1889 Hess Cigarettes Athletes and Celebrities Set and Checklist (N332)
‘It’s In The Details’
| Title | Hess Cigarettes Athletes and Celebrities (N332) |
| Year | 1889 |
| Size | 1 1/2″ x 2 11/16″ |
| Images | Sepia |
| Type | 19th Century Tobacco |
| Number in Set |
119 (?) |
1889 Hess Cigarettes Athletes and Celebrities Overview
In the late 1880s, Hess Cigarettes produced several tobacco card sets to help promote their products. While the baseball sets (N321, N333, and N338) are the company’s most popular and lucrative issues, this multi-sport set featured boxers, wrestlers, and other athletes, and is also desired by collectors. Several key cards are found here, including Jack Dempsey, John Sullivan, and Peter Jackson, among others.
This set is mostly known for its boxers and wrestlers. The cards, like most of the other Hess issues, are sepia-toned and feature real pictures of athletes.
Like other real image cards from the late 1800s, these cards have often have significant issues regarding the pictures on the front. Many photos from these cards have faded over time and a premium remains high for cards with clear images, such as the one pictured here featuring Peter Jackson.
While the boxers and wrestlers in this issue are popular, other cards are desirable, too. One, featuring Buffalo Bill Cody, is one of the more expensive cards among other subjects found here.
1889 Hess Cigarettes Athletes and Celebrities Checklist
A complete checklist for the set can be found here.
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