The T217 Mono Cigarettes set is one of the rarest 20th century tobacco baseball card issues. Despite a relatively small checklist, completing this rare tobacco set is extremely difficult . And in the case of assembling a fully complete set, that may be impossible. About the T217 Mono Cigarettes Set If obscure baseball players is your thing, the T217 Mono Cigarettes set has … [Read more...]
5 Missing Stars from the 1933 DeLong Set
The 1933 DeLong set is one of the more popular issues for pre-war gum card collectors. The 1930s set features a really cool look with mostly black and white pictures of players against colorful backgrounds. If nothing else, they stand apart from other issues because of the aesthetics of the cards. While the Goudey sets were unmistakably king in the 1930s, sets like the 1933 … [Read more...]
What Qualifies as a Vintage Baseball Card?
So, just what is a vintage baseball card, anyway? The idea came to me recently, though it certainly wasn't on my own. See, a baseball card group to which I belong, Old Baseball Cards, debated the topic a week or so ago. As you can imagine, answers were sort of all over the place because getting a consensus on something like that is basically impossible. To find a … [Read more...]
Non-Baseball Stars in the 1933 U.S. Caramel Set are Plenty Valuable
The 1933 U.S. Caramel set is comprised of only 32 cards. While it is technically a multi-sport set, baseball is clearly the dominant subject found in it. Originally cited as a 1932 issue, it is generally believed to be produced in 1933 by many accounts these days. Similar to the 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack cards, these are defined largely by their plain red backgrounds. The … [Read more...]
40 Years Later, High-Grade Ozzie Smith 1979 Topps Rookie Cards High in Demand
From 1982 until his retirement after the 1996 season, Ozzie Smith was the face of the St. Louis Cardinals. During that time, he was named as an All-Star in every season, save for 1993. Ironically, that season he batted .288, which was one of the highest averages of his career. However, Smith's earliest cards feature the defensive standout with the San Diego Padres, his … [Read more...]
Pre-War Cards for $10 or Less? It’s Not as Far-Fetched as it Sounds
Many collectors avoid pre-war cards because of the perceived high costs. While tobacco and caramel cards of stars are often pricey, plenty of bargains are there for the taking. In fact, some of these cards can be bought for as little as $10 or less. Here's a look at some of the more popular affordable pre-war cards that feature real players as opposed to generic … [Read more...]
1990 Saw Debut of Unopened Traded Card Packs
By 1990, Topps had been issuing traded cards at the end of the baseball season for many years. But that year, the company tried a new innovation -- making those cards available in unopened packs. That might not seem like a bit deal these days. After all, traded and update cards have been available in unopened packs for some time now. In fact, many younger collectors probably … [Read more...]
Five Missing Cards from the Popular 1930s Diamond Stars Set
Goudey ruled baseball cards in the 1930s but plenty of other sets made their mark and remain popular even today. One of those is the Diamond Stars set. These cards had an art deco feel and were issued from 1934 through 1936. After the Goudey sets of the 1930s, these cards are some of the more popular ones from the 1930s. Minus variations, the set includes a healthy 108 … [Read more...]
1985 Topps Team USA Cards Paved the Way for Future Olympic Issues
Throughout the years, Topps has established some of the most important innovations in baseball card history. One of their more unique ideas was to begin creating baseball cards for members of Team USA's baseball team. That move came in 1985, the year after the 1984 Olympics team took the field. Team USA was the host nation as the Olympics were held in Los Angeles that year. … [Read more...]
1940s Cracker Jack Set Detailed the History of Sports
To many, Cracker Jack is known for its prizes that were packed inside of their famous peanut and popcorn combination snack boxes. But to sports card collectors, they are famous for their 1914 and 1915 baseball card sets. While those are undoubtedly the most important issues created by the company, Cracker Jack also produced a unique set of cards in the 1940s. Let's take a … [Read more...]