World's Columbian Scarce & Outstanding S64 Ticket 15 Cents
Fifteen cent tickets were not nearly as prevalent as 5, 10 and 25-cent tickets. I believe this S64 is from the concession with the greatest revenue of the 300+ revenue-generating, licensed concessions at the fair--Wellington Catering. The company operated several restaurants on the fairgrounds and their total sales far outdistance every other successful concessions--Cairo Street, Ferris Wheel, German Village and so on.
This ticket is quite scarce. With 45 years of ticket collecting and selling as background, I have found that now most every stand ticket is scarce. Even the ones thought to be common when I first began my WCE obsession in 1979 are, as you know, seldom scene. Collectors in the late seventies and early eighties had a few major mail auctions ever couple of years and since many of the same tickets appeared each time, collectors got the idea they were common.
When I look back on the last 20 or so years, there are fewer sales and auctions for such tickets; another generation or two have gone from novice collectors to the great ticket booth in the sky and about the only tickets we find now are when estate sales take place. You may see one or two stand tickets on ebay every year or two....or four or five. And they're never just a couple here or there. Almost always it is collection hitting the market after a major collector passed away.
Just a few years ago it was the late John Kennel's fabulous collection that was just oozing rarity (and quantity) of medals and tickets that I had the privilege of selling for the family. The sale stretched over nearly three years because of how much John amassed; just last year another longtime friend and customer passed away and his collection was curated by a very knowledgeable seller, Chris Papadakis. I spent more than $12,000 at that auction, the vast majority of which was spent on tickets.
It is very gratifying to see younger collectors entering the crazy world of WCE collections, and you know who you are! It is sad that so many excellent conditions have been sold as it means we've lost another longtime collector and most likely a customer of mine....and most important, a friend.
I'm happy to present the many tickets you see in this sale....and believe me, I'm glad they're not being offered because I've joined the list of collectors who've passed away. I hope to be here selling and writing about the WCE for many more years.
Sorry to have made this a biographical essay. But the S64 ticket is a good one to grab! Shipping is free for this item.