Nolan Ryan was one of the greatest pitchers to ever step on a major league mound. Over 27 seasons, Ryan dominated hitters with his blazing fastball and racked up an unbelievable 5,714 strikeouts, a record that still stands today. To commemorate Ryan’s legendary pitching career, several special collectible items were produced, including rare Nolan Ryan ceramic baseball cards issued during the latter part of his career with the Houston Astros.
While traditional cardboard baseball cards had been around since the late 1800s, ceramic cards were a newer invention that emerged in the 1970s. Made from sturdy porcelain material instead of flimsy paper/cardstock, ceramic cards were meant to be more durable collectors’ items. Several manufacturers experimented with producing commemorative ceramic sets honoring star players, teams and special seasons.
In 1983, Ryan was in his second season with the Houston Astros after signing a lucrative free agent contract following the 1982 season. By that point in his career, the 41-year-old Ryan was still one of baseball’s most intimidating pitchers, though injuries were beginning to take more of a toll. That year, he went 14-14 with a 3.34 ERA and 215 strikeouts for a last place Astros team.
To honor their ace pitcher, the Astros partnered with National Sports Collectibles Association (NSCA) to produce a small run of special Nolan Ryan ceramic baseball cards as a souvenir giveaway promotion at the ballpark. Only 7,500 of the cards were made. They measure approximately 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches and feature a full color photo of Ryan on the front in his Astros uniform, with stats and basic info on the back.
The cards proved quite popular with Astros fans and have since become quite desirable for Ryan collectors. Their scarcity and the fact that they were only given out during the 1983 season at Astrodom has kept their availability low over the decades. The cards have steadily increased in value in the vintage memorabilia market. In near mint condition, unredeemed examples can sell for $200 or more today.
In 1984, NSCA followed up by producing a similar Nolan Ryan ceramic card, but this time in honor of his achievements reaching another major milestone – strikeout number 3,000. At the time, no other pitcher in baseball history had reached that plateau. The 1984 3,000 strikeouts ceramic card again had a limited run, this time numbering only 6,500 pieces.
The 1984 card pictures Ryan in his classic high leg kick windup pose and acknowledges the historical significance of his 3,000th strikeout victim – Kal Daniels of the Minnesota Twins on September 26, 1983. On the reverse, it breaks down Ryan’s career strikeout totals by season up to that point. Because it memorialized such an important statistical achievement, the 3,000 strikeouts card has proven the more valuable and desirable of the two Ryan ceramic issues over the long run.
One of the most interesting aspects of these rare Nolan Ryan ceramic baseball cards is the process by which they were created. Conventional paper/cardstock cards of the era were mass produced using printing presses. But ceramic cards required an entirely different production method since they were made of durable porcelain.
The basic process went like this: First, color photography negatives were made of the desired images, whether photos of individual players or statistical layouts. Those negatives were then used to create silkscreen printing plates, similar to the process used in screen printing shirts and other fabrics. The actual card “blanks” were porcelain tiles measuring around poker card size.
Individual color inks were then silkscreened onto the tile surfaces through the stenciled plates in successive layers: usually black for text/numbers followed by various colors for things like uniforms, hats, backgrounds, etc. Once all layers were applied, the tiles went through kilns for firing to bond the inks permanently onto the porcelain hard surfaces. Fine details and protective coatings were often applied after firing as well.
The resulting product was a thin, lightweight but virtually indestructible baseball card made of the same durable material as porcelain tableware or decorative tiles. Handling and displaying them required greater care than paper cards not to risk chips or cracks. But for serious collectors, ceramic cards offered an opportunity to commemorate their favorite players and seasons in a truly unique tangible format.
For those who were lucky enough to redeem or purchase the limited production Nolan Ryan Houston Astros and 3,000 strikeouts ceramic cards back in the early 1980s, they have proven to be smart and valuable long term investments. Even 37 years later, mint examples can sell for 10-20 times their original retail costs. And as Ryan’s legend continues to grow with the passage of time, one would expect the market for anything bearing his likeness, stats or records to remain strong with collectors. So these pioneering ceramic baseball cards stand as truly one-of-a-kind artifacts chronicling a pitchers dominance that may never be matched.
