The W504 Strip Cards set is not quite as well known as some others. But given the roster and rarity, it's difficult to understand why it isn't more celebrated. Here's a closer look at this release that is somewhat difficult to find. W504 Strip Card Basics Believed to have been printed in 1925, these unique cards include black and white player images. These strip cards were … [Read more...]
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1955 Topps Doubleheaders Have Pre-War Roots
Forty-four years after smokers of Mecca cigarettes pulled them out of packs, Topps reincarnated the interactive design for a "double folders" set of its own. The 1955 Topps Doubleheaders set was the company's first sidebar baseball issue and continues to be popular with collectors of vintage cards. 1955 Topps Doubleheaders Basics Topps Doubleheaders were issued with … [Read more...]
15 Cards for 50 Cents: 1989 Topps Baseball Set Turns 30
There are some collectors who cringe about the 1989 Topps baseball card set. After all, it was one of the sets that was mass produced during the glut of cards from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. Here's something more cringe-worthy, however: The ’89 Topps set turned 30 this year. Collectors who were 10 years old in 1989 are fast approaching middle … [Read more...]
Topps’ “Other” 1969 Baseball Sets Were Small, Tall
Fifty years ago, collectors were beginning to pull the first of what would be Topps' biggest set to date at 664 cards. Baseball was expanding and so, too, were the number cards you needed to make a set. Still issued by series, the collecting would continue for the next several months but in addition to its standard bubble gum card set with the famous (or infamous) … [Read more...]
1941 Goudey Set Marked End of an Era
Goudey Gum Company sailed across the pre-World War II landscape with a busy run that included standard issue baseball cards, premiums and some non-sport sets. The 1941 Goudey Baseball set would mark the end of a relatively brief but impactful run. The Boston-based firm got off to a huge start with its ultra-popular 1933 set that featured four Babe Ruth cards. The ’34 … [Read more...]
A Look Inside the Surprisingly Rare T332 Helmar Stamps Set
In the early 1900s, tobacco companies were stuffing packages of cigarettes with trading cards. Cards are the items that are most collected today but some companies used other types of premiums instead of them. In 1911, for instance, Helmar Cigarettes distributed packs of their product with small stamps featuring baseball players. T332 Helmar Stamps Overview The 1911 Helmar … [Read more...]
Ranking the Top 5 Strip Card Sets
Strip cards are often dismissed by many collectors. And while that's understandable due to the ugly nature of some, there's no denying they are an affordable entry into the pre-war card market. These cards were also hand-cut or even torn from strips and, as a result, are often low-grade issues. But many of the cards of big name players can be found for significantly less than … [Read more...]
1983 Topps Baseball Offered A ‘Real’ Improvement
After weathering the entry into the baseball card market by Fleer and Donruss in 1981, Topps needed a strong product by the time 1983 rolled around. As if to convince itself and baseball card collectors, Topps kept pushing the slogan “The Real One,” with “Real” underlined, on packs and boxes to remind fans who had held the license to produce baseball cards for so many … [Read more...]
1962 Salada-Junket Coins a Massive Vintage Issue
Despite not being traditional baseball cards, the 1962 Salada-Junket coins are heavily desired by vintage collectors. Here's a closer look at this unique set from the 1960s. 1962 Salada-Junket Coins Basics The 1962 Salada-Junket Coins were available in packages of Salada Tea and Junket Dessert products. These co-branded plastic coins featured baseball players from the major … [Read more...]
1952 Star-Cal Decals Set Featured Stars and Two Types
The 1952 Star-Cal Decals set is one of the more interesting 1950s issues. While the Topps and Bowman sets get most of the attention from collectors, this unique set has its own great lineup of stars and is significantly tougher to find. 1952 Star-Cal Decals Basics The 1952 Star-Cal Decals set was produced by the Meyercord Company, which was based in Chicago, as is printed on … [Read more...]
