Collecting baseball cards is one of America’s oldest hobbies with the first ever baseball card produced in the 1860s. These cards are the crown jewel of any sports card collection if you can get your hands on them. These cards memorialize the country’s oldest baseball teams, including the nation’s first-known baseball team, The Brooklyn Atlantics.
Did you know that early baseball cards were first produced for a different purpose? The earliest sports cards were printed with advertisements on the back like those printed by the Peck and Snyder sporting goods store. Allen and Ginter was a tobacco company that also printed baseball players on the back of their chewing tobacco ad cards.
Baseball card history is a valuable lesson for new collectors. Learn more about the best sports cards to have in your hobby collection.
How to Find Old Baseball Cards
Where do you find the oldest and rarest items for your card collection?
Start with the Library of Congress, the largest federal library in the country. It’s home to millions of materials, including films, footage, photographs, vintage advertisements, and more archival media. Its collection also includes some of the oldest and rarest baseball cards on the collector’s market.
Collectors cannot purchase the originals from the library; however, they can view them at the library or learn more about them from the library’s website. Since baseball cards are printed in batches, collectors may be able to find originals through auctions and other collectors looking to sell.
You can learn about the following vintage baseball cards in the library’s collection:
- Allen & Ginter World’s Champions
- John M. Ward, shortstop, New York Giants
- Buchner Gold Coin Cards
- Ned Williamson, second baseman, Chicago White Stockings
- Ezra Sutton, third baseman, Boston Beaneaters
- Harry Lyons, left fielder, Philadelphia Quakers
- Charlie Bennett, Detroit Wolverines
- Handsome Henry Boyle, Indianapolis Hoosiers
The above baseball cards are just a handful of examples produced between the 1880s and the turn of the century. Another important company to look for is Buchner & Company, the business that printed the Gold Coin baseball card sets. Like the cards of today, antique baseball cards were also produced in sets.
Collectors may also visit estate sales, garage sales, and local hobby fairs to discover more cards for their collections. Collector meetups and conventions also take place around the country and online. You can also join online forums to network with fellow enthusiasts to learn about great deals.
Pre-War Sports Card Collection
After the turn-of-the-century comes baseball cards of the pre-war era. These cards were produced in the 1920s and feature some of the sports world’s biggest names like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, R. Peckinpaugh, and Arty Fletcher.
Other 1920s cards to buy include:
- Roger Hornsby
- Christy Mathewson
- Walter Johnson
- Tris Speaker
- Grover Alexander
- Benny Kauf
- Larry Doyle
- Eddie Cicotte
The value range for the above cards starts at $4,500 at the highest and $90.00 at the lowest per card. Other baseball star cards to collect include Ed Hooper, Ray Shalk, Jess Barnes, and Eddie Rousch. The value scale for these cards ranges between $85 to $50.
Babe Ruth is considered the baseball card “king” and was featured in the top five most important cards of the decade. You can also enhance your card collections with additional memorabilia like authentic jerseys, hats, newspapers, and magazine clippings from the era.
1930s and Wartime Sports Cards
Babe Ruth cards continued to dominate the baseball card market into the 1930s. He was featured prominently on Goudey Gum Company baseball cards. Ruth appeared in four highly valuable Goudey cards in 1933; today, these cards value from $5,000 to $100,000, depending on their condition.
Next comes the Lou Gehrig cards of 1933. These baseball cards were also produced by the Goudey Gum Company. They range between $1,800 and $35,00, depending on the condition of the card.
The Nap Lajoie card is an extremely rare card from the Goudey Gum Company. Its elusiveness was an intentional marketing move by the company to encourage more kids to buy sets. The card was eventually printed in 1934 and is now valued at $10,000 at the lowest and $100,000 at the highest.
Another interesting Goudey card of note is the 4-in-1 card. These cards featured four-star players on one card, formatted like a grid. The most valuable Goudey 4-in-1 card features Ruth, McManus, Brandt, and Maranville.
The “heads up” baseball card series makes a fun addition to any vintage baseball card collection. These Goudey-printed cards featured baseball stars’ heads on cartoon bodies, typically swinging a bat or pitching a ball. Cards of note include Joe DiMaggio and Bob Feller, ranging from $600 to $12,000 in value depending on the star and condition.
50s-Era Cards You Need in Your Collection
The post-war saw a boom in sports card collecting. The decade produced even more big names in the sport, including:
- Mickey Mantle
- Willie Mays
- Whitey Ford
- Eddie Mathews
- Hank Aaron
- Ernie Banks
- Roberto Clemente
- Sandy Koufax
- Roger Maris
The decade’s most valuable cards were produced by two notable companies, Bowman and Topp. The above cards range from hundreds of dollars to $500,000 in value, depending on the featured star and the card’s condition.
The decades following saw a rise in valuable collectible cards from other sports like basketball, football, and hockey. More companies started to establish themselves in the sports memorabilia market, producing sports cards as standalone products not advertising material. However, the earliest sports cards from consumer goods companies still remain the most valuable on the market.
Every card collector is encouraged to keep cards in a set. A complete set commands a higher value on the market. You can also get your entire collection appraised; this is especially important if you’re considering selling sports cards in the future.
Discover the Value of Collecting Sports Cards
You can start a sports card collection at any time. Take this opportunity to learn more about this hobby and market, starting with the above guide. Purchase cards with value in mind, resulting in a collection with a high appraisal.
American Legends is here when you’re ready to sell your card collection. We can maximize the value of your collection through our reputable appraisal service.
Contact us today to discover the possibilities of your collection.
