Many collectors tend to think of the late 19th Century tobacco sets, such as Allen & Ginter, or the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings set when considering multi-sport pre-war sets. But one that sort of flies under the radar is the W590 strip card set. About the W590 Strip Card Set Produced over a series of years, the W590 strip cards are most commonly dated to 1925 through 1931. … [Read more...]
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Infamous Billy Ripken Card Gets G-Rated Bobblehead
It was the baseball card that created a national stir—not that any of the newspapers that wrote about it could actually write what was written on the bottom of Billy Ripken’s bat 29 years ago. The Fleer card that began emerging from those pinstriped gray wax packs in early 1989 included two words written in felt-tip marker. One word was “Face” and the one above it … [Read more...]
5 Pre-War Exhibit Card Bargains
When looking for inexpensive pre-war cards, Exhibits are often a great place to start. Exhibit cards were cards that were generally offered inside of arcade machines. You put in some money, you get a card back. Most Exhibits are blank but some have text on the back, including postcard print. Exhibits are mostly known as cards issued by the Exhibit Supply Company, though there … [Read more...]
Ruth Rookie, High-Grade T206 Cobb Top Memory Lane Auction
Even in lower grades, Babe Ruth’s rookie card is still a big draw. A blank back 1916 M101-5 Ruth graded Fair brought the top price in Memory Lane’s Summer Auction early Sunday morning when it sold for $79,200. Featuring The Babe as a Red Sox pitcher, it’s the first card issued during his big league career. The auction was also headlined by a T206 Ty Cobb Red … [Read more...]
Collecting the Hockey Heroes of Newfoundland
The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador is a national treasure for many reasons and the people there have a deep love for the game of hockey. However, one of their local heroes to making it all the way to the NHL is a somewhat rare feat. Luckily, though, most of them have been featured on a major issue hockey card. Newfoundland did not become a Canadian province … [Read more...]
5 Big and Scary Tobacco Card Sets
Despite many being more than 100 years old, a good number of tobacco cards are still readily available for collectors. But while some sets are able to be pieced together, others are nearly impossible. Here's a look at five tough tobacco card sets that are difficult to build because of their size and, in some cases, their rarity. T210 Old Mill Now, many T210 Old … [Read more...]
T206 Big Four Stand the Test of Time
The 1909-11 T206 white border set is arguably the most famous baseball card issue of all time. Driven by massive popularity, it's a set that has been widely pursued by collectors for more than a century. Among the 524 known cards, four stand out among the rest. To the hobby, these are known simply as 'The Big Four.' Honus Wagner T206 The biggest of the big is the easily … [Read more...]
Updated: 1955 Bowman Cello Break Steals the Show at National Sports Collectors Convention
It was sealed at Bowman Gum Company's Philadelphia plant 63 years ago and stayed that way until Friday afternoon. A 1955 Bowman 20-card cello pack, now valued at somewhere around $10,000 was opened on the main stage at the National Sports Collectors Convention. The hope was that the pack of the condition-sensitive issue would at least contain some common cards that were … [Read more...]
Retiree Talks of Seven-Figure Collection With 5 1952 Topps Mantle Cards
We've written about that incredible childhood collection that included five 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards and other high-grade beauties from the early 1950s. Consigned to Heritage Auctions, many of them have already sold and a PSA 8.5 Mantle--one of the hobby's best-- is among those currently on the block where it's expected to surpass $1 million. It … [Read more...]
Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb Anchor 1924 V122 Willard’s Sports Champions Set
In 1924, Willard's Chocolates produced one of the top Canadian sports cards of the pre-war era. Here's a closer look at this tough issue that has grown in popularity over the years. 1924 V122 Willard's Sports Champions Overview Issued in 1924, the Willard's Sports Champions set was produced by candy maker Willard's Chocolates in Canada. The set includes 56 cards and, as a … [Read more...]
