Shoebox Treasures Baseball Cards Exhibit to be Added to the Hall of Fame

Posted on March 26, 2019 by Pre-War Cards

Cooperstown will now include a special exhibit dedicated to baseball cards

The Baseball Hall of Fame had been working on securing $800,000 in funding for a baseball card exhibit called Shoebox Treasures. With the funding goal being met, the exhibit is now slated to open for business this year. Specifically, Sports Collectors Daily says it will be opened in May and has some more details.

Pre-war cards will be featured in the exhibit, which is expected to include tobacco cards dating back to the 1880s. Among the cards expected in the exhibit is a Honus Wagner T206 card. Collectors will also have the opportunity to create their own baseball cards.

More than 2,000 cards are set to be on display, though I’d be surprised if it didn’t grow over time. Given the history of baseball cards spanning about 150 years, there are just so many important ones.

Frankly, I’m surprised the Hall didn’t have something like this already. And on a larger scale, I’m surprised that Topps or another entity hasn’t already taken the reins on a larger project for a sports card museum.

I’m not sure there’s a ton of money in it without people being involved that have a real vision for it and know what they’re doing. But, packaged the right way and in the right city, there certainly could be. If it was in or near the right venue, there could be large card shows (maybe even something on the scale of a second National), autograph signings, sales of cards, etc. To me, it’s always seemed like a bit of a missed opportunity.

But it’s great that cards are finally getting their own section of the Hall. Something that’s been long overdue.