The Detroit Tigers are one of the most historic franchises in Major League Baseball. Founded in 1894, the Tigers have won four World Series titles and boast some of the game’s all-time greatest players among their alumni. Naturally, this rich history and tradition have been well-documented through baseball cards over the decades. Here is an in-depth look at some of the most notable and valuable Detroit Tigers team baseball card sets from the early years of the hobby through modern issues.
One of the earliest Tigers team sets comes from the 1909-11 series issued by the American Caramel company. This set includes 16 cards featuring Tigers players such as Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, and George Mullin. High-grade examples from this pioneering tobacco era issue can fetch thousands of dollars due to the set’s great historical significance.
Jump ahead a few decades to the 1950s, when the modern baseball card boom was just taking shape. In 1952, Bowman Gum issued the first color Tigers team set, which included 16 cards highlighting stars like Al Kaline, Virgil Trucks, and Hoot Evers. Topps soon followed suit with their own 16-player Tigers team issues in 1955 and 1956. These early color sets from the golden age of baseball cards are highly sought after by collectors.
The 1960s saw Topps dominate the baseball card market. Their 1965 and 1966 Tigers team sets each included 18 cards of Detroit players like Willie Horton, Bill Freehan, and Denny McLain. Topps also issued partial Tigers teams sets in 1962, 1963, and 1964. The ’65 and ’66 sets are considered affordable for most collectors due to higher print runs compared to earlier decades.
In the 1970s, Topps continued annually releasing new Tigers team sets. Their 1970, 1971, and 1972 issues each contained 18 cards, while the 1973-1976 runs included 20 cards apiece. Highlights of these ’70s sets include stars Norm Cash, Willie Hernandez, and Mark Fidrych. The late ’70s also saw the introduction of oddball issues like the 1977 Kellogg’s 3-D Tigers cards and the 1979 Hostess Tigers mini cards.
The 1980s saw Tigers greats like Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, and Kirk Gibson featured in Topps’ annual team sets from 1980-1989. These runs mostly included 20-card issues but upped to 25-card counts for 1987-1989. Topps Finest also debuted in 1989 with a 10-card Tigers insert set inside hobby boxes. The decade featured increased production which makes most ’80s Tigers cards obtainable.
In the 1990s, Topps kept their streak of yearly Tigers team sets alive running from 1990-1999. The early ’90s sets such as 1991 featured stars Cecil Fielder and Mickey Tettleton while the late ’90s highlighted Tigers like Bobby Higginson and Justin Thompson. Upper Deck also entered the baseball card market in 1991 with their own multi-year Tigers team sets. The ’90s also saw specialty issues from Score, Leaf, and Fleer Ultra.
Entering the modern era, Donruss kicked off 2000 with a base set highlighting Tigers like Juan Gonzalez and Brian Moehler. Following Donruss’ demise, Topps regained sole control of the MLB license and their 2000-2021 Tigers team sets showcase stars new and old like Magglio Ordonez, Justin Verlander, and Miguel Cabrera. Insert sets from brands like Topps Chrome and Bowman have also gained popularity for featuring top prospects.
Without a doubt, the most expensive and coveted Tigers team sets come from the earliest decades of the 20th century. There is nostalgia and value to be found across all eras for collectors of this historic American League franchise. From Ty Cobb’s playing days to Miguel Cabrera’s modern tenure, Detroit Tigers baseball cards have preserved the team’s history in cardboard for generations of fans to enjoy.
