The history of baseball cards in Lyndhurst, New Jersey spans over 100 years, dating back to the early 1900s when the hobby first started gaining popularity nationwide. Lyndhurst, located just outside of New York City in Bergen County, has long had a strong connection to the sport of baseball and the collecting of baseball cards.
Some of the earliest baseball card collectors and dealers in Lyndhurst can be traced back to the 1920s. Stores like Sam’s Sport Cards, which first opened in 1929, helped fuel the growing baseball card craze amongst local youth. Sam’s offered the latest packs of cards from companies like American Caramel and Candy Brothers. They also bought and sold individual cards, helping collectors complete sets or obtain rare finds. By the 1930s, card collecting had truly taken off in Lyndhurst and the surrounding communities.
In the post-World War II era of the late 1940s and 1950s, Lyndhurst saw a huge surge in its population as many young families moved to the town looking for affordable housing. This new generation of children became heavily involved in the pastime of collecting baseball cards. Stores saw long lines of kids hoping to get the newest series from Topps, Bowman, or Fleer. Meanwhile, card shows and conventions started taking place in local firehouses and VFW halls on weekends, drawing collectors from across New Jersey. Two of the biggest annual shows were held every July and December in Lyndhurst.
Throughout the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, Lyndhurst remained a hotbed for baseball card collecting. Multi-generational card shop King’s Sport Cards, which opened in 1962, became a mecca where collectors would gather on weekend afternoons and evenings to trade, buy, and talk baseball. The shop hosted trivia contests and kept records of which customers amassed the most complete sets over time. Meanwhile, the rise of Lyndhurst Little League and Babe Ruth baseball in the community helped further fuel the connection between local youth and America’s pastime.
The late 1980s and early 1990s saw an explosion in the popularity and value of vintage baseball cards, as collectors now had more disposable income and sought nostalgic pieces from their childhood collections. This boom period was great for the businesses in Lyndhurst, as shops like Sam’s and King’s did record business buying and selling high-dollar rookie cards and complete sets from the 1950s and 1960s. It was also common to see cardboard boxes filled with disorganized collections being sold at local tag sales, with savvy collectors hoping to find buried treasures.
In the 2000s, Lyndhurst continued to have a strong collector presence, especially as the internet made the hobby more accessible and allowed for easier connecting and trading online. While brick-and-mortar card shops saw less foot traffic, King’s Sport Cards stayed in business by expanding their inventory of supplies, memorabilia, and offerings beyond just cards. The shop also hosted popular autograph signings with former MLB players. Meanwhile, the collectors themselves got older but the passion remained, as many enjoyed passing the hobby onto their own children and grandchildren.
The 2010s brought new excitement to the Lyndhurst card collecting scene. In 2012, Mike’s Sports Cards opened as the new local hub, carrying all the latest releases and stocking a vast vintage inventory in the back room. The shop started a highly popular league where players drafted virtual teams from cards and competed all season long. Meanwhile, the rise of graded vintage cards as investments brought new collectors and investors into the market. It wasn’t uncommon to see local collectors cashing in on their decades-old collections by selling valuable vintage rookie cards for thousands of dollars online.
Today, Lyndhurst remains a stronghold for baseball card collectors and enthusiasts in New Jersey. While the shops have changed names and owners over the decades, the spirit of the hobby has endured. Many lifelong collectors still reside in town and pass down their love of the cards. Meanwhile, new collectors are sparked every year, whether through family connections to the sport or by discovering the nostalgia and history within the cardboard. As baseball and its cardboard companions continue into a new century, the rich card collecting tradition in Lyndhurst looks poised to keep growing.
