The elusive one-loss error card of Christy Mathewson is a special one in the T205 baseball card set
Articles
1930 Milton Bradley Set Features Early Aviators — and Perhaps Amelia Earhart’s Earliest Trading Card
Reviewing the little-known 1930 Milton Bradley Aviation set
Obscure Card of the Month: Babe Ruth 1937 Donut Corporation Thrilling Moments
The Obscure Card of the Month is a rare bakery card of the legendary Babe Ruth
Rare Baines Shield Print Error Sheets Discovered
A find of rare Baines Shield print error sheets have been found in the UK
1902-03 Ogden’s Tabs Series 95, 97 Sets Boasts Lacrosse Card Origins
The famous black-bordered set features what are believed to be the first lacrosse cards of real players
What’s a 1936 Bowman Baseball Card, Anyway?
In 1955, Bowman alluded to a pre-war set of baseball cards that collectors aren’t even familiar with
1916 Moriarty Playing Card Set Home of a Charlie Chaplin ‘Rookie’ Card
The famous silent film star Charlie Chaplin has an early appearance in a WWI-era set of playing cards
Obscure Card of the Month: McLaughlin Coffee Children of Nations Baseball Player
The Obscure Card of the Month is a rare early baseball card distributed by a coffee manufacturer
Top Pre-War Cards Finds of 2022 (No. 1 – 5)
Here are my top five pre-war collecting pickups from 2022
Top Pre-War Cards Finds of 2022 (No. 12 – 6)
Continuing the 2022 recap, here’s Part II of III of my favorite pre-war card finds of the year
Top Pre-War Cards Finds of 2022 (Honorable Mention)
Taking a look back at my favorite pickups of 2022 — here are the honorable mentions
Statue of Liberty Card a Highlight in the 1911 T77 Lighthouses Series
The Statue of Liberty is the key in the American Tobacco Company’s Lighthouses series
Previously Unknown Babe Ruth Card, Spanish Games and Sports Set Discovered in the UK
A new Spanish variation of the well-known Games and Sports in Many Lands set is found in the UK
Obscure Card of the Month: Jack Johnson 1922 Felix Potin
The Obscure Card of the Month is a 1920s boxing card of the legendary Jack Johnson
In the Mail (November 2022)
Here’s a look at some of my recent pickups
A Look at Hank Greenberg’s Diamond Stars Cards (And, No, They’re Not Rookies)
A typo is the reason Hank Greenberg has two cards in the 1934-36 Diamond Stars set
A Look at the Nearly Impossible 1885-1886 Memorial Game Ticket Cards
Only a handful of these rare 19th century baseball ticket cards are known to exist
eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee Predictably a Mixed Bag
Two recent eBay Authenticity Guarantee purchases had significantly different results
Obscure Card of the Month: Babe Ruth 1942 Editorial Bruguera
The Obscure Card of the Month is an international Babe Ruth card
Topsy Hartsel and T206 Print Defect Foreshadowing
A strange print defect on a T206 card seems to hint at the future of the Athletics
In the Mail (October 2022)
Here’s a look at some of my recent pickups from the past two months
Meet the World’s Most Inexpensive Playing Days Cards of Honus Wagner
A 1904 baseball game card set is home to arguably the least expensive cards of Honus Wagner from during his career
1928-29 Stevens-Davis Men of America Booklets Full of Color Variations
The Stevens-Davis Men of America booklets have numerous color variations
Obscure Card of the Month: 1891 Duke Miniature Novelties Baseball Card
The Obscure Card of the Month is a 19th century baseball card
Tale of the Tape: 1908-09 Ogden’s Pugilists & Wrestlers vs. 1915 Ogden’s Boxers
The 1908-09 Ogden’s Pugilists/Wrestlers set and the 1915 Ogden’s Boxers set are similar enough to confuse many collectors — but which one is better?
Reviewing Andy Pafko’s Salutation Exhibit Cards
Andy Pafko’s Salutation Exhibit cards are among the many interesting variations in the popular series
Little-Known Rube Marquard T206 Print Errors Are Tough Finds
Hall of Famer Rube Marquard has several print errors in the T206 set — and they’re hardly ever mentioned
Chicago White Sox Trip to the Royal Gorge Memorialized on 1910 Postcards
A pair of postcards documented a cross country trip for the 1910 Chicago White Sox
Inexpensive Bobby Jones Golf Card Hidden in International Homeland Events Sets
Bobby Jones’ most affordable tobacco card is hidden in plain view
In the Mail (August 2022)
Here’s a look at some of the interesting pickups from the last month
Obscure Card of the Month: 1933 Goudey Indian Ah-No-Je-Nahge
The Obscure Card of the Month is a sports card of an early lacrosse player
In the Mail (July 2022)
Here’s a look at some of my card pickups from last month
Deleterious (de-lə-ˈtir-ē-əs): Harmful, Often in a Subtle or Unexpected Way
This Ogden’s cigarette card sought to prove smoking was harmless, even to children
Max Schmeling and the Rise of German Cigarette Cards Created a Perfect Storm
The height of the former boxing champion’s popularity coincided with the rise of tobacco cards in Germany
Boxing Cards Most Popular T218 Champions Subset
Boxing subjects lead the way in the popular T218 Champions set
Reviewing Jesse Owens’ 1936 Reemtsma Olympia Cards
Jesse Owens and his seven cards are the highlight of this German tobacco set
Sophomore Slump: Cutbacks were Common in Second Years of Popular Card Series’
Follow-up sports card series’ were often not printed with the same intensity as the inaugural sets
Sports Featured in 1935 Ogden Story of Sand Set
A trio of sports cards are buried in this mostly non-sports set
The Messy Post-Career T205 Card of Ed Abbaticchio
Behold! The unexpected T205 tribute card of journeyman infielder Ed Abbaticchio
First Italian major league player Ed Abbaticchio ‘leads the way’ in T206
Ed Abbaticchio is found on two cards in the massive baseball set
Winston Churchill W545 Strip Card Offers a Mystery
A recently-acquired Winston Churchill strip card showed up in the mail and I’ve got questions
Obscure Cards of the Month: 1933 Wheaties Skippy Baseball Cards
The Obscure Cards of the Month are a pair of Wheaties baseball cards from the 1930s
In the Mail (June 2022)
Here’s a look at some of my most recent pickups from last month
More than Mathewson: Popular 1905 New York Giants Postcard Features Other Interesting Players
While Christy Mathewson is the highlight on the 1905 New York Giants Scorecard postcard, others add to its desirability
1910 Sporting Series Preceded Quirky 1923 Godfrey Sports Set
The rare 1910 Godfrey Phillips Sporting Series set is significantly more valuable than its more popular parallel 1923 set.
Obscure Card of the Month: T38 Aviators Wright Brothers Card
This month’s obscure card is an early tobacco release for famed aviators Orville and Wilbur Wright
The Subjects of the N245 Sweet Caporal Actors and Actresses Set
A massive haul of the 19th century N245 Sweet Caporal Actors and Actresses cards has me looking deeper into the set
Players in ‘generic’ PC792 Postcards from early 1900s have mostly been identified — including Hall of Famers
Few know that the long-time set of supposedly generic players in the PC792 postcards set actually depict real major leaguers
Recapping a Visit to the Annual Monroeville Card Show
Want to see what I managed to find at the annual show? Here’s a recap.
1929 Kashin Photos with Anthracite Baking Overprint Discovered
A trio of rare Kashin overprints surfaces
Mystery Stamps From Germany Have Similarities to the 1923 German Transfer Set
Two uncatalogued sets of sports transfers hail from Germany — and include baseball
Two Baseball Cards Spotted in Rare, Uncatalogued Palmer Cox Brownie Set
Two baseball cards highlight a largely unknown set, presumably from the 1800s
In the Mail (May 2022)
Here’s a look at some of my more interesting card pickups from March and April
Obscure Card of the Month: John Sullivan 1882 E.B. Duval Rookie Card
A rare boxing rookie card checks in as this month’s obscurity
Like Father, Like Son: The Goudey Sport Kings Cards of Bobby Walthour Jr. and Sr.
Hidden in the Goudey Sport Kings set is a father/son cycling duo
Non-Sports are Coming to PreWarCards.com
The Pre-War Cards website will soon include set reviews for popular non-sport releases
Takeaways from Two Series’ of 1933-34 Goudey Sport Kings
The Goudey Sport Kings cards were printed over two years — and that provides us with some interesting thoughts
In the Mail (March 2022)
Here’s a look at some of my more unique pickups from last month
Rare Joe Louis Champion Sports Wallet Card Misidentified as Rookie Issue
One of Joe Louis’ hottest cards is graded as a 1935 rookie issue — but it was actually printed after that
Baseball and More are Found in the Rare Shirley President Suspenders Set
The set of Shirley President Suspenders store display advertising cards features women in sports
Unique T68 Heroes/Men of History Variation has False Appearance of Trimming
Let’s take a look at a ‘short’ variation in the T68 Heroes/Men of History set
A Rundown of the 1934 Goudey ‘Chuck Klein’ High Number Cards
A dozen elusive “Chuck Klein Says” cards are highlights of the 1934 Goudey set
Obscure Card of the Month: Babe Ruth 1935/36 Donat Indiana-Sport-Avion Babe Ruth
A rare card of the Babe is the Obscure Card of the Month
In the Mail (February 2022)
Here’s a look at some of my more notable pickups from January
Advertising Booklet one of Dizzy Dean’s Rarest Collectibles
A rare advertising booklet featuring Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean is not easy to find
Obscure Card of the Month: 1887 Duke Gymnastic Exercises Fencing Card
The Obscure Card of the Month is a 19th century tobacco card from a rare gymnastics set
The Ins and Outs of Buying Trade Cards
Looking to buy 19th century trade cards? Here are some things to keep in mind.
Uncatalogued Baseball ‘Game’ Cards Remain an Unknown
A recent purchase had me looking back into an uncatalogued issue
eBay Offers New Authentication Service for Sports Cards
eBay has a new authentication program for ungraded sports cards. That sounds like a great idea but here are some legitimate points of concern.
When Did Collectors Start Routinely Buying and Selling Sports Cards?
While sports cards were issued starting around the 1860s, most collectors didn’t start buying and selling them until much later
Rare 1935 Illustrated Current News Supplement Boasts ‘Rookies’ of Jesse Owens, Joe Louis
A unique supplement features the two legends before they became all-time greats and predates their 1936 ‘sophomore’ issues
Jefferson Burdick Discusses the Practice of Card Soaking in the American Card Catalog
The first American Card Catalog briefly discussed the topic of soaking cards
Major League Rookie Card of Chick Gandil Highlights the E90-3 American Caramel Set
The rookie card of Black Sox ‘middleman’ Chick Gandil is the key to American Caramel’s E90-3 release
In the Mail (January 2022)
Last month saw me complete three sets, start a couple more, and add a few unique singles
Ah, Yes, the Infamous Clark(e) Boys
The Clarke brothers, Fred and Josh, both had typos on some famous pre-war baseball cards
Even with Increasing Prices, Here’s Why I Believe Pre-War Cards Can Continue to Rise
You can point to one post-war card in particular and see that there’s plenty of room for even more growth in the pre-war marketplace
Breaking Two Modern Boxes of Panini Baseball Cards for No Good Reason
On a spur of the moment purchase, I opened two boxes of modern baseball cards. It went as bad as I expected.
1981 Diamond Stars ‘Extension’ Recreated Alleged Planned Set Additions
In 1981, a hobby shop issued what are believed to be planned additions to the popular 1930s Diamond Stars set
The Strange Appearance of Hall of Fame Boxer James Corbett in a Non-Sports Set
Boxing legend James Corbett is found in the unlikeliest of tobacco card sets
Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and … Carl Hubbell — How the Pitcher Earned His 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Appearance
Some have questioned Carl Hubbell’s inclusion as one of three baseball players in the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings set — but he was well deserving
Two International Releases are Cited as Shirley Temple’s Earliest Cards
The documented ‘rookie cards’ of Shirley Temple date to 1934 and were printed outside of the U.S.
Obscure Card of the Month: 1915 Stollwerck Chocolates Ice Hockey Card
The Obscure Card of the Month is a Rare Hockey Card
Recapping My Favorite Pickups in 2021 (Part 2)
Here’s Part 2 of my 2021 recap of my favorite card pickups.
What’s Next for Collecting in 2022? Well, I’ve Got an Idea.
While I don’t have 2022 collecting goals, I do have a solid idea of what I’ll be chasing this year
Recapping My Favorite Pickups in 2021 (Part 1)
Here’s a look at Part 1 of my favorite card pickups from 2021
A Look at Some of Santa Claus’ Earliest Trading Cards
Santa Claus is featured on numerous cards from the 19th century
Buying UK Cigarette Cards? Watch for the Dreaded Four Corners Disease.
There’s a common flaw on international cigarette cards and it often goes unnoticed
An Obscure 1920s Men of America Booklet is the Most Recognized Rookie Card of Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis has a single pre-war cataloged issue making it a rookie card to many collectors
19th Century N245 Kinney Sweet Caporal Actors and Actresses Set is Full of Unknown Names — and Bargains
The massive N245 Kinney Sweet Caporal Actors and Actresses cards are some of the least expensive from the 19th century
In the Mail (December 2021)
Here’s a look at my most interesting pickups from last month
“Our Quarterback” Football Postcard Commemorated President Franklin D. Roosevelt
This unique postcard combined football with politics, featuring president FDR
Comic Strips, Women in the Workplace, and Baseball — Tracing the Origins of the 1927 Rinkeydink Stamps
Here’s a look back at the mysterious origins of those 1927 Rinkeydink Baseball Stamps
1888 Kitchel’s Liniment Trade Card with Baseball Testimonials Discovered
A rare 19th century baseball trade card for S.B. Kitchel’s famous liniment surfaces
Thomas Edison’s Polyform Trade Card is One of His Earliest Issues — and it’s Controversial
This 19th century trade card of famous scientist Thomas Edison might be his first card. If nothing else, it comes with plenty of controversy.
Obscure Card of the Month: 1903 Joseph Tetlow Princeton Basketball
The Obscure Card of the Month is one of the earliest basketball cards ever produced
Interest for early Jesse Owens track and field cards has spiked
The earliest cards of the legendary Jesse Owens are rising in value
A Cricket Card in the Wills Sports of All Nations Set Appears to Depict the Legendary W.G. Grace
While the Wills Sports of All Nations set includes generic subjects, at least one looks like famous cricketer W.G. Grace
In the Mail (November 2021)
Here’s a look at some of my more interesting pickups from last month
A Closer Look at Hal Chase’s Three T205 Baseball Cards
Hal Chase has three cards in the T205 set — here’s a look at all of them, including pricing and rarity
A Familiar Bufford Trade Card Image Variation Spotted
A holiday variation exists for one of the earliest known hockey cards