Mt. Sterling Baseball Cards: A History of the Midwest Collecting Scene
Mt. Sterling, Illinois is a small rural community located in Brown County, about halfway between Peoria and Jacksonville. With a population of around 4,000 people, Mt. Sterling isn’t considered a major city by any means. It holds a unique place in the history of baseball card collecting in America. Beginning in the 1980s and peaking in the early 1990s, Mt. Sterling developed a vibrant culture and local economy centered around baseball cards.
While the roots of baseball card collecting can be traced back to the late 1800s with the rise of tobacco companies like cigarette manufacturers issuing cards as incentives to buy their products, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the hobby truly started to boom. As players from the 1960s became open to autograph and memorabilia signings, their cards from earlier in their careers took on added value. This helped breathe new life into the pastime of collecting cards from years gone by.
In small towns across America during the 1980s, card shops and shows started popping up to serve growing collector demand. Mt. Sterling was no exception. With a passion for the game and history of the local youth baseball programs, many residents had childhood baseball card collections they held onto even after growing up. A few entrepreneurs recognized an opportunity and opened the first dedicated card shops in the town – Topps Territory and Strictly Sports Cards – in 1983.
Word quickly spread of the new stores, which acted not just as retail outlets but community gathering spots. People from surrounding counties made the trip to Mt. Sterling on weekends to search for deals, trade with other collectors, and stay up-to-date on the rising values in the ever-changing hobby market. Within a few years, an estimated 30 different card shops called Mt. Sterling home, as the town earned a reputation as a regional hotbed for the pastime.
Perhaps the biggest boost for Mt. Sterling baseball cards came in 1987 with the introduction of the modern-era “Wax Pack Era.” New product lines with shiny glossy cards and enticing packaging from Topps, Fleer, and Donruss became mainstream hits. Kids across America ripped wax packs looking for star rookies and coveted inserts. As the collector pool expanded exponentially, so too did the businesses servicing their fledgling collections in Mt. Sterling.
Proprietors grew savvy about inventory management and speculation. Some focused mainly on moving common cards quickly through modest markups. Others amassed inventories of key vintage and star cards to hold for future appreciation. Auctions and shows drew collectors from over 100 mile radius on weekends. Local card shops sponsored youth leagues and organized annual National Baseball Card Day celebrations each August.
By the early 1990s, it’s estimated that over $5 million changed hands annually in Mt. Sterling just from baseball card sales, trades, and tournaments – a massive revenue stream for such a small town. Unfortunately, the bubble could not last forever. Several factors contributed to the decline in the middle of the decade:
Overproduction by card companies led to market saturation and loss of scarcity for most modern issues.
Widespread reports of performance-enhancing drug use tainted the image of stars whose rookie cards held great value.
The rise of online selling through platforms like eBay allowed collectors anywhere to find deals, reducing the necessity of local brick-and-mortar hotspots.
Other collectibles and pop culture trends drew attention away from cards as interest waned among younger generations without the same childhood memories.
By the late 1990s, the Mt. Sterling baseball card scene had diminished considerably from its heyday. Many shops closed while others downsized inventories. A dedicated core of collectors remained to still trade and attend the occasional smaller show. Their passion helped preserve the history and legacy of when their community was a Midwest hub for the beloved hobby.
In today’s modern era, Mt. Sterling doesn’t have the same level of card collecting infrastructure or revenue. Yet the legacy lives on through older residents who experienced the boom years firsthand. Several local historians work to document that special time period and keep it reflected in the area’s identity. New generations of young fans are being introduced to the pastime through projects like the annual Mt. Sterling Sports Card Hall of Fame induction ceremony since 2011.
While the speculative fervor and large-scale commercialization may never return, the roots planted in Mt. Sterling ensured baseball cards remain an integral part of the culture and memories shared between locals. In that way, the hobby’s history is cemented in the community for generations to come.
