November 14, 2019: Sports & Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/14/2019
In November 1999, Rittenhouse Archives delivered the first-ever trading card series based on the original Twilight Zone TV program developed for television by its creator, the famed writer and producer Rod Serling. The cards feature attractive black-and-white photography from the legendary program that aired for five seasons from 1959-64. The company would follow up with additional series in 2000, 2002 and 2005, with each effort featuring a remarkable roster of inserts and autographs, all of which are presented here in an elegant, four-binder master set, with distinctive Twilight Zone custom binders that are unique to each series. The entire regular-issue checklist runs to 288 cards, 94 inserts and a stunning 102 Autograph cards. The 72-card Premiere Edition set includes several levels of chase cards and an average of two autographs per box from 18 leading stars who appeared on the classic sci-fi show, including William Shatner, Rod Taylor, Kevin McCarthy, Anne Francis, Earl Holliman, Vera Miles, Martin Milner, Richard Kiel and other top stars. Presented here is a simply stunning example of that important inaugural offering, a Near-Mint to Mint or better monster (for all four series and inserts) that is essentially as-issued cards dramatically presented in the Twilight Zone binder. Included is the 72-card regular-issue set, which was limited to a production run of 8,000 boxes, plus limited inserts of Game Cards (12), Twilight Stars (9) and all 18 of the Autograph cards, along with a Checklist-style advertising sheet. In addition, the lot features four extra features in the form of a George Takei Autograph card, an unsigned card from the estate of Elizabeth Allen, a signed Liz Allen Game card and another even more limited Liz Allen Autograph card that was a six-case incentive for dealers. Series Two, The Next Generation, debuted in 2000 and is numbered 73-144, with inserts of Twilight Stars (9), Game Cards (9), three Rod Serling cards and a total of 19 Autographs (including Burt Reynolds, Jack Klugman, William Shatner, Buddy Ebsen, Beverly Garland and Shelley Berman, and more), plus the advertising sheet and a wrapper. Two years later came Series Three, Shadows and Substance, numbered to 216, with inserts of Twilight Stars (9) and 28 Autographs (including Leonard Nimoy, Jonathan Winters, Dean Stockwell, Jonathan Harris, Russell Johnson, Julie Newmar, Jack Klugman, George Takei and more), plus four hand-numbered Twilight Zone Hall of Fame cards of Shatner, Klugman, Best and Mumy and two Sketch cards. The final series came in 2005, Science and Superstition, closing the regular-issue set numbering at 288, with inserts of Twilight Zone Stars (9), The Quotable (18), Twilight Zone Hall of Fame (8), two Sketch cards and a whopping 33 Autographs (most notably Ron Howard, Mickey Rooney, Sydney Pollack, James Doohan, Arte Johnson, Orson Bean, Russell Johnson, Anne Francis, Patricia Barry, Joanne Linville, Natalie Trundy, Veronica Cartwright, and more).
1999, 2000, 2002 and 2005 Twilight Zone Master Set (4 Series, 288 cards, 102 Autos)
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