A guide to all things related to baseball cards and baseball card collecting. Baseball card collecting can seen confusing these days with all the different types of cards. This site attempts to bring as much information as possible about the hobby into one convenient place. We have just started building the site (October 2009) and we have a long way to go, but check back often for constantly updated information.
History of Baseball Cards and Baseball Card Collecting
Baseball cards have been manufactured in the United States since the late 1800’s. After the civil war, baseball in the US became more popular, resulting in increased production of baseball cards. However, cards did not look like they do today. Since modern printing techniques were still a long way away, pictures were taken and glued onto a piece of cardboard. The cards were intended to be a mementos and not really used for trading. In fact, some of them were called cabinet cards as they were intended to be displayed on people's cabinets at home.
In the late 1800’s, companies who manufactured certain consumer products, such as cigars and cigarettes, began to use baseball cards as a form of advertising for their products. A picture of a player would be on one side of the card and the flip side would have the advertisement. Baseball cards continued to be inserted into tobacco products until the end of World War I.
By the early 1920's, tobacco manufacturers had stopped putting baseball cards in with their products. However, chewing gum, candy manufacturers and various other companies started printing baseball cards and inserting them into packages of gum and candy. Some of the more famous baseball card sets produced in the early part of the 20 century included Cracker Jack, American Caramel, Sporting News and Spalding. One of the first chewing gum companies to get in on the act was the Goudey Gum company located in Boston with it's 1933 Goudey Baseball set.
As the 20th Century progressed, Major League Baseball continued to gain in popularity and so did the production of baseball cards. As printing techniques advanced, cards begin to improve in quality. In 1948, Bowman entered the arena, followed by Topps in 1951. Topps would change the hobby forever. They quickly became one of the major producers of baseball cards and eventually forced Bowman to give up on sportscards. From the late 1950's until the early 1980’s, Topps easily dominated the manufacturing of baseball cards and had a monopoly on it. There were other minor sets produced by companies like Fleer, Kellogg's, Hostess, etc., but it wasn't until 1981 when Donruss debuted and Fleer got back into the business that Topps saw any real competition. A few years later, Score joined the party and in 1989, Upper Deck produced the first real set on high quality cardboard, ushering in the era of good quality stock for cards.
Baseball card collecting was originally a hobby for kids. Over the years, collecting evolved to include adults, and the value of cards came into play. Today card collecting may still be a hobby for some, however, it can also be big business. Thousands of dealers around the world make a living buying and selling sportscards, and cavernous convention centers host thousands of collectors at conventions across the United States as well as other countries. Packs of baseball cards in the early 1950's cost a penny for a one card pack, or five cents for a five card pack. Today, average packs cost three to five dollars and some new packs cost over $100!
The hobby has entered a new era and is much more complicated that it was even 15 years ago. Today there are dozens, if not hundreds of different sets. There are parallel and insert sets within each set. There are base cards, short prints, game used cards, autographed cards, refractor cards and many other types of baseball cards. Collectors and dealers now send cards to professional grading companies to get a verified opinion of the grade and authenticity of cards, espcecially for vintage baseball cards which have sometimes been trimmed, touched up or even counterfeited. It's a whole new ballgame these days, but baseball card collecting and even investing is still a fun hobby at it's core.
In the late 1800’s, companies who manufactured certain consumer products, such as cigars and cigarettes, began to use baseball cards as a form of advertising for their products. A picture of a player would be on one side of the card and the flip side would have the advertisement. Baseball cards continued to be inserted into tobacco products until the end of World War I.
By the early 1920's, tobacco manufacturers had stopped putting baseball cards in with their products. However, chewing gum, candy manufacturers and various other companies started printing baseball cards and inserting them into packages of gum and candy. Some of the more famous baseball card sets produced in the early part of the 20 century included Cracker Jack, American Caramel, Sporting News and Spalding. One of the first chewing gum companies to get in on the act was the Goudey Gum company located in Boston with it's 1933 Goudey Baseball set.
As the 20th Century progressed, Major League Baseball continued to gain in popularity and so did the production of baseball cards. As printing techniques advanced, cards begin to improve in quality. In 1948, Bowman entered the arena, followed by Topps in 1951. Topps would change the hobby forever. They quickly became one of the major producers of baseball cards and eventually forced Bowman to give up on sportscards. From the late 1950's until the early 1980’s, Topps easily dominated the manufacturing of baseball cards and had a monopoly on it. There were other minor sets produced by companies like Fleer, Kellogg's, Hostess, etc., but it wasn't until 1981 when Donruss debuted and Fleer got back into the business that Topps saw any real competition. A few years later, Score joined the party and in 1989, Upper Deck produced the first real set on high quality cardboard, ushering in the era of good quality stock for cards.
Baseball card collecting was originally a hobby for kids. Over the years, collecting evolved to include adults, and the value of cards came into play. Today card collecting may still be a hobby for some, however, it can also be big business. Thousands of dealers around the world make a living buying and selling sportscards, and cavernous convention centers host thousands of collectors at conventions across the United States as well as other countries. Packs of baseball cards in the early 1950's cost a penny for a one card pack, or five cents for a five card pack. Today, average packs cost three to five dollars and some new packs cost over $100!
The hobby has entered a new era and is much more complicated that it was even 15 years ago. Today there are dozens, if not hundreds of different sets. There are parallel and insert sets within each set. There are base cards, short prints, game used cards, autographed cards, refractor cards and many other types of baseball cards. Collectors and dealers now send cards to professional grading companies to get a verified opinion of the grade and authenticity of cards, espcecially for vintage baseball cards which have sometimes been trimmed, touched up or even counterfeited. It's a whole new ballgame these days, but baseball card collecting and even investing is still a fun hobby at it's core.