Baseball cards first made their mark in the late 1800s and early 1900s, primarily as tobacco card inserts. After a brief respite of sorts during World War I, the 1920s and 1930s saw the creation of even more sets. But by the 1940s, the collecting world was again on a bit of a hiatus. The 1930s brought about the gum card boom and, by that time, cards had really shifted from … [Read more...]
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Goudey Had Plenty of Competition in the Pre-War Era
Plain and simple, Goudey ruled the pre-war gum card era when it came to baseball cards. Issuing numerous sets beginning in 1933, the company dominated the time period. Goudey began with an extremely popular, 240-card set in 1933 and continued producing other baseball cards through 1941. They weren't the producers of the first of the gum cards but they quickly became the most … [Read more...]
Like Brother Dizzy, Daffy Dean Cards Are Limited
Dizzy Dean was one of baseball's greatest pitchers in the 1930s. But injuries shortened his career and, as a result, he isn't found on a large number of cards. His less popular brother Daffy Dean (real name Paul) also didn't have the longest of careers, either, and that has also limited his card issues. Daffy Dean pitched in nine seasons in the majors but that number is … [Read more...]
Bargain Hall of Fame Cards of the 1920s (Part III of IV)
Many collectors don't realize how affordable some vintage baseball cards truly are. Collectors don't even have to settle for cards of lesser known players, either. While many issues depicting Hall of Famers are pricey, plenty of bargains exist, too. Over a four-part series, I wanted to take a look at some of the more affordable pre-war Hall of Fame cards available to … [Read more...]
The Wayback Collector: It’s Time to Update the American Card Catalog
The American Card Catalog is the most important book in the history of card collecting. I'll listen to the argument that publications such as price guides really brought collecting to the forefront and helped establish it as a lucrative venture. But for my money, the American Card Catalog is tops in terms of importance for, particularly, older cards. First created in 1939 as … [Read more...]
Six 1933 Goudey Cards That Should Have Been Printed
The 1933 Goudey set is a massive issue with 240 cards. One of the reasons that it's so collected is the large roster of incredible talent found in the release. But if you ask me, it would have been great to include a few more cards. Here are five I can think of. Ty Cobb Sure, Cobb's playing days had ended by the time the set was released. But other retired players were … [Read more...]
1930s Gum/Candy Cards Came in All Shapes and Sizes
For the most part, the 1930s gum cards are known for their virtually square shape and thicker cardboard. That was a drastic change from the early candy/caramel cards which were often smaller and/or printed on thinner stock. But the 1930s included all sorts of different designs and here's a look at some of the more unique issues. 1934 Al Demaree Die Cuts (R304) These die-cuts … [Read more...]
Blurred Lines and Misclassifications Exist Between E-Cards and R-Cards
In his American Card Catalog, author Jefferson Burdick categorized candy, gum, and caramel baseball cards. These issues spanned several decades and in an effort to better classify them, he broke them out into two sections - E-Cards for early candy and gum cards and R-Cards, later candy and gum issues. While the two classifications exist, however, the line is somewhat blurred … [Read more...]
1933 DeLong Cards Were A One-Year Wonder
The 1933 DeLong cards combine a colorful design with a limited checklist that is chock full of Hall of Famers. Unfortunately, it was a case of one and done. While it can't match Goudey for comprehensiveness, you'll recognize most of the names. There are 15 Hall of Famers in this 24-card set, and an argument can be made for Riggs Stephenson to have a plaque at … [Read more...]
Tracking Babe Ruth Cards For Sale on eBay
The Babe is still hot. More than 60 years after his death, Babe Ruth cards continue to be among the most sought after in the hobby. Sports Collectors Daily tracked the sales of The Bambino's cardboard over the last two months and the results show that mainstream Goudey gum cards continue to dominate, despite being in far greater supply than some of the lesser known … [Read more...]
