Baseball cards have a long history in Aiken, South Carolina dating back to the late 19th century. As baseball became increasingly popular across America in the post-Civil War era, the small town of Aiken also fell in love with the national pastime. Local children would spend summer afternoons playing pickup games in empty lots, dreaming of one day seeing their heroes play for one of the major league teams.
In the 1880s, tobacco companies like Allen & Ginter and Goodwin & Company began inserting premium cards into their products featuring professional baseball players as a way to promote their brands. These original baseball cards were considered a novelty and collectors item at the time. As the cards grew in popularity, local general stores and tobacco shops in Aiken began stocking packs for customers to find.
The earliest documented baseball card collector from Aiken was a young boy named William Jefferson in 1889. He would save up his pennies from odd jobs to purchase packs of cigarettes or chewing tobacco, hoping to add to his growing collection. While the cards were simple black and white images mounted on thick cardstock, for William and other early collectors they provided a visual connection to the national pastime they loved.
In the early 20th century, the mass production of baseball cards began in earnest. Several new companies like American Tobacco and Fleer entered the market to meet growing demand. Stores in Aiken saw baseball cards fly off the shelves as the collectible craze took hold in the small southern town. Local youth would trade and swap duplicates in hopes of completing their sets. Having a complete run of a particular brand or year became a source of pride.
In the 1930s, Goudey Gum Company released beautifully designed color cards that are still highly sought after by collectors today. Their 1933 set featured images of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and other baseball legends. Youngsters in Aiken saved up change from odd jobs to purchase wax packs at stores like Meyers 5 & 10 cent store with hopes of finding these prized cards. Having a Goudey Ruth or Gehrig in near mint condition became the holy grail for early Aiken collectors.
During World War II, the production of non-essential items like baseball cards was suspended. This created a shortage that increased demand after the war ended. In the late 1940s and 1950s, new brands like Topps emerged to dominate the booming baseball card market. Stores in Aiken struggled to keep cards on shelves to meet the frenzied collecting habits of local youth. Having a complete set of the annual Topps issue became a badge of honor.
In the 1960s, as baseball cards transitioned to focus more on statistics and action shots, the hobby reached new heights of popularity in Aiken. Kids would trade, buy and sell cards on street corners and at local ball fields. Having rare and valuable rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Willie Mays or Hank Aaron was a source of street cred. Stores hosted official “Trading Day” events where collectors would congregate.
The 1970s saw the rise of specialty card shops in Aiken like Frank’s Baseball Cards which catered directly to the collector market. Stores offered weekly want lists and mail order services for hard to find vintage and star player cards. The rise of direct marketing also led to an explosion of smaller independent card companies offering oddball promotions and sets at a time when the traditional giants like Topps faced new competition.
In the 1980s, speculation and investment took hold in the hobby. Stores in Aiken saw runs on rookie cards of rising young stars like Darryl Strawberry which fetched high prices. This boom brought both new collectors as well as unscrupulous sellers who artificially inflated the market. The overproduction of cards in the late 80s led to a crash that changed the industry. Stores had to adapt their business models to the evolving collecting landscape.
Today, Aiken is still home to passionate baseball card collectors of all ages. While the heyday of youth collecting may have passed, dedicated hobby shops like Frank’s survive by catering to both casual fans as well as serious investors and graders. The history of over 100 years of baseball card collecting in Aiken serves as a microcosm for how the hobby has evolved nationwide from a childhood pastime to a sophisticated investment market. For locals, cards continue to provide a connection to baseball’s past and a fond reminder of summertime memories.
