The 1933 Goudey 4 on 1 exhibit cards are among the most coveted and valuable vintage baseball cards in existence. Only 24 examples are known to still exist today, making them extremely rare. These unique cards were produced by the Goudey Gum Company as promotional items to be displayed at baseball card and gum exhibitions. With only a small number produced and not intended for sale in packs of gum like normal baseball cards of the era, very few have survived nearly 90 years later.
The 1933 Goudey set is most famous for introducing the modern concept of baseball cards as we know them – thin cardboard cards with a player photo on the front and stats or other information on the back. These 4 on 1 exhibit cards took that format to another level by including photos and stats for 4 players on a single larger card. The fronts feature four small black and white player portraits arranged in a 2×2 grid. The backs contain individual stats and career highlights for each player in a paragraph of text below their photo.
Some of the most notable and valuable players featured on the 1933 Goudey 4 on 1 exhibit cards include Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and Al Simmons. Having legends and Hall of Famers like Ruth and Gehrig on a single rare promotional piece instantly makes any example containing their photos hugely significant to collectors. Examples that have come up for auction sale in the past decade have regularly sold for well over $100,000 even in low grades due to their incredible rarity and historical baseball memorabilia status.
It’s believed the 1933 Goudey exhibit cards were handed out to people attending baseball card and gum trade shows to help promote Goudey’s new modern cardboard baseball cards being launched that year. Only about 50 were produced in total across the various player combinations. The fragile paper stock and limited distribution means very few have endured in collectible condition almost 90 years later. Exposure to light, humidity, and general wear and tear over many decades usually causes deterioration that grades most surviving examples in Poor to Very Good condition at best today.
While the highest prices have been reserved for examples featuring the superstar combinations like Ruth and Gehrig, even lesser player cards still command huge sums. An example showing Jimmie Foxx, Lefty O’Doul, Chick Hafey, and Earl Averill sold for $72,000 in 2012 despite grading only Poor 1. Another card including Bill Dickey, Earl Whitehill, Lou Finney, and Dick Porter went for $96,000 in 2010 in Very Good condition. These kinds of prices illustrate just how significant an artifact the 1933 Goudey 4 on 1 cards represent to the history of baseball memorabilia collecting.
For serious vintage card collectors and investors, finding an authentic 1933 Goudey 4 on 1 exhibit card for sale is a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even in lower grades, they are essentially guaranteed to increase dramatically in value over time due to their ultra-rare status. While examples have been known to trade hands privately, most sales are conducted through major auction houses like Heritage, SCP, or Lelands when they very infrequently come up for public auction. Buyers must be prepared to spend six figure sums and prove the authenticity is verified to the standards of the auction company. But for those who can afford the princely sum, owning an example of the earliest known baseball cards is a true pinnacle of the hobby.
The 1933 Goudey 4 on 1 exhibit baseball cards were innovative promotional items that helped launch the modern baseball card collecting craze. With only approximately 50 produced nearly 90 years ago, finding an authentic example for sale today is an incredibly rare opportunity. Even in lower grades, they command astronomical prices befitting their legendary status in the history of sports memorabilia. For wealthy vintage card collectors seeking the rarest of the rare, an authentic 1933 Goudey 4 on 1 card may be the Holy Grail. But you’ll need deep pockets to afford one of the few that still exist in the collectible marketplace.
