The E94 cards are mostly attributed as George Close Candy cards. While some of the cards have only a checklist back, some of these cards feature an assortment of stamped advertisements for that candymaker from Massachusetts. These are mostly blue-ink back ads with a variety of slogans. Some of the ads are even dotted with a typo, reading, "Your Out" or "Your Safe" that would … [Read more...]
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The Wayback Collector: Pop Report Comparisons of Pre-War and Post-War Vintage
Whenever I write about anything involving the population reports from third party grading companies (i.e. PSA, SGC, and Beckett), I like to throw out the standard reminder that they aren't perfect. But what those "pop reports" can do is help give us an idea of the rarity between certain sets. Typically, I've used them in comparing the perceived rarity of sets from the same … [Read more...]
Cards of Troubled Pre-War Star Hal Chase Remain Popular With Collectors
When the topic of betting on baseball is discussed, the most common subjects mentioned are Pete Rose and the 1919 Chicago White Sox team. Their cases are well documented by collectors and, in the case of the White Sox, it has even driven the card values of most of the involved players far beyond what they would be otherwise. The prices for cards of players such as Buck … [Read more...]
1930s Goudey Issues Included More Than Standard Cards
When most collectors think about Goudey, their minds are typically drawn to the massive 1933 Goudey set, the smaller follow-up issue released in 1934, or any of their somewhat less popular 1935, 1936, 1938, and 1941 sets. Perhaps the multi-sport 1933 Goudey Sport Kings release comes to mind. Some may also be inclined to think of the World Wide Gum issues out of Canada which … [Read more...]
Multi-Sport W551 Strip Card Set Highlighted by Baseball Legends
Many strip card sets are avoided by collectors. Some don't like the often crude representations of the players, the fragile card stock and lack of quality examples in the market. However, one of the more popular issues can't be ignored due to its diverse checklist and collection of baseball greats. Here's a closer look at the 1920s W551 strip card set. W551 Strip … [Read more...]
Starting a Pre-War Baseball Card Collection for $300
The prices of pre-war cards continue to rise. In particular, Hall of Famers and stars are getting expensive enough that some collectors have been priced out of the market for some sets. Despite that, the hobby continues to see collectors eagerly getting into the market for these decades old issues. That is evident for mainstream sets like T206, which continue to … [Read more...]
Pre-War Card Games Were Popular Player Endorsements
Athletes continue to do endorse all sorts of products, just as they have for the past 100 years. These products have covered nearly everything under the sun, including professional services, food/beverages, apparel, vehicles, tobacco, and nearly everything you can imagine. As games of amusement started to emerge in the late 1800s, baseball-themed card games became yet another … [Read more...]
Complex W519 Strip Issue Includes Three Sets
Believed to have been produced in 1920, the W519 set is one of many strip card issues produced around the same time period. But the series is also a bit different than most. W519 Strip Cards Overview The W519 set is one of the more confusing sets of baseball strip cards from the pre-war era. While it's commonly referred to as a single set, it's really three separate sets … [Read more...]
Mysteries Surround the Confusing W522 Strip Card Set
Like many strip card issues, the W522 release included a hodgepodge of baseball players in a small set. But despite its small size, the set has some mysteries surrounding it nearly 100 years after it was produced. Here's a closer look at this early 1920s release. W522 Strip Card Basics The W522 strip card set includes a total of 20 baseball cards. But with two players … [Read more...]
High Costs of 19th Century Tobacco Cards Revealed
We mostly refer to the boom of the American tobacco cards as coming in the early 1900s. Numerous sets were produced in the 1909-12 time period. However, the start of the cards actually came much earlier than that. The 1880s is where most cigarette cards got their beginnings. But despite being very popular with collectors, tobacco companies were very interested in cutting … [Read more...]
