In 1962, Post Cereals issued one of the most popular and sought after vintage baseball card sets for collectors in Canada. The set featured 104 total cards highlighting players and teams in the Canadian Baseball League during the 1961 season. What made these cards so unique and influential was that they marked one of the first times baseball cards were inserted as premiums inside cereal boxes in Canada to promote the cereal brand and baseball.
Leading up to 1962, American companies like Topps had already been including baseball cards as premiums in their products for over a decade. Including baseball cards as a marketing tool was a relatively new concept north of the border. Post Cereals saw an opportunity to capitalize on the growing popularity of both breakfast cereal and baseball cards amongst Canadian children. They partnered with the Canadian Baseball League to produce exclusive cards featuring the players and logos of the 8 CBL teams that were in operation during 1961.
Some key facts and details about the 1962 Post Cereal Canadian baseball card set:
There were 104 total cards in the base set, with numbers ranging from 1-104. The front of each card featured a black-and-white photo of a player or team logo.
The cards measured 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches, which was a standard size for baseball cards at the time. They were printed on thin cardboard stock.
The set featured players and managers from the 8 teams that composed the CBL in 1961 – Vancouver Mounties, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Eskimos, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Winnipeg Goldeyes, Manitoba Braves, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Ottawa Athletics.
Some of the bigger star players featured included Gordon Pettit of the Eskimos, Jim Banfield of the Mounties, and Don Ross of the Goldeyes. Team managers like Frank “Peanuts” Lowrey of the Stampeders were also highlighted.
The rear of each card contained player statistics and a brief bio from the 1961 CBL season. Statistics included batting average, home runs, RBI, etc. Team cards also provided rosters and league standings.
The cards promoted Post cereal brands like Grape-Nuts, Bran Flakes, and Alpha-Bits. The backs contained coupons that could be redeemed for Post premiums by mailing them in. This linked the cards directly to cereal box sales.
Distribution was primarily through Post cereal boxes sold across Canada. Finding unopened boxes from 1962 is rare today, making sealed packs of these cards very collectible.
Since they were the first extended baseball card issue in Canada, the 1962 Post cards gained significant popularity amongst collectors. They helped grow interest in the sport of baseball across the country.
In later mint condition, high-grade examples of star players like Pettit from the set can sell for thousands of dollars today. Even common cards still maintain significant value for collectors and researchers.
The cards provided visual documentation of the last season of play for the original Canadian Baseball League before it went on hiatus in 1962. The league would later be reborn as the Pacific Coast League in the 1970s.
They represent a pivotal moment when Canadian kids could first collect hometown heroes rather than just American MLB stars. This helped spur further baseball card issues focused on Canadian professional and amateur leagues.
The 1962 Post Cereal Canadian baseball card set was truly historic and influencial as not only the first extensive baseball card issue north of the border, but also one of the earliest examples of sports cards being included as cereal premiums. Even after 60 years, the cards remain highly sought after by both Canadian collectors and researchers wanting to learn more about pro baseball’s roots in Canada during the 1960s era. Their rarity, connection to a prominent cereal brand, and documentation of 1961 CBL action make them a particularly interesting vintage sports card release.
