There are all sorts of pre-war international tobacco sets and a few of them include baseball and the legendary Babe Ruth. One of those is the 1932 Bulgaria Sport set, produced in Germany -- let's take a closer look at it. The Basics Despite its name, the 1932 Bulgaria Sport is actually a German tobacco card set. Bulgaria Sport was the name of a cigarette brand and the formal … [Read more...]
1932 New York Giants Schedule Postcards (Mostly) A Rare Find
Fresh off of a second place finish in the National League standings in 1931, hopes were high for the 1932 iteration of the New York Giants. But despite a lineup that featured Hall of Famers Mel Ott, Bill Terry, Fred Lindstrom, Travis Jackson, Carl Hubbell, and Waite Hoyt, the Giants never met expectations, finishing a disappointing 72-82 under Terry and fellow Cooperstown … [Read more...]
Action Shots Threw a Curve in the 1941 Double Play Set
The 1941 Double Play baseball card set is one of the few wartime issues that was printed. Stuck somewhere in between the bounds of pre-war and post-war, the cards were distributed in the same year the United States entered World War II. The set was created by Gum Products, Inc. Pictures are in black and white or, as sometimes described, in a sepia tone. The popular 1940s … [Read more...]
The Wayback Collector: International Babe Ruth Cards Climbing in Value
The majority of Babe Ruth's baseball cards are American made. But for many years, collectors have been able to find relative bargains in the slugger's international cards. If you've been paying attention to prices lately, though, those low-priced cards are starting to disappear. Ruth's early candy and gum cards have long been expensive. But prices for those cards, along with … [Read more...]
1936 S&S Game Set is a Pre-War Bargain
If you were a baseball-loving youngster 80 years ago and mom and dad’s bank account hadn’t been devastated by the Great Depression, you would have loved getting one for your birthday. “The National Game” was a board game issued by S&S, a Chicago-based company that marketed them at youngsters. Today, the 1936 S&S baseball cards that came with it are among the most … [Read more...]
Pre-War Baseball Card Holiday Gift Ideas for Any Budget
The holidays are here and if you're still looking for some last-minute gift ideas for fellow collectors--or give yourself a well-earned present for a challenging year-- I've got you covered. Just about all of these are easily attainable and while most are inexpensive, we've broken them down by the price ranges you can probably expect to pay. Under $25 1880s Baseball Comics … [Read more...]
The Baseball Cards of the Legendary Jim Thorpe
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...]