense. I do think the box as a sealed collectible unit would be desirable itself regardless of even what’s inside.

It’s kinda funny that you take any sports box, especially Topps from early to mid 70s and a whole box of sealed packs is off the charts. Then random nonsports is like a $50 box. I know *some* key boxes in nonsport are very big ….like a 1966 Donruss Marvel or 1962 Topps Mars Attacks…with one of those, congrats you have a down payment for a house or a new car money (possibly a very nice new car too). And 77 Star Wars etc.

But for offbrand…there’s late 1960s full boxes of nonsports stuff on ebay, $100-300 range. Regardless of what’s even inside…the just the art of the box and having one still unopened after 5 decades is kinda a thing in itself. The prices surprise me.


Ok obviously offbrand and it’s tats…but how much does this unopened box from 1971 go for, with 5 cent packs advertised on the front? Ooh that’s gotta be a lot right. There’s some sitting on eBay $140-150 unsold. Supply and demand I guess. (sorry OP for the tangent)

Yup! I used to grab random boxes of 70s/90s junk wax from flea markets all the time 10+ years ago. Most would be $5.00 for an entire sealed box. Think Batman 89, ALF, Little Shop of Horrors, Rodger Rabbit ETC.

About 5 years ago, when boxes of new cards went through the roof. The floor on these came up. And those $5 boxes were now $25. Still cheap, but a jump nonetheless

Here is what I built up at one time

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/gridirongladiators/ts6_zpsyu9a6tqq.jpg

[DynaEtch]

Wowzer! Amazing collection of nostalgic wax there. That is a dream collection. Nothing quite hits like 70s-80s nonsports boxes and packs.

[jdandns]

Yeah, terrific picture. Nice work, Grid!

Wax packs I remember personally buying as a little kid (or at least seeing my bigger brothers open):

Donruss Six Million Dollar Man (very first cards I can remember)
Topps Marvel Super Hero Stickers
Topps Good Times
Topps Wacky Packages
Topps Welcome Back Kotter
Topps Happy Days
Donruss Elvis
Donruss Kiss
Donruss Space 1999 (haha)
1976 Topps King Kong (first set I personally collected)
1977 Topps Star Wars 1-4 (completed those, but never saw series 5 back then)
Topps Charlies Angels
Topps Battlestar Galactica
Topps Mork & Mindy
Topps Grease
Topps Superman The Movie
Topps James Bond Moonraker

[LOTG1968]

The Gum in those 1976 Donruss Space:1999 pretty much destroys 2 cards per wax pack. Lucky there is virtually zero demand and more than amply supply of these cards.

A decade ago they sold for $35-45 per box and now they still do... Even during the 2020-2022 bubble they never rose above $65-75

What is interesting is, a Space 1999 wax pack in PSA Graded 9 will net $150-175 as I recall. Of course due to the cost of that type of submission if the pack grades below an 8 then one will probably lose money. If you think you have 9's and do score that grade it might be a very nice haul.