When collectors discuss the storied names of early football players, Jim Thorpe is one that quickly is at the forefront. Thorpe is certainly one of the key figures that was instrumental in growing that sport. But in addition to a storied football career and Olympic career that saw him win gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon in 1912, Thorpe was also a baseball … [Read more...]
1907-09 Dietsche Postcards Featured the Tigers and Cubs
Many pre-war baseball (and all sports, for that matter) postcards featured generic subjects instead of specific players. Because of that, many of them can be found inexpensively. Even postcards from the early 1900s can be found for as little as $5-$10. That makes them a great target for collectors looking for cheap pre-war stuff. The postcards that do show real players, of … [Read more...]
Babe Ruth Rookie Card Part of “Florida Baggie Find” of M101-4 Gems
An artist from Florida found a masterpiece. And like any great work of art, it will be heading to auction, where it is certain to fetch a nice price. "Sue" did not realize what she had until she showed a sports-loving friend a baggie filled with 176 cards from the 1916 M101-4 Sporting News set. The pile included plenty of Hall of Famers, including a Babe Ruth rookie … [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...]
Welcome to the Card Collecting Craze of 1909 (Part III)
Baseball cards had been issued since the 1860s but starting in 1909, things sort of went haywire. While there were a number of sets issued in the early 1900s, 1909 is the year when the card collecting craze of the 20th century really took off. Numerous sets were printed that year and those issues still remain popular today. 1909 really sort of kicked off a new era in collecting … [Read more...]
Welcome to the Card Collecting Craze of 1909 (Part II)
Baseball cards had been issued since the 1860s but starting in 1909, things sort of went haywire. While there were a number of sets issued in the early 1900s, 1909 is the year when the card collecting craze of the 20th century really took off. Numerous sets were printed that year and those issues still remain popular today. 1909 really sort of kicked off a new era in collecting … [Read more...]
Welcome to the Card Collecting Craze of 1909 (Part I)
Baseball cards had been issued since the 1860s but starting in 1909, things sort of went haywire. While there were a number of sets issued in the early 1900s, 1909 is the year when the card collecting craze of the 20th century really took off. Numerous sets were printed that year and those issues still remain popular today. 1909 kicked off a new era in collecting and helped to … [Read more...]
Where They All Began: Pre-War Set Documents the Origins of Sports
Collectors pursuing pre-war cards can find great examples of old time greats that used to rule sports in earlier eras. But one pre-war tobacco set actually takes us back to the origins of the very sports themselves -- the 1923 Sarony Origin of Games set. About the 1923 Sarony Origin of Games set The Origin of Games set is a small tobacco issue that comes to us from overseas. … [Read more...]