Allen & Ginter baseball cards from the late 19th century are some of the most coveted and valuable vintage cards among collectors today. While they may not be as well known as T206 or 1909-11 T206 cards, Allen & Ginter cards have a rich history and many rare examples that can fetch huge prices at auction.

Allen & Ginter was a tobacco company based in Richmond, Virginia that produced cigarettes and other tobacco products in the late 1800s. In 1885, they began inserting small pieces of artwork called “cigarette cards” inside their cigarette packages as a marketing promotion. These early cigarette cards featured topics like actresses, world leaders, athletes, Native Americans, and more. Baseball players soon became a popular subject.

Allen & Ginter issued baseball cards as part of their cigarette card series from 1886 to 1890. The cards featured major leaguers from that era along with some minor leaguers and obscure players too. They were printed using a lithographic process on thin card stock roughly the size of a modern trading card. On the front would be an image of the player, while the back was left blank.

Some key things that make Allen & Ginter baseball cards particularly valuable include their status as some of the earliest baseball cards ever made during the earliest days of the sport. They also had much lower print runs than later tobacco era sets which makes many examples quite rare today. The lithographic images also tend to be very crisp and well-preserved compared to the poorer quality reproductions common in other early sets.

Here’s a look at some of the most valuable and desirable Allen & Ginter baseball cards that can fetch huge prices at auction if graded and preserved in high condition:

1886 N188 Cap Anson – Considered the most valuable A&G card, only a handful are known to exist. High graded examples have sold for well over $100,000. Anson was one of baseball’s first true stars.

1889 N171 John Montgomery Ward – As a player, manager, executive and union pioneer, Ward was hugely important in baseball history. His A&G card is extremely rare and high grades have sold for $50,000+.

1888 N49 Buck Ewing – As the first great catcher, Ewing is highly significant. His card is quite rare in any grade and six-figure prices are possible for top examples.

1889 N29 Amos Rusie – One of the earliest pitching superstars, Rusie dominated in the 1880s and 1890s. Mint condition examples have brought over $30,000 at auction.

1886 N28 Tom Brown – A star of the 1880s, Brown’s rookie card is a key early issue but incredibly rare. Just a handful are known to exist.

1889 N163 King Kelly – A true 19th century baseball icon, Kelly was one of the first star players. His popular A&G issue can reach five figures.

1886 N177 Jim O’Rourke – A player-manager of the 19th century, O’Rourke had a long, storied career. His scarce rookie card sells for north of $10,000.

1889 N180 Kid Nichols – A 300-game winner of the Deadball Era, Nichols was a pitching great. His rare rookie card has topped $20,000.

1886 N165 Dave Orr – Considered one of the rarest A&G cards issued in 1886, only a small number are known. Prices start at $15,000 graded.

1887 N33 Tim Keefe – An early pitching legend with over 300 wins, Keefe’s scarce A&G rookie has brought $12,000+.

In addition to high grades, another thing that drives value for Allen & Ginter cards is their state of preservation and eye appeal. Examples that maintain bright colors, strong details and have never been trimmed hold premium value. Professionally graded gem mint specimens in top holders can be worth 5-10 times more than raw copies.

While Allen & Ginter cards will never have the same mainstream recognition as the iconic T206 set, they remain hugely important to vintage baseball card collectors as some of the earliest baseball cards ever made. Their scarcity, historic significance, and the caliber of 19th century players featured make pristine examples tremendously valuable, often reaching six figures for the most important rare rookies. Even today over 130 years later, Allen & Ginter cards continue to captivate collectors with their beauty, history and high-end price tags.