Hockey's original gum card era began in a memorable fashion during the Great Depression as Canadian kids were looking to escape from the grim reality of the world around them. With the sport gaining national momentum thanks to radio broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada, the thought of getting a picture of your favorite stars and a stick of gum was a tempting way to spend your … [Read more...] about Spelling it Out: 1933-34 V252 Canadian Chewing Gum
pre-war hockey cards
1910-11 C56 Imperial Tobacco Set: The Dawn of Hockey Cards
The first true set of hockey cards, 1910-11 C56 is iconic within the hobby as it dates back to a time before the National Hockey League was formed and the game's early pioneers were playing for the highest bidder. Issued is packs of cigarettes produced in Canada by Imperial Tobacco, the 1910-11 C56 collection came out as hockey stars were emerging as sporting heroes in an … [Read more...] about 1910-11 C56 Imperial Tobacco Set: The Dawn of Hockey Cards
Beantown Beginnings: Collecting the Original Boston Bruins
With the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final once again, it is a perfect time to reflect on the team’s rather humble beginnings and examine the first hockey cards featuring one of the game’s most popular franchise. Before the 1924-25 season, the National Hockey League was in its infancy and limited itself to just two Canadian provinces. In Ontario, you had the Ottawa … [Read more...] about Beantown Beginnings: Collecting the Original Boston Bruins
Shortprints in Pre-War Sets Cause Collector Headaches
Collecting pre-war cards is generally a challenging pursuit. Often, these cards are more than 100 years old and are difficult to track down. And even in the cases where cards are plentiful, it can still mean an expensive activity. Adding to the difficulty in assembling pre-war sets are shortprinted cards. These shortprints are even rarer than the regular cards and can make … [Read more...] about Shortprints in Pre-War Sets Cause Collector Headaches