The W504 Strip Cards set is not quite as well known as some others. But given the roster and rarity, it's difficult to understand why it isn't more celebrated. Here's a closer look at this release that is somewhat difficult to find. W504 Strip Card Basics Believed to have been printed in 1925, these unique cards include black and white player images. These strip cards were … [Read more...]
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5 Baseball Cards of the Legendary Bob Feller as a Teenager
Bob Feller's baseball career began before he was even technically an adult. He debuted at the age of 17 with the Cleveland Indians in 1936 and quickly impressed, going 5-3 while striking out 76 batters in only 62 innings pitched. Feller would continue to improve and really broke through as a star in 1938 at the age of 19. That year, he was named as an All-Star for the first … [Read more...]
Quirky 1920s W9316 Strip Cards Are a Sight to Behold
Strip cards are often derided for their unrealistic, sloppy artwork. But it's possible that no strip issue is lacking in aesthetics as much as the infamous W9316 set. Here's a closer look at this short, odd set with all sorts of flaws. W9316 Strip Card Basics Issued in or around 1921, the W9316 strip card set is ... something. At only ten cards, it's incredibly short. But … [Read more...]
Notes: Frank Owen Errors; Jerry Hersh Passes; Signed Humboldt Jerseys; Upper Deck Touts Zero Redemption Streak
Frank Owen certainly deserved to appear on baseball cards during the first decade of the 1900s. He was the first American League pitcher to win more than 20 games in three straight seasons and the first to pitch a pair of complete game victories in one day. He got no respect it came to baseball cards, though. Owen was misidentified twice, according to researcher Tom … [Read more...]
M101-4/5 Baseball Card Craze Included Department Stores
The M101-4 and M101-5 baseball cards are often referred to as the Sporting News sets. Created by Felix Mendelsohn in 1916, these two similar black and white sets included some iconic cards, including what is generally recognized as Babe Ruth's major league rookie card. The sets have mostly the same checklists but include some variants in terms of who is included in each one and … [Read more...]
Rare 1933 Uncle Jack’s Candy Ruth Coming to Auction
One of Babe Ruth's rarest vintage cards is about to hit the auction block--and it's one of the best among the few that exist some 86 years after they were issued. Heritage Auctions will offer a 1933 Uncle Jack's Candy Ruth graded VG/EX by SGC in its upcoming Spring Trading Card Catalog Auction. It's the third highest graded of only six on SGC's population … [Read more...]
The Wayback Collector: Mount Rushmore of Vintage Cards
Recently on Twitter, PSA posed an interesting question: What would be on your Mount Rushmore of baseball cards? After giving it a bit of thought, I've at least got my own list. As a bit of a disclaimer here, my Mount Rushmore is more about the most popular and prestigious cards, not necessarily the most expensive. These, to me, are the biggest cards in the hobby. While … [Read more...]
The Wayback Collector: Card Collecting ‘Fad’ Outlasted Expectations
While it is difficult today to imagine a world without card collecting, it is worth noting that not all believed the hobby would be around for the long haul. An early newspaper article demonstrates that belief. In the early 1900s, tobacco card collecting was getting to become quite popular. An article appearing in the September 15, 1910 Pottsville Republican newspaper made … [Read more...]
The Wayback Collector: Skepticism Should Usually Follow Big Finds
This week, a man was reported to have possibly found a rare Babe Ruth E121 Shotwell baseball card. If real, the card would be quite a find. The story has been appearing on newscasts in Fresno and elsewhere. Part of the reason for that is because Dale Ball of Visalia, Calif. says he purchased the card at Action Sports Cards and Coin in Sparks, NV for the staggering … [Read more...]
Cards of Roger Connor, Baseball’s First Home Run King, are Scarce
Ask collectors about the first prolific home run hitter and Babe Ruth will often be the answer. But before the Babe, there was Roger Connor. Now, Connor didn't slug home runs with the proficiency that Ruth would later do. Not even close. After all, the most Connor managed to hit in a season was 17, a number topped by even average players today. But when Connor last played … [Read more...]
