Old Baseball Cards: Great History, Great Potential!

By: Menachem Green
Added: January 11, 2009

One of the most popular items for collectors in the USA is baseball cards. These are trading cards with a baseball theme, often showing one particular player, printed on card stock. Other sports also have trading cards, but baseball cards are the most beloved kind of card -- and are especially popular if they are old baseball cards.

As baseball was growing in popularity in the 1880's, the cigarette manufacturers of the time came across an idea to promote their sales. They decided to insert cards in to the cigarette packs depicting images of baseball players and teams.
As interest in baseball and the cards continued to grow, the cards began to be produced by companies other than cigarette companies. When photography became more prevalent, photos replaced the earlier hand-drawn images on the cards. Vintage baseball cards that have early hand-tinted pictures are some of the most rare baseball cards, and therefore, the most collectible.

Baseball card production jumped after World War II ended and professional baseball who had fought in the war returned. This was part of the boom in baseball, which also saw attendance soar during this time. Several companies vied to become America's number one baseball card company. One of their cards, produced in 1952, has become the most sought-after card due to its scarcity and value.

Only a handful of the original companies that made baseball cards stood out from the others. One company began promoting its cards by selling them with packages of chewing gum. Other companies enticed buyers by including other inexpensive items, such as team stickers or small puzzles. Even pieces of fabric from team uniforms and small cookies have been packaged with cards over time, and some packages offered contest entries, as well.

Today, old baseball cards can be found at estate sales, antique shops, and thrift stores. There are also retail stores that buy and sell old baseball cards, usually as a part of a comic book store. Online auction websites have also become popular places to buy and sell rare baseball cards. It's not uncommon for people to find valuable cards in the belongings of their parents or grandparents. Quite a fortune can be made with the right baseball cards and the right selling venue!