The Hall of Fame boxer has two cards in the multi-sport T218 Champions set — here’s a closer look at both
Articles
A Rare Card, Wrong Address, Damaged Package — And Not Caring One Bit
After nearly two years of looking, a rare card made its way into my collection … barely
Edward Payson Weston Cards Quite Popular in T218 Champions Set
A man with a walking stick is one of the more popular cards in a set of champion athletes
No Stars in the 1936 Goudey Set? Says Who?
The 1936 Goudey set is often dismissed for a lack of stars — but is that perception really true?
Third R813 Trade Card Recently Discovered
A rare trade card set now includes three known cards
Pre-War Cards Site 1940s Expansion Complete
The Pre-War Cards site now catalogs sets through 1947
Editor’s Notes (July 2020)
Here’s a look at what happened on the site last month (it was a lot)
Obscure Card of the Month: 1930s Seal Craft Baseball Safety Disc (M30)
This rare 1930s baseball card was part of a set focusing on traffic safety
Finding An Autographed T206 Card (Sort Of)
Pre-War baseball player Paddy Livingston and his very interesting autographed T206 cards
Beyond Ruth, Gehrig, Lajoie: Other Gems in the 1933 Goudey Set
There are seven keys in the 1933 Goudey set but other gems are there, too
A Look at the Pan Handle Scraps Champions Sets (Part II: T230 World’s Champion Athletes)
Part II of the 1913 Pan Handle Scrap Champions series focuses on the world champion athletes (T230)
A Look at the Pan Handle Scraps Champions Sets (Part I: T221 Champion Women Swimmers)
Part I of the 1913 Pan Handle Scrap Champions series focuses on the women swimmers (T221)
Why Was a Trio of Retired Hall of Famers in the 1933 Goudey Set?
To the surprise of some, the landmark set includes three Hall of Fame players that had actually concluded their careers
A Dive Into the Cigarette Card News of the 1930s
Let’s take a look back at one of the earliest sports card collecting publications
Obscure Card of the Month: 1916-17 Sports of the World (Baseball)
The baseball card highlights the 1910s Sports of the World sets
Two Ugly Cards: A Collector’s Tale of 1930s Baseball Cards
Two ridiculous 1935 Goudey cards tell a tale of generosity and baseball card collecting
Editor’s Notes (June 2020)
Here’s a look at what happened on the site in the past month
New SGC Population Report Site Up and Running
Third party grader SGC has unveiled its new population report database — here are my thoughts
In the Mail: June 2020
Here’s a look at the cards that arrived in the mail this past month
The Historic Pony Express Detailed on Several Pre-War Cards
Early trading cards depict the origins of the express mail carrier from the 1800s
A Rare Mascot Card is One of the T210 Old Mill Set’s Most Interesting
While not discussed much, the Kelly Mascot card is one of the keys to the T210 Old Mill set
1915 Obsequio de Susini Football Card Remade in 1929 Churchman Set
A rare football card from 1915 was used as the basis for a more popular issue in 1929
Four A.W.H. Caramels Cards are not Like the Others
2/3 of the A.W.H. Caramels cards feature poses found in the T206 set — but four of the players weren’t in that release causing for a bit of … improvisation
Modern Ramblings: Topps 206 Makes a Return After Ten Years
Topps is reviving its Topps 206 brand — a popular rendition of the famous T206 tobacco cards
2020 National Sports Collectors Convention Rescheduled to December
The popular annual show scheduled for this summer has been rescheduled
Comparing Lou Gehrig’s Two 1934 Goudey Cards
The Hall of Famer has two cards in the 1934 Goudey set but one is rarer and more valuable than the other
The 1941 Goudey Set has a Little-Referenced Wartime Tribute Card
A common player has a special card in Goudey’s final set
Remember That Time When Larry Doby was a White Pitcher?
Why is a black outfielder depicted as a white pitcher on a baseball card? Well …
In the Mail: May 2020 Edition
Here’s a look at some of my most recent pre-war pickups
Editor’s Notes (May 2020)
Here’s a look at the happenings on the Pre-War Cards site in the last month
Obscure Card of the Month: Boss Pat Cases Baseball Card
The Obscure Card of the Month is a rare 19th century issue baseball trade card
Is a Missing 1887 Buchner Gold Coin Image Found on a 19th Century Pencil Box?
A rare collectible from the late 1800s recycled famous images from the 1887 Buchner Gold Coin baseball card set while creating a mystery
Connie Mack E96 Philadelphia Card a Rare Early Managerial Only Issue
Connie Mack’s E96 card broke with tradition
1901 Ogden’s Leading Athletes Set Featured 22 of the World’s Greatest Sportsmen
This early tobacco card set focused on some of the greatest athletes at the turn of the century
Border Rainbow: A Look at the Varied Colored Tobacco and Candy Card Borders
Not all borders in the pre-war tobacco and early caramel card era were white
Plenty of Stars Missing from the 1934 Goudey Set
The 1934 Goudey has a lot of big names but it’s arguably missing even more
Generic 1904 Fan Craze Set a Precursor to the Popular 1906 Sets
Many collectors know of Fan Craze’s 1906 cards, but most are not aware of the first Fan Craze game from 1904
Overprinted Cards Can Raise Authenticity Concerns
Overprints on cards should raise important questions
The 19th Century Cards Depicting the Latest Craze — Card Collecting
Are these 1880s Duke Tobacco cards the first to depict card collecting?
Honus Wagner’s E90-1 American Caramel Throwing Variation is an Underrated Rarity
Forget Honus Wagner’s T206 card — this caramel card of the Hall of Famer is one of his most underappreciated issues
T210 Old Mill Set Beyond Joe Jackson
There’s more to the T210 Old Mill set besides the rare Shoeless Joe minor league card — here are five other things that make it special
Editor’s Notes (April 2020)
Here’s a look at the news and updates from the past month
SGC Adjusts Card Grading Operations Due to the Coronavirus
SGC is making some operations changes with regards to its card grading
T202 Redux: Rare Ty Cobb T202/T205-Like Card Appeared in 1956 Gentry Magazine
A 1950s magazine decided to remake a classic pre-war baseball card and, well …
Obscure Card of the Month: 1929 Wills English Period Costumes – Golfer
What were golfers wearing in the 1700s? This unique tobacco card provides us with a glimpse.
Showtime? 2020 National Sports Collectors Convention Still On — For Now
As of now, the National has no plans to cancel or reschedule this year’s annual event despite the spread of the Coronavirus
COVID-19 Temporarily Halts Grading at PSA, Beckett; SGC Continues
The Coronavirus has forced two popular grading companies to cease card grading operations
Reprints are Cheap, Popular … but Should They Exist?
There is clearly demand for reprinted baseball cards — but should they exist?
Non-Players Among the Keys in the 1910 Tip Top Bread Pirates Set
Some of the more valuable cards in the 1910 Tip Top Bread set actually don’t feature players on the team
Popular Strongsville Card Show Canceled Due to Coronavirus / COVID-19 Virus
The popular vintage card show has been canceled due to the virus
Real Athletes in the 1928 Major Drapkin Sporting Snap Set?
This 1920s UK set has long been believed to feature generic subjects. Some, however, could depict real athletes.
Comparing Joe Jackson ‘Rookie Cards’
How does Joe Jackson’s E90-1 American Caramel card match up with his T210 Old Mill minor league card?
1889 Duke Yacht Colors of the World (N91 / N140) Combined Sports and Non-Sports
The popular 19th century tobacco card release is among the cheaper ‘sports’ sets from the 1800s
Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey Card Prices are … Kind of Out of Control
The slugger’s 1933 Goudey cards have risen sharply in value — some might wonder why
Breaking Down the E92 Croft Candy and Croft Cocoa Cards
Two different Croft products have advertisements on the backs of E92 cards — and there’s a significant difference between them
1923 Fleer Cards are Tough Finds
While the first Fleer cards have not typically sold for big bucks, they are nearly impossible to find
Meet the Homers: Baseball Cards Found in Pre-War Old Maid Card Sets
Baseball cards are in some early versions of the popular card game
Revisiting the T207’s Big Three: Lewis, Lowdermilk, and Miller
Are the T207’s ‘Big Three’ cards really the keys to the set?
In the Mail: March 2020 Edition
The most recent In the Mail segment features some great pickups including a tough T207, some rare E90-1 American Caramels, and … other stuff
How a Random 1986 Topps Baseball Card Led to a Pre-War Card Obsession
Some collectors got their introduction to the baseball card hobby through an iconic vintage card — mine came in the form of a 1986 Topps common
As Documented on Early Cards, Umpiring is a Hard Business
Early baseball cards depict the rough life of an umpire
Obscure Card of the Month: To the Ball Game Playing Card
This month’s obscure card comes from a rare playing card set
Ty Cobb Autographed T206 Card Fetches $144K at Heritage Auction
The autographed T206 green background is the only known example
Topps Announces Allen & Ginter is Going Rogue … I Mean, Chrome
The popular reboot of the Allen & Ginter brand is getting a shiny new makeover
Few Baseball Cards Document Ruth’s Sole Boston Braves Season
Few cards or memorabilia items depict Babe Ruth’s final major league season with the Boston Braves
Continued Strength of the Pre-War Hobby Depends on … Modern Card Collecting?
Believe it or not, modern card collecting has much to do with the future of the pre-war card market
The Walter Johnson T207 is One Hideous Baseball Card
This rare tobacco card of the Hall of Famer Walter Johnson could be … better
T51 Murad Williams Basketball Tobacco Card on the Rise
An early tobacco basketball card is drawing attention — and increasing in value
Finding Shag: Shag Shaughnessy’s T206 Card can be a Tough Find
Shag Shaughnessy is one of the T206 Southern Leaguers that is difficult to find
Discovery of a Rare Cricket Trade Card Adds to an Uncataloged Sports Set
The discovery of a rare cricket trade card adds to an uncataloged sports set
Not all PSA (MK) Qualifiers are the Same
The dreaded (MK) designation on PSA cards usually means a significant drop in overall grade — but should it?
The Original Relic Cards: 1889 Duke Postage Stamp Set
This American tobacco card set featured actual postage stamps on the fronts
1936 Godfrey Phillips Famous Minors Set Spotlighted Early Years of Famous People
This 1930s UK tobacco card set includes famous people — with a twist
W515 Strip Cards Memorialized the “Tygers”
Turns out that a weird spelling for the Detroit Tigers isn’t a typo
Downgrading a Card — On Purpose
Collectors frequently upgrade cards but I’ve been known to downgrade some instead — here’s why.
Four Words: Don’t Forget the Signature
When shipping valuable sports cards, sometimes tracking just isn’t enough
1922 E120 American Caramel Albums are a Blast to the Past
These albums to hold a popular caramel card set are somewhat rare — and more affordable than you probably think
Beyond the Big Four: A Look at the Other Top T206 Cards
The T206 set is known for the Big Four — but there are plenty of key cards after those
Obscure Card of the Month: 1936 United Tobacco Sports & Pastimes of South Africa Baseball
This international tobacco card shows how the sport of baseball was spreading around the globe
Editor’s Notes (February 2020)
Here’s a look back at what happened on the site this past month
Rarity of Buck Weaver’s Cards Contributes to High Prices
Buck Weaver has relatively few cards — and almost all of them are rare
Johnny Evers and His Three T206 Cards
Here’s a closer look at the three cards of Hall of Famer Johnny Evers in the T206 set
Spotlight: Babe Ruth M101-4 and M101-5 Rookie Cards
Babe Ruth’s major league rookie cards are among the most valuable cards in the world
‘Cancelled’ 1923 Curtis Ireland Candy Cards Remain an Unsolved Mystery
‘Expired’ caramel cards from a 1920s contest are supposed to exist — but where are they?
Sifting Through O-Pee-Chee’s First Hockey Sets — The Amazing V304 Series
Let’s dive into the earliest O-Pee-Chee hockey cards — the V304 set
A Look at the Rarity of Goudey’s Baseball Card Sets
Let’s take a look at the rarity of all of Goudey’s baseball card sets
Five (More) Great Bargains in the T206 Set — Part II
Here are five (more) bargain commons found in the T206 set
1907 Cracker Jack Bears Postcard Predates Other Baseball Cards
An early 1900s baseball postcard was issued several years before Cracker Jack’s more famous baseball cards
Comparing the Rarity of 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack Sets
How do the Cracker Jack sets compare against each other in terms of rarity?
What was Zee-Nut?
Many collectors have heard of Zee-Nut cards but don’t know anything about the product — or the song that was created for it
Five Great Bargains in T206 Commons
The T206 set has many great finds that can be bought for low prices
T205 Cubs Variations of Peaches Graham, Dave Shean Among Tougher Finds
Here’s a closer look at the rarer Cubs T205 variations for Peaches Graham and Dave Shean
A Look Inside the Scarce Fred Lindstrom 1930s U.S. Caramel Card
The Fred Lindstrom 1930s U.S. Caramel card is one of the true pre-war rarities
Editor’s Notes (December 2019)
Here’s a look back at what happened on the site this past month
Original Patent for T. Norpoth Playing Cards Game Rediscovered
Here’s a copy for the patent of a World War I baseball playing card set
In the Mail: New Years Edition
December’s card finds included Ty Cobb, a few sets, and, as usual, some pretty rare discoveries
The 2019 Year in Review
Here’s a look back at the news and discoveries in pre-war cards from the past year
Obscure Card of the Month: 1923 Sarony Origin of Games — Rounders/Baseball
This rare tobacco card depicts baseball in its early form
Behind the Lens: A Close-up Look at T206 Cards
Using a macro photography lens on the T206 card of Jack Warhop
Rewards of Merit Among the More Unique Pre-War Cards
Rewards of Merit cards highlighted good behavior and date back to the 1700s
