Prize Sports Baseball Cards sells many vintage baseball cards including Hall Of Famers Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Mantle,Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Eddie Plank, Joe DiMaggio and Sandy Koufax. The first major baseball cards were issued beginning in 1886 by Goodwin & Company of New York City. The ones produced during this era have been designated "N" by the American Card Catalog; the "N" stands for nineteenth century U.S. tobacco cards. They were essentially photos glued to stiff cardboard backing. In the period before the American Civil War, baseball became an increasingly popular sport in the United States. In these early days before modern printing techniques, a type of baseball theme picture card was made.They were called cabinet cards. A photograph of a baseball player, team or theme was pasted on a cardboard backing. A large version of it is a cabinet card, because it was meant to be displayed in a cabinet. A miniature version is a carte de viste. They sometimes depicted famous players and teams. In the 1930s another extremely popular era was introduced by the Goudey Gum company of Boston. The Goudeys, especially from 1933, 34 and 38, are among the most popular ever produced. With colorful art, they picture all the era's stars, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx. Other gum companies produced popular baseball cards including the 1934 Batter Up die ones made by the National Chicle Company, and 1933 Delong issued by the Delong Gum Company. From 1939 to 1941, Gum Inc. produced a Play Ball issue. These include popular cards of Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio. This fine era ended in 1941 when paper became scarse. In 1948 Bowman Gum, the descendant of the makers of the Play Ball cards, issued its first baseball issue. While not terribly good looking, these small black-and-white cards started the baseball card industry as we now know it today. Bowman sold their sportscards with a stick of bubble gum. In the successive years, Bowman's baseball cards became more and more attractive. Their 1951 issue is extremely attractive and includes the Rookies of baseball greats, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. In 1948-1949 Leaf produced a set that is extremely popular today. This includes a very rare rookie of the legendary pitcher, Satchel Paige. In the early 1950's Topps Chewing Gum Company of New York City joined the mix. Their first major issue in 1952 is regarded by most as one of the greatest sets of all time. The large colorful ones are highly sought after by collectors today. The 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle is the most sought expensive baseball card in the Post-War era. In 1956 Topps bought Bowman Gum. For decades Topps dominated the baseball card industry. For a large part, the history of baseball cards from 1956 to 1980 is the history of Topps. Each year from 1952 to 1981, Topps issued a large issue sold in packs of gum. Most of the important cards of the famous players were Topps cards.As the 1980s came to a close, several new innovations began to appear. Player photos on card backs, which were pioneered in the 1971 Topps set and used by Fleer from 1983-85, would show up in color beginning in 1987.

Any merchandise photos listed on our website at Prize SportsBaseballCards.com are not a guarantee that the item you receive will be identical to the item pictured. As a courtesy to our customers, we will make every effort to have the card and/or autographed item graded by either Professional Sports Authentication(PSA) or James Spence Authentication(JSA) All grades as advertised are 100% guaranteed.

The Grand Prize 38 East Ridgewood Avenue Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (973)464-9971