The history of baseball cards being included in Cracker Jack dates back over 100 years when the very first Cracker Jack sets were inserted in boxes and bags of the popular popcorn snack. For many decades, Cracker Jack was one of the top inclusion baseball card sets produced and helped spark the collecting hobby.

In 1909, the Frito Company which manufactured Cracker Jack at the time began including small cardboard prizes and novelties inside their product packaging. This was done as a marketing ploy to attract more customers, especially children. The first insert sets featured generic images like animals, landmarks and famous figures but did not depict any sports teams or players.

It wasn’t until 1912 that the first Cracker Jack baseball cards appeared. This inaugural set totaled 24 cards and included images of star players from the era like Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson and Honus Wagner. The cards measured approximately 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches and had no statistics, bios or other information on the back. They were simply a front-facing image with the player’s name and team name below.

While production of Cracker Jack cards was suspended during World War I, the sets returned in 1918 and new issues were included almost annually for the next few decades. Some of the more notable early Cracker Jack releases included the 1933 issue which had cards for the then-new American League teams in Washington and Philadelphia as well as the 1934 set which was one of the first to feature African American players like Josh Gibson and James “Cool Papa” Bell.

Perhaps the most famous Cracker Jack card release was the 1949-1950 series which contained over 500 unique cards and featured a wide variety of players from both the American and National Leagues as well as some Negro League stars too. This mammoth set helped popularize card collecting immensely and is still prized by vintage collectors today.

Card production continued through the 1950s but started to decline in the 1960s as the baseball card market became saturated with many competing brands like Topps, Fleer and Bowman issuing glossier cards with more statistics and information geared towards serious collectors. The last Cracker Jack card series was believed to be distributed in 1958 but there is some evidence a few stray cards may have been included into the early 1960s before production ceased for good.

So in total, Cracker Jack issued baseball cards on and off for over 45 years making them a iconic part of the early development of baseball cards. But which specific Cracker Jack cards hold significant value today? Here are some of the most valuable and desirable issues:

1912 Cracker Jack #1 Ty Cobb – In gem mint condition, this ultra rare first year card can sell for over $25,000 given how few survived in high grade. Even well-worn copies still fetch $3,000+.

1933 #53 Jimmie Foxx & #54 Al Simmons – These cards featuring the A’s sluggers are key to the 1933 set and can sell for $1,000+ in top condition.

1934 #82 Josh Gibson & #83 James “Cool Papa” Bell – As two of the earliest Negro League stars featured, high grade copies of these cards are worth $2,000+.

1949-1950 #88 Jackie Robinson – One of the most iconic cards ever issued, a pristine Robinson can sell for $15,000. Even well-centered examples still get $3,000.

1949-1950 #125 Satchel Paige – Another seminal Negro League star, a perfect Paige can reach $10,000 while average copies trade for $1,500.

1949-1950 #500 Ted Williams – As the last card in the mammoth set, a flawless Williams can command $7,500. Most grade around $1,000-$2,000.

1958 #122 Willie Mays – One of the last Cracker Jack issues, a gem 1958 Mays can bring $5,000. Most sell for $500-$1,000.

While the condition of any Cracker Jack card will greatly influence value, the earlier and key rookie or star player issues have the highest demand from collectors. With such an extensive history of inclusion in Cracker Jack, these cardboard relics remain an important part of the origins of baseball card collecting. Even in worn condition, they hold nostalgia and history that keeps Cracker Jack cards a worthwhile pursuit for vintage enthusiasts.