Over 2,000 lots ranging from pop culture collectibles to historical memorabilia are crossing the auction block in Hake’s Auctions latest premiere auction. Among the choice lots featured in Auction #227 are numerous cereal, radio and TV premiums.
Among the lots on offer are three Tom Mix premium badges offered by Ralston Cereal in 1937. The “Straight Shooter,” “Wrangler,” and “Ranch Boss” badges are all 3/16” thick pieces of lead and come with 2” tall production examples of the badges.
Two rare premiums for the first Tarzan Of The Apes radio serial are also being featured. These brass bracelets depict two different scenes of Tarzan with jungle animals with one reading “Tarzan Radio Club – Drink More Milk.” The subsequent lot differs only with the text on the bracelet reading “Tarzan Radio Club – Bursley Coffees.”
Another fine premium on offer is a boxed ring from The Spider pulp magazine publisher Popular Publications in 1934. The 1-inch tall red paper covered cardboard box contains velvet fabric liner to hold the one-piece band with The Spider’s red symbol.
Fans of the Man of Steel have the chance to snag a ring issued by dairies participating in the Superman Defense Club milk program in 1941. The brass plate on top of the ring snaps off from the base and holds a paper sticker picturing Superman along with his name. This near mint brass example remains highly reflective.
In another lot, the Caped Crusader stars on a flat box of Frosted Flakes from 1966. The box sees Tony the Tiger promoting the “Batman Printing Set” premium that was available for 25¢ and one box top. The back panel is fully devoted to the premium, with the Batman comic book logo, actual size image of the premium and a Robin portrait.
The Fastest Man Alive takes center stage on a beautiful litho button offered to All-Flash readers who filled out a survey coupon offered in #6 in 1942. The subsequent lot features a litho button of Wonder Woman offered to Sensation Comics readers during the same year.
Yet another premium crossing the block is a mailing envelope with Captain America return address, typed recipient address and full body Captain America and Bucky illustrations containing the first issued membership kit from 1941. The kit contains a 1-1/2” tall brass badge with Captain America art by Al Avison.
Issued as a Cream of Wheat and newspaper premium in 1936 was a Buck Rogers Solar Scouts Repeller Ray ring with golden luster. The top depicts Buck Rogers in his rocketship holding a rocket pistol, surrounded by five tiny star accents and a partial image of the moon.
A flat Ralston Shredded Wheat Chex cereal box with a back panel offering various Space Patrol premiums is also being featured. The premiums listed on the back include a Jet-Glow Code Belt and Cosmic Smoke Gun with the membership kit's Big Official Insignia shown. The box comes with a 4-1/2” long plastic Space Patrol Cosmic Smoke Gun.
A highlight of the auction is an extensive lot of 14 pieces from The Sky Climbers of America, an aviation-related club sponsored by boys clothing stores in 1929. The lot includes five issues of the Sky Climbers Of America magazine, Secret Manual folder, pinback button, embroidered patch, decal of button image and five nice quality metal badges.
Additional lead proofs and prototype badges on offer are General Mill test premium Jack Armstrong badges offered in 1940. The 3/16” badges read “Jack Armstrong – Lieutenant – Listening Squad” and “Captain – Jack Armstrong Listening Squad,” respectively. Each badge comes with a 1-1/4” tall production example.
Over 20 pieces related to FBI agent Melvin Purvis and the Junior G-Men are also crossing the auction block. This includes eight premium badges, two different brass rings, Melvin Purvis Secret Operator folding pocketknife, Chief Operative Commission and Secret Operators Captain certificates, Melvin Purvis fan photo, Secret Passport Roving Operative card, Melvin Purvis Secret Operator’s Manual, Melvin Purvis Official Junior G-Men Fingerprint Set and Confidential Manual Of Instruction.
Several other lots offer impressive Kellogg’s Pep pin premiums, including a large die-cut cardboard standee offered as box inserts in 1945. The standee sees a boy surrounded by vast array of the buttons depicting Superman, Smilin’ Jack, Smokey Stover, Moon Mullins, Harold Teen, Dick Tracy, Skeezix, Smitty, and others.
The subsequent lot features the single-sided letteraddressed “Dear Mr. Grocer” that addresses Kellogg’s Pep pin promotion. This letter features an image of the store standee and the 18 different Pep pins. Another lot offers an 8 oz. Kellogg box with the banner “Comic Character Button In Every Package” at the bottom and a “Uncle Sam’s Paratroops” illustration on the back.
Last but certainly not least is five sets of 18 Pep comic character pins for a total of 86 pins released from 1945 to 1946. These cereal giveaway buttons feature Blondie and Dagwood, Dick Tracy, Felix the Cat, Flash Gordon, Henry, Moon Mullins, Popeye and Olive Oyl, Little Orphan Annie, Superman, The Phantom and others. The pins also come with a rare, size large Kellogg’s Pep Beanie.
Bidding for these premium items has already begun and closes on July 10-11, 2019. Head over to hakes.com to browse through further selections in Auction #227 and get started on bidding today.
