Baseball cards have a long history in Iowa City, dating back over 100 years when the earliest cards started appearing in packs of cigarettes and candy. Some of the earliest documented baseball card collectors in Iowa City were young boys in the 1910s and 1920s who would trade and swap cards on the playgrounds of local schools. While the hobby grew slowly at first, it began gaining more widespread popularity in the late 1940s and 1950s as card companies like Topps began mass producing cards that were inserted in bubble gum packages.
By the 1950s and 1960s, baseball card collecting had truly taken off in Iowa City. Many local shops like Clinton Street News and Raygun started stocking packs of cards that kids would eagerly buy, hoping for rare stars or rookie cards of their favorite players. Trading cards became a ubiquitous part of youth culture, with many long-lasting friendships forged over bargaining sessions to complete sets. Some dedicated collectors from this era amassed collections numbering in the thousands that have grown tremendously in value over the decades.
A pivotal moment for the hobby came in the late 1980s during the infamous “junk wax” era, when production skyrocketed and rarer cards from the 1950s began selling for high prices at auction. This spike in interest led to the opening of Iowa City’s first dedicated sports card shop, Hawkeye Cards & Collectibles, in 1989. Located downtown on Clinton Street, Hawkeye Cards became a popular hangout for collectors of all ages, with a wide stock of new and vintage cards available for purchase along with a lively trade counter. The shop’s knowledgeable staff helped fuel further growth in the local hobby scene.
During the 1990s, Iowa City saw baseball card collecting reach new heights of popularity. Major card shows started being held regularly at local hotels and convention centers, drawing hundreds of vendors and collectors from around the state. Meanwhile, Hawkeye Cards expanded to a larger space and college students could often be found perusing the racks for cards of their favorite Cubs, White Sox, or hometown Iowa teams like the Iowa Cubs. The decade also saw a boom in interest surrounding star rookie cards, like Griffey Jr in 1989, which remain highly coveted by collectors today.
As the new millennium dawned, the sports card industry began facing new challenges from the rise of online sales platforms like eBay. Many local shops struggled to compete and Hawkeye Cards ultimately closed its doors in the late 2000s after 20 years in business. The passion of collectors in Iowa City refused to fade. Periodic card shows and auctions continued drawing crowds, while dedicated groups like the Iowa City Sportscard Club helped foster community among both vintage and modern collectors. Online selling also opened up exciting new possibilities for moving higher end vintage cards.
In the 2010s, the vintage baseball card market started experiencing a major renaissance as prices soared for the most coveted stars of the past. Iowans were able to capitalize on this trend, with some local collectors realizing six-figure profits by selling prized childhood collections online. Meanwhile, new shops like The Collectors Cache emerged to fill the void left by Hawkeye Cards’ closing, catering to both vintage enthusiasts and those still enjoying today’s product. Major card brands also remain popular, whether it’s chasing rookies or building team sets.
As baseball card collecting heads into its second century in Iowa City, the future remains bright. Young collectors are now getting hooked on the hobby alongside their parents, ensuring its legacy continues. Local conventions still draw a strong crowd each year. And the vintage market shows no signs of slowing down, keeping valuable cards from the past within reach for savvy collectors. Through its ups and downs, the community in Iowa City has proven as dedicated as any in continuing to appreciate baseball and its enduring cardboard stars for generations to come.
