The sports card craze of 2020-21 isn't one that's going to be soon forgotten. Collectors have seen prices soar and the values of their collections rise -- in many cases, dramatically. That's good news, right? In a way, sure. Some collectors have cashed out, pocketing big profits. And while others have held onto their stuff, the value of what they possess is now in most cases … [Read more...]
The Wayback Collector: There’s Low-Grade — and Then There’s Low-Grade
As a pre-war collector, I've bought my share of ugly cards. I'm not enamored with them, really. And, like most, I'd like to have cards in the best condition possible. But unless you've got unlimited resources, if you're a collector of early cards, sacrificing a little on condition sort of goes with the territory. After all, these cards are, in some cases, 100 years old or … [Read more...]
Cool Find: Two New 1922 Fans Cigarette Cards Discovered
The T231 Fans Cigarettes set is an incredibly scarce type. But recently, the known checklist has nearly doubled with the find of two new cards. Nearly doubled with the addition of two cards? No, that's not a typo. The 1922 Fans Cigarettes cards are so rare that only three were previously known to date. The three known cards were Larry Gardner, Carson Bigbee, and Hall of … [Read more...]
Certified Collectibles Group Purchases New Sarasota Facility
The Certified Collectibles Group (CCG) continues its growth in Florida, expanding its Sarasota footprint. The company recently purchased a 21,000 sf facility and now has a total of 82,000 sf of real estate in the city. CCG is the parent company of Certified Sports Guaranty (CSG), the sports card grading and authentication arm that has joined the company's other offerings in … [Read more...]
1878 Forbes Set Among Earliest Baseball Trade Cards
While the heyday for 19th century trade cards came in the 1880s, some sets date a little earlier. One of those is the 1878 Forbes Trade Card set, which is one of the earliest baseball sets in general. Let's take a closer look at this unique issue. About the 1878 Forbes Trade Cards While tobacco cards were quite popular in the 19th century, in terms of sheer volume, there … [Read more...]
1932 Bulgaria Sport Set Includes Babe Ruth and Other Sporting Greats
There are all sorts of pre-war international tobacco sets and a few of them include baseball and the legendary Babe Ruth. One of those is the 1932 Bulgaria Sport set, produced in Germany -- let's take a closer look at it. The Basics Despite its name, the 1932 Bulgaria Sport is actually a German tobacco card set. Bulgaria Sport was the name of a cigarette brand and the formal … [Read more...]
1932 New York Giants Schedule Postcards (Mostly) A Rare Find
Fresh off of a second place finish in the National League standings in 1931, hopes were high for the 1932 iteration of the New York Giants. But despite a lineup that featured Hall of Famers Mel Ott, Bill Terry, Fred Lindstrom, Travis Jackson, Carl Hubbell, and Waite Hoyt, the Giants never met expectations, finishing a disappointing 72-82 under Terry and fellow Cooperstown … [Read more...]
Action Shots Threw a Curve in the 1941 Double Play Set
The 1941 Double Play baseball card set is one of the few wartime issues that was printed. Stuck somewhere in between the bounds of pre-war and post-war, the cards were distributed in the same year the United States entered World War II. The set was created by Gum Products, Inc. Pictures are in black and white or, as sometimes described, in a sepia tone. The popular 1940s … [Read more...]
Bazooka Changed Things Up In 1964 Release
The 1964 Bazooka set marked the sixth consecutive set of baseball cards produced by the chewing gum company. But while much about it remained the same from past issues, much changed as well. 1964 Bazooka Baseball Basics For the second straight year, the individual blank-backed cards measured a smaller size from the earlier issues. 1964's edition measured approximately 1 … [Read more...]
The Wayback Collector: International Babe Ruth Cards Climbing in Value
The majority of Babe Ruth's baseball cards are American made. But for many years, collectors have been able to find relative bargains in the slugger's international cards. If you've been paying attention to prices lately, though, those low-priced cards are starting to disappear. Ruth's early candy and gum cards have long been expensive. But prices for those cards, along with … [Read more...]