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...]
1933 Goudey Set Prominently Featured Last Washington Team To Reach World Series
These are happy times for the nation’s capital. The Washington Nationals’ four-game sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS means the World Series will be played in Washington, D.C., for the first time since 1933. Franklin D. Roosevelt was completing his first year in the White House in 1933, and Adolf Hitler was consolidating his power as chancellor of … [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...]
Baseball Card Bargains from the 1930s Gum Card Era
The 1930s gum cards represent good bargains for collectors. Some cards, like Babe Ruth's 1933 Goudey issues, aren't exactly affordable for many. But the decade holds plenty of other opportunities for solid buys. Here are some bargains that can be found from the early days of the gum card. Hank Greenberg 1936 Goudey Greenberg's cards, in general, are good bargains, in my … [Read more...]
1930s Goudey Issues Included More Than Standard Cards
When most collectors think about Goudey, their minds are typically drawn to the massive 1933 Goudey set, the smaller follow-up issue released in 1934, or any of their somewhat less popular 1935, 1936, 1938, and 1941 sets. Perhaps the multi-sport 1933 Goudey Sport Kings release comes to mind. Some may also be inclined to think of the World Wide Gum issues out of Canada which … [Read more...]
Starting a Pre-War Baseball Card Collection for $300
The prices of pre-war cards continue to rise. In particular, Hall of Famers and stars are getting expensive enough that some collectors have been priced out of the market for some sets. Despite that, the hobby continues to see collectors eagerly getting into the market for these decades old issues. That is evident for mainstream sets like T206, which continue to … [Read more...]
Pre-War Card Games Were Popular Player Endorsements
Athletes continue to do endorse all sorts of products, just as they have for the past 100 years. These products have covered nearly everything under the sun, including professional services, food/beverages, apparel, vehicles, tobacco, and nearly everything you can imagine. As games of amusement started to emerge in the late 1800s, baseball-themed card games became yet another … [Read more...]
Pre-War Newspaper Stamps Were Baseball ‘Card’ Cutouts
As baseball cards became more popular in the first part of the 20th century, issuers and distributors became more innovative. Baseball was big business and it didn't take long for companies to figure out that offering "baseball pictures" in packages of tobacco and candy was a hit. Before you knew it, all kinds of companies were offering cards. They were found in packages of … [Read more...]
1935 Goudey Puzzles Make For a Challenging Master Set
The 1935 Goudey set is one of the company's smaller issues. With only 36 card fronts, it is a set that can be completed with only a little bit of money and not too much trouble. Babe Ruth is included in the full-color release, but his is one of his more affordable pre-war cards with low-grade cards starting around $400-500. Collecting the entire master set, however, is … [Read more...]
1933 W574 Set an Oddball Strip Issue
Most strip sets of baseball cards from the pre-war are kind of quirky and the W574 issue certainly fits that bill. These black and white cards are among the later strip cards that were produced in the pre-war era and have several interesting characteristics. Here's a closer look at this interesting 1930s set. W574 Strip Card Basics Believed to have been issued in 1933, the … [Read more...]