Baseball cards have long captured the imagination of collectors across America. As one of the oldest cities in the United States, St. Augustine, Florida also has deep roots in the rich history of baseball cards dating back over 150 years. From the earliest tobacco cards of the late 19th century to modern trading cards, baseball cards have been a staple in the lives of many St. Augustine residents.
Some of the earliest documented baseball cards to circulate in St. Augustine can be traced back to the late 1860s during the rise of the tobacco industry. Companies like Goodwin & Company and Allen & Ginter began mass producing baseball cards as promotional materials to be included in their tobacco products. Given St. Augustine’s strategic location along important trade routes, these early tobacco cards quickly made their way into the hands of young ballplayers and collectors across the city. Some of the earliest notable cards to reach St. Augustine included sketches of stars like Lip Pike and Al Spalding from the original Cincinnati Red Stockings club.
In the following decades, St. Augustine would become ground zero for the baseball card boom in Florida. The rise of organized minor league clubs in nearby Jacksonville and Palatka in the 1880s and 1890s helped fuel new interest in the sport around Northeast Florida. New sets from manufacturers like Mayo Cut Plug and Old Judge further expanded the roster of players immortalized on cardboard. It was also during this time that the earliest documentation of organized baseball card collecting emerged in St. Augustine. Groups of teenage boys would amass and trade cards on the city’s picturesque streets and plazas.
The turn of the 20th century marked a golden age for baseball cards in St. Augustine, coinciding with the sport’s rising popularity across America. Iconic sets from companies like T206 White Border and E98 Holden not only featured superstars like Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson but also included several Florida-born players who cut their teeth in the minor leagues. These sets were eagerly sought after by collectors of all ages in St. Augustine. Meanwhile, the proliferation of baseball throughout the city led to the rise of semi-pro and amateur clubs, further fueling local interest in the cards.
In the following decades, St. Augustine saw the rise and fall of several companies that produced short-lived baseball cards runs. Notable among these were sets by American Caramel, Cracker Jack, and Bazooka gum. The Great Depression of the 1930s nearly spelled doom for the industry as card production was drastically cut. This led to a lull for collectors in St. Augustine, though used cards continued to be eagerly swapped among longtime fans. The sport’s resurgence following World War 2 mirrored a revival for baseball cards across the country, including in St. Augustine.
Iconic 1950s sets from Topps, Bowman, and Fleer not only reinvigorated the youth market for cards in St. Augustine but also attracted a new wave of older collectors. Local drug stores, candy shops, and five-and-dime stores stocked the newest releases, fueling an intense new era of collecting, trading, and speculation within the city. Meanwhile, the rise of the minor league St. Augustine Saints in 1952 added a new local connection for enthusiasts. In the following decades, the city produced several notable collectors who amassed Hall-of-Fame caliber collections.
Throughout the late 20th century baseball card boom years of the 1970s-1990s, St. Augustine remained a hotbed of activity. The rise of the hobby’s magazine media also coincided with the emergence of the city’s first organized card shows and shops. These provided a meeting grounds for collectors of all ages, helping to foster a true community. Meanwhile, annual visits by big league spring training ensured a constant influx of new cards featuring soon-to-be household names. In the modern era, though the industry has contracted, dedicated collectors remain across St. Augustine, keeping alive the rich history of baseball cards in America’s oldest city. From humble 19th century beginnings to today, cards have long provided an affordable link between the generations of St. Augustinians and their beloved national pastime.
