After a long wait and multiple court challenges, Fleer finally earned the right to produce baseball cards in 1981. Still, Topps wasn't giving up the stranglehold on its best known product without a fight. The company challenged again and won the right to be the only baseball card manufacturer that could include bubble gum in its packs. While it might seem … [Read more...] about Gum Was Gone 40 Years Ago, But Fleer Forged Ahead with Second Baseball Set
1980s baeball cards
Digging Dale: Youthful Murphy Memories and the Baseball Cards That Made Them Come Alive
The good guys don't always win. Let's rewind before we actually go there. Think late 1970's and early 80's. Cable TV is spreading across the country. Think a young pudgy kid who doesn't know which sport to play. Just call my mom. She'll answer the phone and tell you right away. "My son was the 'biggest' Dale Murphy fan on the planet." Actually, it was a title … [Read more...] about Digging Dale: Youthful Murphy Memories and the Baseball Cards That Made Them Come Alive
Hottest Rookie Cards of 1989 Had Varied Fortunes
1989 marked some pretty significant advances in the sports card industry. Collectors saw the introduction of Upper Deck as well as the return of Bowman. And as I recently wrote, that also marked the year when football traded cards became 'a thing.' Rookie cards also continued their popularity and, as is the case with any year, some were stars and others were busts. While it … [Read more...] about Hottest Rookie Cards of 1989 Had Varied Fortunes
1981 Topps Baseball Capped A New Era For Cards
Baseball cards in 1981 entered a new era. Competition was alive and well again, and it was important for Topps to produce a product that would be superior to longtime rival Fleer and newcomer Donruss. It was a turbulent time for Topps as it ended a long and winding legal road. That led to competition from the other two companies, but it also spurred Topps to produce a … [Read more...] about 1981 Topps Baseball Capped A New Era For Cards
1989 Was A Revolutionary Year In Baseball Cards
Looking back, 1988 was a relatively dull year for baseball cards. Among the junkiest of the junk wax era, not much has significant value from that time period. Sure, there are some notable things from 1988, such as the traded/update sets. But in general, there's a lot of low-value stuff from 1988. 1989 has a lot of low-dollar stuff, too. But (and with all due respect to the … [Read more...] about 1989 Was A Revolutionary Year In Baseball Cards
Grading Companies Give Much Needed Boost to Junk Wax Era
Broadly defined as baseball cards produced from the late 1980s through the early 1990s, the "Junk Wax Era" is often cited as a primary reason for the crash of the industry felt in the late 1990s. The gist is that cards produced during that time were usually printed in far greater quantities than many collectors believed. As a result, supply became much greater than demand. That … [Read more...] about Grading Companies Give Much Needed Boost to Junk Wax Era
What I Collect: Tanner Jones – Jose Canseco Supercollector
This is the latest in an ongoing series of articles written by readers who tell the stories of the sports memorabilia they collect and why. Like many of you reading, my baseball journey started as a child. I was captivated by the game, and one player in particular: Jose Canseco. His violent swing, and titanic home runs were addicting. Collecting … [Read more...] about What I Collect: Tanner Jones – Jose Canseco Supercollector
Basement Ceiling Helps Collector Pinpoint Card Obsession
Dustin Samms is a ceiling fan. No joke. The ceiling of the basement in his Charleston, West Virginia, home is covered with baseball cards. There are 1,848 cards positioned on 24 tiles, fastened with a straight pin through the center of each card. Eight of the tiles are wide and grace the middle of the ceiling, flanked by eight smaller tiles on each side of the center … [Read more...] about Basement Ceiling Helps Collector Pinpoint Card Obsession