Pre-expansion collectible is a must for serious collectors
At a glance:
– 1968-1969 Post Marbles
– 30 marbles (3/4″diameter)
– 1 game board (30″ x 18″)
– Download Checklist
We all played with Marbles when we were kids. Recess was the best time. Heel a small hole in the hard packed school yard and delicately roll your beauties towards it. Now there were several types of games and depending on how good you were could also decide on what size “Crown Royal” bag you would be carrying. Crown Royal has a status all to its own and to marble collectors it meant a great looking tote bag. Kids love to collect things, although I suspect kids today may not know what a marble or alley is.
A time honored tradition still popular today is beating our brother or sister to the cereal box to get the prize. So, imagine during the late sixties our delight when pouring out a box of Sugar Crisp two marbles rolled out. Post cereal had been one of the leaders with sports cards decorating their boxes since the early part of that decade. In the mid sixties they offered “hockey tips” cards as a move away from the NFL – CFL and MLB cards that had a reserved spot on the box backs the two previous years. For almost 30 years prior other companies produced hockey items such as the Bee Hive Corn Syrup cards, Quaker Oats cards, cards in cigarette packs and even under York peanut butter jar lids.
Remember the very popular Sheriff/Salada coins? In Canada during 1968 we were introduced to something a little different. Those Marbles inside the cereal box were not like any we had ever seen. They had faces in them. Some were blue and some red and they were plastic! The 1968 Post Marbles and game board are a very sought after collectible even today. Marbles for 15 Montreal Canadiens and 15 Toronto Maple Leafs were released. I don’t think anyone ever collected a complete set back then and not many of us ordered the game board display rink either. Funny thing is we didn’t play with them at school much either because the girls weren’t interested in losing their good marbles for the chance to win a plastic marble with a hockey players face inside.
What remains today is a set of the star players of the two Canadian teams. It’s filled with members of the 1967 Stanley Cup Final and new players like Paul Henderson and Wayne Carleton. The marbles themselves were unique in that they were actually three separate pieces. The team colored bottom, a tiny piece of paper with an even tinier picture on it and the clear plastic lens. It actually was a magnifying type lens that enabled us to focus on those little faces.
The game board–or as I call it the holder as the game is pretty simple–is as nice a piece of memorabilia as the marbles themselves. It is delicate so I doubt many survived intact. The marbles actually came sealed in a tiny plastic bag and recently I saw a few for sale still inside the bag. Depending on condition $400 is not out of the realm for a decent board and all 30 marbles.
I know that some of you reading this are smiling right now because you remember these marbles and like me remember the thrill of finding them way back when. That’s part of the fun of bringing them back to life for this story.
This set is difficult to find complete with the board in mint shape. Even lower grade sets should be considered valuable conversation pieces.
Thom Racine lives in Cornwall Ontario and writes a weekly column for “Seaway News”. ■
I was excited to see your post cereal game post. I have a game board, have been trying to get some information on the game for some time. The board is in very good condition, sadly no marbles. Would you know a buyer for this item? I am in Brampton.
Thank you, Karen Benninger
Hi Karen,
I really don’t know the value of the item. You could try selling it on eBay. Of course, I’d love to own this game board, if you want to sell it to me. It would go into my personal collection (that is, I would not re-sell it later on). If you might want to sell it to me, send me an email at sjb AT puckjunk DOT com
Sal
Hi Karen;
I may be interested in buying the board if you still have it. I found set of each of the teams marbles which I haven’t decide whether to buy or not. But, let me know if you still have the board regardless please.
still have the board for sale?
is the board still available
I have Wayne Carleton!! well the marble.
looking for the Bruce Gamble Toronto Maple Leaf marble if anyone has one they want to sell… thanks
Still looking for Bruce Gamble?
are you still looking for bruce gamble
i have a bruce gamble
Is there an “instruction sheet” on how the marble game is played? I’d love to get a copy. Please contact me if this does exist. Tx
Yes ther is. Did you manage to get one because I am looking forn one too.
I have a picture of the rules in a jpeg image. Readable.
If you’re interested. h2ofield at shaw dot ca
In regards to this rare set, I have the original game board plus all 30 marbles in their original bags as well as all 30 marbles loose. It is one of my favourite vintage memorabilia possessions.
I have 4 marbles,, Marcel Pronovost,, Wayne Carleton,, Ted Harris,, Bobby Rousseau. found them in a wall at a house my son bought. If anyone wants to buy them let me know.