For years, Hake’s has been a leader in collectibles outside of comics and has seen realized prices on vintage and antique trading cards, toys, and antique political items. This month, Hake’s has several unique and interesting finds in their March auction, with sessions ending March 19th and 20th.
Factory Sealed Archie Snare Drum
Vintage Archie toys are a personal favorite of mine, as they tell a more complete story of what the company was like before I was born. In 1969 Archie Comics was experiencing a unique pop culture boom thanks to the single Sugar, Sugar securing the number 1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 list in September of 1969. The Archie Show, which made its debut in 1968, would go on to launch several popular Archie cartoon spinoffs. As Archie was being marketed partly as a kid-friendly musical group it would only make sense that musical instruments geared towards that target audience would be next. EMENEE produced a handful of kid-friendly instruments such as this snare drum.
The design on the snare drum is particularly interesting, as canonically Jughead is the drummer of The Archie's. However, Archie himself is playing the drums on the instrument's artwork, while Jughead presumably is playing guitar. Seldom do I see any EMENEE instruments come up for auction -- especially one that's factory sealed. Hakes estimates this item to be worth between $200 - $400, which for the right buyer would be worth it.
Takara Star Wars Darth Vader Figure
Vintage die-cast figures are particularly collectible, especially if it's a toy almost everyone can recognize. This 1978 Takara die-cast Darth Vader is particularly exciting to see. While the box itself has been opened, the figure looks like it was never removed from the styrofoam insert! This 6.5" figure is damn impressive, and not something that pops up too often. I'm a fan of international comics and toys, as well as a long-time fan of Takara. If you've never owned a Takara toy and are looking to jump into that rabbit hole, this is a great (albeit expensive) place to start.
A similarly complete in-box figure sold on eBay in December of 2023 for $332.49, but the overall condition of this particular example isn't as high. There are also a number of these Darth Vader figures on eBay without their box, accessories, or even cape. Finding one in a high grade and complete condition is no easy task. Hakes lists this as Near Mint and estimates this figure will go between $400 - $700. I believe this figure will end on the higher end due to its scarcity. If you're a Star Wars collector, this would be one hell of a piece to add to your collection!
1939 and 1942 Superman Buttons With Back Text
Here's something you really don't see every day. While vintage pins and buttons are common, finding the first promotional Superman button from DC is not common. Both buttons feature Superman breaking chains, while the back of each reads "Read Superman Action Comics Magazine". There are small differences between the 1939 button (left) and the 1942 button (right). Superman himself is slightly more defined in 1942, and his name is now in 3-D. Yet the simplicity of the 1939 button is charming and shows us just how far we've come in comic book marketing.
Since 2009 these pins have gone up in price the handful of times they have been auctioned off. In November of 2020 a graded PSA Ex 5 example of a 1939 button sold for $900 on Heritage. In April of 2021, a low-condition 1939 button sold on Heritage for $120. The example on Hakes presents extremely well, and paired with the 1942 button will entice many collectors. Hakes has this lot valued between $400 - $700.
1919 Baltimore New Orioles Jack Dunn CGC 1
As a modern Baltimore Orioles fan, seeing such a rare piece of Baltimore and baseball history is downright exciting. Jack Dunn was a pitcher and infielder for some notable teams: the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in 1987, as well as the 1904 New York Giants (which would be his last team). In 1907 he took over as manager for the minor league Baltimore Orioles. This minor league team was renowned for many years, and Dunn managed them with varying degrees of success until he died in 1928. The minor league team would stay in Baltimore until 1953 before leaving. While there is no affiliation between the minor and major league teams, I still consider this an honorary piece of Orioles history.
This card is also extremely rare. There are no prior sales for this card, so finding a value is impossible. While it is a CGC black label 1 - the grade should have no bearing on the value. Despite the poor grade, this Jack Dunn card presents extremely well and will be preserved for years to come. Hakes has this card's estimated worth to be between $10,000 - $20,000. I believe it will end on the higher end due to its scarcity.
What items are you excited about in this month's auction? Let me know in the comments below!
