An original cabinet photograph featuring members of the National League pennant-winning Chicago White Stockings including Cap Anson, King Kelly, John Clarkson and Billy Sunday is among the top items in a large auction of vintage photographs set to close this weekend on eBay. The photo remains on its original mount. There is some expected wear along the mount, but … [Read more...]
1888 Goodwin Champions Inspired Today’s Issues
As collectors chase down the latest version of the newly-minted trading card sets designed after their 19th century originals, the vintage originals are gaining respect among a new generation of collectors being introduced to issues like the 1888 Goodwin Champions set for the first time. Here's a closer look at that set. N162 Goodwin Champions Basics The Goodwin set … [Read more...]
10 Great 19th Century Tobacco Cards
Dating back to the 1800s, N-Cards (nineteenth century tobacco cards) remain popular with collectors more than 100 years after their creation. Here are ten standouts that are still not too difficult to find. There are surely more valuable cards but many of these remain within reach for today's collectors and offer a connection to some important names from baseball's distant … [Read more...]
Joe Jackson Bat Fetches $583K at Christie’s Auction
A “Shoeless” Joe Jackson professional model bat sold for $583,500 at Christie’s Golden Age of Baseball, Selections from the National Pastime Museum auction Wednesday in New York. The hammer price for the bat, a Hillerich & Bradsby model manufactured by Louisville Slugger dating from the 1917-1920 period, was $480,000. The buyer’s premium inflated the price to the final … [Read more...]
19th Century Baseball Cards: 10 Great Players to Consider
Baseball cards didn't really gain mass popularity until the 1950s, but that doesn't mean cards weren't produced for any number of other greats. Just a few years ago, one of the world's oldest cards, thought to be a team shot of the 1865 Brooklyn Atlantics sold at auction for $92,000. There are many collectors who specialize in cards that date back a century or more and many of … [Read more...]
Vintage Buy of the Week: Near Complete 1895 Mayo’s Cut Plug
Before The Babe. Before Ty Cobb. Even before the World Series...there were baseball cards. In 1895, Mayo Tobacco Works of Richmond, VA, placed pictures of 40 of the game's greats inside its tins of 'Cut Plug' Tobacco. They are among the most popular 19th century sets and starting now, collectors have a rare chance to acquire some of the 'black beauties' from a fresh batch … [Read more...]
It’s a Deal: Group of Rare, Valuable Vintage Cards Will Head to Market
Some remarkable vintage baseball cards are about to enter the marketplace. Late last month, New Jersey-based Just Collect purchased a valuable collection of cards including scarce Hall of Famers dating back to the 19th century and plans to offer them at auction. The seller, who lives in Florida and called himself a “high-end, exotic antique baseball card and memorabilia … [Read more...]
“Mona Lisa of Baseball Advertising Posters” to be Sold by REA
Before Boston Garter. Before Wheaties. Before Be Like Mike and Mars Blackmon and way before Bo Knows… there was George Wright for Red Stockings Cigars. Some 140 years ago, the first superstar of American sports agreed to promote a local brand of stogies and now the only known surviving display poster from the dawn of American sports endorsements is about to go on the open … [Read more...]
Top Vintage Baseball Board Game Collection Offered for Sale
The finest collection of vintage baseball-themed board and arcade games ever assembled, The Dr. Mark W. Cooper Collection, is currently being offered in its entirety via Private Treaty sale from Heritage Auctions. “While the vast majority of our sales utilize the auction process, we certainly understand and respect Dr. Cooper’s wish that the collection remain intact,” said … [Read more...]
Pre-War Items Set Pace in Memory Lane Auction
One of the most rare and desirable baseball cards in the hobby was up for grabs in Memory Lane Inc.’s Winter Classics Auction. When the dust settled, the PSA 5-graded T206 Eddie Plank generated 16 bids and sold for $107,100. The scarce Plank card was lot number one in the large catalog auction that generated $1.6 million in winning bids. In fact, several pre-War baseball … [Read more...]