Baseball cards exploded in popularity in the early 1900s, with 1909 to 1911 seeing some significant developments and releases that helped cement the hobby. During this time, several major companies competed to win over collectors with innovative new sets and attention-grabbing promotions.
In 1909, the American Tobacco Company released what is considered the most iconic set of the era – T206. Named for the tax classification on the packs, the “white border” T206 set featured over 500 different cards showing players from all major league teams. With their large size and vivid color portraits, the T206 cards delighted collectors and represented a major step forward in production quality from the simpler chromolithograph cards that had come before. The rarity of some T206 players like Honus Wagner has made select examples enormously valuable today.
Another major player in 1909 was the company Allen & Ginter. Their “orange biscuit” set took its name from the tobacco product they were included in. Like T206, the cards featured individual portraits but with simpler graphical designs compared to the elaborate tobacco premiums. The Allen & Ginter set totaled 102 cards and also included some of the earliest examples of baseball managers and umpires depicted on cards rather than just players. Both T206 and Allen & Ginter set the standard for the next few years in terms of card size, color, and subject matter coverage of the sport.
In 1910, the card manufacturers sought new ways to one-up each other and drive sales. The American Tobacco Company released their second large set, known as T205. Sometimes called the “white border” set, it improved on the T206 formula with even more vivid colors and included over 400 subjects. Over in Cincinnati, the Cracker Jack company issued their first series of small baseball cards inserted in packages of their popular snack. Numbering 72 cards, it was an early example of using the fledgling baseball card hobby to promote an unrelated product.
The most groundbreaking release of 1910 came from the National Caramel Company. In a bid to boost caramel sales, they concocted an ingenious promotion. The “caramel cards” came wrapped individually in caramel and printed on high quality cardboard to withstand the sticky treat. Even more enticingly for collectors, the company promised one in every three packs would feature an extra-rare card picturing a player sliding or stealing a base. These promised “action poses” created a sensation. Kids tore through caramel hoping for the elusive slide or steal cards, driving massive interest in the otherwise unfamiliar caramel product. The promotion was a roaring success and helped cement the baseball card as a recognized collectible and promoter of unrelated products.
In 1911, competition remained fierce as brands looked to one-up each other. The American Caramel Company issued their own caramel-wrapped cards very similar to National’s popular promotion of the year before. Cracker Jack added puzzle cards and factory photos to their 1911 series. But it was the iconic tobacco companies that pushed quality to new heights. The American Tobacco Company released their third and final large T-series, the spectacularly crafted T3 or “Gold Border” set featuring over 500 subjects in brilliant color with gold embossing. Meanwhile, Allen & Ginter went all out for their 1911 offering. Numbering a whopping 252 cards, it was their largest set yet and showcased intricate color lithographs, some with embossed gold borders to rival T3. Both tobacco issues from 1911 are among the most visually stunning of the classic tobacco era cards.
By 1911, the baseball card was well established as both a collectible in its own right and a promotional tool for marketers. The competition between major brands like American Tobacco, Allen & Ginter, Cracker Jack and others in these pivotal years from 1909 to 1911 drove incredible leaps in production quality, size of sets, and innovative promotions. They helped capture the imagination of a new generation of youthful collectors. The foundations were being rapidly laid for what would become America’s favorite hobby.
