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...]
1936 S&S Game Set is a Pre-War Bargain
If you were a baseball-loving youngster 80 years ago and mom and dad’s bank account hadn’t been devastated by the Great Depression, you would have loved getting one for your birthday. “The National Game” was a board game issued by S&S, a Chicago-based company that marketed them at youngsters. Today, the 1936 S&S baseball cards that came with it are among the most … [Read more...]
Pre-War Baseball Card Holiday Gift Ideas for Any Budget
The holidays are here and if you're still looking for some last-minute gift ideas for fellow collectors--or give yourself a well-earned present for a challenging year-- I've got you covered. Just about all of these are easily attainable and while most are inexpensive, we've broken them down by the price ranges you can probably expect to pay. Under $25 1880s Baseball Comics … [Read more...]
1933 Baseball Candy Card Explosion: The Less Popular Sets
Recently, I wrote a three-part series about the explosion of baseball cards in 1909. Headlined by the famous T206 set, that tobacco card era represented the first big boom in trading cards in the 20th century. But it wasn't the first time there was a decided focus on baseball cards. In the 1930s, tobacco cards were out and gum/candy cards were in. And if you're looking for a … [Read more...]
1933 Baseball Candy Card Explosion: The Popular Sets
I recently wrote a three-part series about the explosion of baseball cards in 1909. Headlined by the famous T206 set, that tobacco card era represented the first big boom in trading cards in the 20th century. But it wasn't the first time there was a decided focus on baseball cards. In the 1930s, tobacco cards were out and gum/candy cards were in. And if you're looking for a … [Read more...]
Signed Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey Cards from “Uncle Jimmy” Sell for Over $725,000
Wheatland's October 2020 auction concluded over the weekend and, unsurprisingly, a pair of autographed Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey cards once again led the way. Part of the famous "Uncle Jimmy Collection," the two Ruth cards sold for a combined $725,700. The biggest prize of the two was an immaculate signed card of Ruth's iconic No. 181 card from the set. The card received a … [Read more...]
The Wayback Collector: A Look at an Ivy Andrews Gum Card Rarity
While Goudey was the undisputed king of 1930s baseball gum cards, numerous other sets popped up throughout the decade. One of those was the 1933 George C. Miller Candy set and the set contains a rarity that is not known to all collectors. The player in question was Paul 'Ivy' Andrews and one variation of the card in particular is a difficult find. Let's take a closer look at … [Read more...]
Behind the Exhibits: The Multi-Player Cards (Part II)
Exhibit cards are among the more affordable pre-war cards that can be had. While it's true that there are some expensive ones, by comparison, they can often be nice ways to score some bargains of big name players. In the first part of a three-part series, we took a look at the earliest Exhibit cards that were issued. Next up, we'll review the popular 4-on-1 Exhibits. The … [Read more...]
Babe Ruth, Bobby Jones Headline the 1932 Abdulla Sports Records Set
There were a multitude of international sports card tobacco sets issued in the pre-War era. Many of those sets are multi-sport releases featuring all sorts of athletes from around the globe. One of the tougher such issues is the 1932 Abdulla Sport Records set. About the 1932 Abdulla Sport Records Set This German tobacco card issue was released in 1932 by … [Read more...]
Kings Among Kings: The Top 10 Cards From the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Set
When it comes to pre-war multi-sport sets, the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings set is often heralded as the best. The set boasts all kinds of legendary figures but is also known for producing what are often viewed as the first true professional basketball cards. Here's my look at what I consider to be the top ten cards in the set. 10. Howie Morenz A handful of hockey cards are … [Read more...]