This is
a Fake 1952 Ted's Root Beer Advertising
sign.
Ted Williams was employed by
the Moxie corporation as Assistant Advertising Manager for a period of 5 years starting
November 1, 1957, at a salary of $1,000 per
year, with an option to buy 50,000 shares in the
company.
Source
-Moxie Encyclopedia Volume 1 by Q. David Bowers
Shortly
after Ted Williams Signed on, in December of 1957 the Moxie
Corp. introduced "Ted's Root Beer". The
product was put out in 8 and 12 oz bottles, and was still being marketed as late as 1967, before being phased out of production.
This
sign as others being sold on eBay as original has a copyright
of 1952.
In
1952 Ted Williams was not promoting Root Beer. After six games in 1952 Williams was called up to active duty in the Korean War. Williams a pilot flew combat missions over Korea. Hit by small-arms fire during one run, Williams crash-landed his crippled jet and escaped from the flaming wreckage as he said "Faster than Mickey Mantle"
He returned after 39 missions in 1953.
Tin reproductions
of this Ted's Root Beer sign are very common, and
are available for $10. - $15. each. The tin signs are
not being sold as original, only as a reproduction fantasy
piece. When trying
to find the value of the original sign I found the tin
sign listed, and it only noted that the original sign is
very rare. No price was given. This sign is so rare,
and yet I have seen 6 on eBay this past year without
looking for it. Sellers of these signs commonly sell
them with a private auction with the buyers ID kept
hidden. Details, and pictures of the sign
are quickly removed when the auction is closed.
The fake
signs are not limited to just the Ted's Root
Beer signs. As reported by
sportscollectorsdaily.com The I-70
Fake-o-Rama?
|
