It is the position of AmbroseBauer Trains that the following items attributed to Lionel are actual Lionel production items and as such are stated to be Original when offered by AmbroseBauer Trains:

Lionel 1969 Checkerboard Boxes have four basic Variations. They come marked for Hagerstown, Maryland and Hillside, New Jersey with a comma on each end between the City and the State. There are also nearly identical Boxes that are also marked for Hagerstown, Maryland and Hillside, New Jersey but one end flap is missing the comma between the City and State. These "one-comma" boxes have been averred by a handful of collectors not to be Original. We disagree, as well as do the majority of the Box Collectors of which we have discussed this matter, and it is the position of AmbroseBauer Trains that these one-comma boxes are Original Lionel items, although they might be possible rejects by Lionel that ultimately found a home at Madison Hardware. We do note that some of the rubber-stamped numbers on the end flaps of both two-commas and one-comma Boxes might have occurred at Madison Hardware, or outside the Lionel Factory, and caution is advised.

Lionel produced #6464-300 Rutland Box Cars in 1955 and 1956. An early Variation of this Box Car included Rubber-Stamped Lettering and Split-Color Painted Doors. Although unfortunately many Split-Color Doors have been reproduced over the years, this is an Original Variation from Lionel and Original Split-Color Doors do exist.

Please remember that AmbroseBauer Trains does not warrant screws or wiring as Original or within our guarantee of an item as being All Original.

Box Grading: AmbroseBauer Trains grades boxes pursuant to the DJB Standard Box Grading System that has been used since the 1980s, where (8) designates an average box: (10) Mint - A perfect Box that looks like it was made yesterday, without any writing, stains, creases, flaking or wear in any manner. A Box that came in a set can not have a price tag on it and be a (10). (9+) Near Mint - A Near Perfect Box that would be a Perfect Box except for one tiny flaw. (9) Like New - A Near Perfect Box that would be a Perfect Box except for a small flaw or a couple of tiny flaws. (9-) Near Like New - A Very Crisp Box with a series of small or tiny flaws that still looks like it has very minor wear. (8+) Excellent Plus - A Nice Box with minor to moderate wear, at the borderline of what would be included in a high-quality Train Collection. (8) Excellent - A Nice Box with moderate wear, the standard of what a complete box would look like after 30+ years. With the exception of a (10) Box, missing flaps do not affect the grading of a Box except that missing flaps must be noted.

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Note: Private Auctions are conducted by Drew J. Bauer, Esquire as attorney in fact. Drew is a member of the Bars of the Courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

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