April 3, 2025: Spring Auction
The charming Jay Publishing Photo Packs that were produced from 1958-65 were a popular item for fans and collectors, the 5-by-7-inch black-and-white photos that were issued in 12-card Team Packs and distributed at major league ballparks and stadiums, plus some stores, along with a mail-in offer. The huge grouping here is confined to the legendary Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, spanning the decade from the closing years in Brooklyn to the initial years on the West Coast and includes some team-issued offerings. It is headlined by the quirky 1962 Camera in the Clubhouse Complete Set that is a highly coveted piece within the broader array, found here in a glistening EX or better condition that includes the difficult introductory cover sheet and the original envelope. In an array of more than 200 cards, the Hall of Fame names like Koufax, Drysdale, Snider, Reese and Hodges dominate, but owe a generous nod to a supporting cast of characters that were part of two distinct National League dynasties in a short span of time. The offered group is in extraordinary condition, essentially Near-Mint or better, with the smattering of photos deemed Ex-Mt being those with those tiny dings common in team sets issued in envelopes. The original mailing envelopes are included with the vast majority of the sets, with condition typically ranging from Good to Very Good, still highly collectible as an element that faced some distress simply by virtue of being opened. Still highly collectable six decades later, the Picture Packs were typically printed on a glossy stock and featured portraits and in-action images of the players, often with multiple poses for many and, by the same token, many images were reused in different instances, sometimes making determining year of issue problematic. For the hobby, the Packs are divided into Type One and Type Two categories, with the former from 1958-61 employing a sans-serif font and Type Two from 1962-65 with serif, helping to make the two periods relatively easy to distinguish. In the detailed listing that follows, every effort was made to attribute properly to specific years, but the nature of the undertaking brings with it a degree of flexibility in that area. The breakdown (210): 1) 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers Team-Issued Don Newcombe – Ex-Mt-Plus; 2) 1956-57 Dodgers Team-Issued Photos Set (24) – Sets A and B, including Alston, Campanella, Drysdale, Herman, Hodges, Reese and Snider – with original envelope; 3) 1962 Dodgers’ Camera in the Clubhouse Set (20) – with the difficult cover sheet and envelope; 4) 1958-61 Dodgers Assorted Group (40) – with some duplication, and including the likes of Drysdale (two different), Alston, Hodges, Reese, Snider, Erskine and Wills; 5) 1959 Dodgers Set (12) – with Drysdale, Hodges and Snider; 6) 1960 Dodgers Set (12) – with Koufax, Drysdale, Hodges and Snider; 7) 1961 Dodgers Set (12) – with Drysdale, Hodges, Snider and Wills; 8) 1962 Dodgers Set (12) – with Alston, Koufax (Good), Drysdale (Excellent) and Podres (Very Good); 9) 1963 Dodgers Set (12) – with Koufax (VG), Alston, Drysdale and Wills; 10) 1963 Dodgers Facsimile Signature Set (20) – with extra Koufax, Alston, Drysdale and Wills; 11) 1964 Dodgers Near Set (11/12) – with Koufax, Alston, Drysdale and Wills; and 12) 1965 Dodgers Set (12) – with Koufax, Alston, Drysdale and Wills, plus (Switched Photos) of Willie and Tommy Davis. For fans of the Dodgers, Brooklyn or the West Coast version, the lot represents an amazing opportunity to pick up a vital peripheral collectible from six decades ago in a remarkable pristine condition.
1958-65 Jay Publishing Team Photo Packs of Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers (210)
Click above for larger image.