Ever since baseball cards were created, storage for them has always been a factor in their care. Early collectors often glued their cards into scrapbooks or kept them in boxes (hint: boxes were a better idea). Later, collectors often kept their cards together with rubber bands. Looking back, not such a great idea, obviously. As collectors became more sophisticated, so did their … [Read more...]
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15 Cool, Cheap 1960s Baseball Cards
They're all a bit long in the tooth now, these old pieces of cardboard. Enough time has gone by to make Topps baseball cards from the 1960s truly vintage. Not enough time has gone by, though, to render them prohibitively expensive for those who still want nice cards for their buck. The cards issued in the 60s have a lasting appeal. Printing technology improved and … [Read more...]
Gambling Allegations Against Cobb, Speaker Likely Affected W512 Variations
Gambling and baseball - a big no-no, right? Of course. But somewhere in between the game's most infamous betting scandal and Pete Rose, gambling allegations also were the likely culprit for a weird variation on two baseball cards in the W512 strip card set. How? Read on. W512 Strip Card Overview and Variations The W512 strip card set features a total of 50 cards, minus … [Read more...]
Notes: Irma Impacts SGC; Wrigleyville Icon Closing; 5 Vintage Faves
Hurricane Irma left 6.5 million people in Florida without power—nearly two-thirds of the state. Among those affected were the offices of SGC, one of the hobby’s top grading and authentication companies. SGC sent an email to customers Monday announcing their offices would be closed “until further notice” because of a lack of power to the company’s offices in Boca Raton, … [Read more...]
1934-36 Batter Up Cards Offer Unique Challenges
Young baseball card collectors had some choices during the mid-1930s. Goudey Gum Company was producing them, although their 1934 and '35 sets weren’t nearly as comprehensive as their landmark 1933 issue. Massachusetts-based National Chicle was also trying to sell gum and during the years 1934-36, they came out with a couple of sets: the Diamond Stars issue … [Read more...]
The Year in Sports Collecting: 2016 an Eventful Ride
The longest of long holiday weekends has arrived with the duty of closing out one year and launching the next. Not much happens in the hobby during this time of year, but after all that went down in 2016, a little downtime isn’t a bad thing. No matter what end of this multi-pronged industry/hobby/business you may call home, there was news. Comings and … [Read more...]
2016 Standard Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards Published
The sixth edition of the Standard Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards is being released this week. The paperback guide offers basic info, checklists and pricing information for about 4,000 sets from 1863-1980. The book goes well beyond standard card sets that most collectors are familiar with. It remains the sole updated resource for thousands of regional sets and those … [Read more...]
Notes: House Arrest for Woman in Fake Auto Case; MLB Network Talks Cards
The mother of an Ohio man who prosecutors say organized a massive online autograph fraud ring has been sentenced to one year of house arrest. Rose Panezich, currently a Las Vegas resident, pleaded guilty to a count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity on Tuesday. She’s one of several people who have admitted to their roles in the sale of phony autographed sports … [Read more...]
SI Vault’s ‘Evolution of Baseball Cards’
Sports Illustrated recently produced a 21-minute podcast on the evolution of baseball cards. Beginning in the 19th century when the love of cigarettes grew and created a need and desire for packaging stiffeners to the gum-less packaging and on-demand world of the 21st century, the segment runs the gamut. There are interview clips with Freyda Spira, a curator at the … [Read more...]
More Big Prices for Vintage Cards as Auctions Near Close
A new rush of spring catalog auctions heads for the finish line with more eye-popping bids already pushing prices of vintage baseball cards to previously unseen levels. Memory Lane’s Spring catalog closes Saturday night with a 1954 Topps Hank Aaron rookie card graded PSA 9 topping all bids as of late Wednesday. The card is part of what was the top Aaron basic set on PSA's … [Read more...]
