The 1963 Post Cereal baseball card series is one of the most iconic and coveted sets among collectors for its unique design and several extremely rare short print cards. Issued as a promotion in boxes of Post cereal, the 1963 set features cards of over 400 major and minor league players from that season. While the base cards are not particularly valuable on their own, the short prints and errors in the 1963 Post cards make it one of the most sought after vintage sets.
The 1963 Post set is unique in that it was one of the first to feature player photos on the front in addition to stats and information on the back. Previous cereal box card issues from Kellogg’s and other companies typically only had artwork or drawings of players on the fronts. By using photos, the 1963 Post cards helped usher in the modern design concept for baseball cards that is still prevalent today. The bright primary colors and simple layout also gave the cards a very distinctive retro aesthetic that is still appealing to collectors decades later.
One of the main reasons the 1963 Post cards are so valuable is the presence of several short printed cards that are extremely rare in the set. Short prints refer to cards that were printed in far fewer quantities than the base cards due to errors. The three main short prints from the 1963 Post set are:
Dick Stuart (#130) – Estimated to be printed at 1/10th the rate of base cards. PSA 10 examples have sold for over $10,000.
Bill Monbouquette (#256) – Also thought to be around a 1/10th print run. Near mint copies can fetch $3,000-$5,000.
Ed Charles (#310) – The rarest of the three, believed to have a print run of only 1/20th of regular cards. A high grade Charles in the $15,000-$25,000 range would not be unheard of.
In addition to these three ultra-rare short prints, there are also lesser short prints of players like Willie Kirkland (#248) and Dick Ellsworth (#278) that command premiums over common cards as well. Any 1963 Post card that shows signs of being significantly scarcer than expected garners attention from collectors.
Another area where errors occurred in the 1963 Post set were switched photographs on cards. The two most famous examples involve Ron Santo and George Altman. Santo’s photo ended up on the back of Altman’s card (#307) by mistake, while Altman’s photo was used on the front of Santo’s (#344). These photo swap errors are also tremendously valuable, with a PSA 10 Altman #307 recently selling for $4,200.
Beyond the short prints and errors, high grade examples of the more prominent 1963 Post rookies are also highly sought after pieces. Rookies of future Hall of Famers like Sandy Koufax (#223), Juan Marichal (#248), and Brooks Robinson (#336) are always in high demand. A PSA 10 of Koufax as a Dodger rookie would be worth well into the five figure range. Even lesser known rookie cards can gain value when centered and preserved well, as the 1963 Post set endures as one of the most visually appealing issues from the vintage era.
When fully completed with all the base players and variations, a 1963 Post set is an impressive achievement. Acquiring the short prints and higher graded highlights would require a major long term investment. The Dick Stuart and Bill Monbouquette short prints especially would be out of reach for all but the most well-funded collectors. Still, enthusiasts enjoy pursuing the set and finding overlooked common players to slowly work towards completion. The iconic designs and historic significance of the 1963 Post cards ensure the set will remain one of the most collectible issues for years to come.
The 1963 Post Cereal baseball card series is a true landmark among vintage issues due to its classic photo-front design and several unprecedented short print variations that are among the rarest cards in the entire hobby. While building a full set presents a major long term goal, acquiring individual key rookies and errors can give collectors a tangible piece of cardboard history from this highly regarded vintage series. The 1963 Post cards exemplify why certain baseball card issues from the 1960s have endured as prized collectibles more than half a century later.
