Ty Cobb is one of the most collected players from the pre-war era. His cards have risen dramatically in value over the years and have not showed any sign of slowing down anytime soon. Among Cobb's more popular cards are his four issues in the T206 set, his T205 card, and some of his well known caramel/candy issues. But the Hall of Famer has plenty of unique and … [Read more...]
1950 R423 Cards are Small in Size but Full of Stars
Across the wide spectrum of the hobby, collectors will find baseball cards printed in all shapes and sizes. But one of the smallest sets of cards ever created is a relatively oddball issue from 1950. Today, we know this set mostly as the R423 set. 1950 R423 Set Overview The 1950 R423 set is made up of 120 very small baseball cards. The cards were issued in 13-card … [Read more...]
1952 Wheaties Tray Set is Actually a 1950 Issue
Sports fans have always been a target market for Wheaties. The "Breakfast of Champions" has often given sleepy-eyed fans something to read with their morning bowl of cereal. Sometimes the players were found on the back and sometimes they were featured on the front but there's a dating error when it comes to one of their most unusual and scarce collectibles. In the … [Read more...]
Athletes Highlighted the Quirky 1928 W565 Strip Card Set
Pre-war strip cards can often be unattractive, a bit difficult to understand, and, well, just a little strange in general. All of those traits apply to the 1928 W565 strip card set. Here's a closer look at this unique issue from the 1920s. About the W565 strip card set Believed to have been printed in 1928, there's no doubt that the W565 strip card set is a little on the … [Read more...]
1953 Bowman Black and White Set Complemented the Company’s Color Release
In 1953, Bowman continued its run of collectible baseball card sets with an impressive 160-card offering. Like the company's previous issues, that set included full color cards of players. But also in that year, the company issued a shorter, complementary set of black and white cards. Because of that, this is referred to as the black and white set while the other issue is known … [Read more...]
1926 Spalding Champions Set a Rare Multi-Sport Issue
When collectors think about pre-war multi-sport sets, they might be inclined to first think of any number of issues. The 19th Century 'Champions' issues or the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings set are very popular, for example. But sandwiched in between those legendary sets are a slew of others and one of the more complex ones is the 1926 Spalding Champions set. Here's a closer … [Read more...]
1949-1951 Hage’s Dairy Pacific Coast League Cards Included Familiar Names
It was the west coast's "big league." A starting point for future major league legends, the Pacific Coast League spawned several baseball card sets during its long heyday in the first half of the 20th century. Among them are three early post-war vintage issues from Hage's Dairy. Operated in San Diego by Willard Hage Jr., whose father founded the company, Hage's was a … [Read more...]
Babe Ruth Highlights the W511 Strip Card Set
The 1926 W511 strip card set isn't one of the more common strip issues -- and for good reason. The set is relatively obscure, confusing, and doesn't include much in the way of baseball. But the set is home to four Babe Ruth cards and because of that, has drawn a fair share of attention from collectors of early cards. Here's a closer look at the set. W511 Strip Card … [Read more...]
Vintage Baseball Pictures Key 1934 Butterfinger Set
The Butterfinger candy bar was invented in 1923 by the Curtiss Candy Company of Chicago. Eleven years later, buying one for a nickel got you a nifty 7 3/4" x 9 1/2" photo of a baseball star as part of a point of sale promotion. The 1934 Butterfinger baseball card set doesn't get the same respect as its more popular cousins in the realm of pre-War baseball issues, but it's also … [Read more...]
1974 Topps Puzzles Were a One and Done
Long before video games, Topps was often the go-to choice for kids entertainment and it usually wasn't sophisticated. They went interactive with the 1974 Topps Puzzles issue, one designed to while away at least a half hour or so of a youngster's summer. Today, it's among the most unusual sports products ever produced by the company and fairly rare. Topps often … [Read more...]