Baseball cards originated in the late 19th century as a promotional item for chewing gum and tobacco companies to help advertise their brands. Some of the earliest known baseball cards date back to the 1870s and 1880s, providing a unique look at the early years of professional baseball and some of the game’s first superstars.
The oldest baseball card ever found was printed in 1869 featuring baseball player Jim Creighton. It is believed that baseball cards were likely produced even earlier than this as companies sought novel ways to promote their products during the post-Civil War era when baseball was rapidly growing in popularity. The late 1800s saw the rise of tobacco cards inserted in packages and cigar bands featuring baseball players.
In 1887, the American Tobacco Company began inserting cards into packages of cigarettes featuring individual players on the front and teams on the back. This is considered the first major baseball card set and helped popularize the collecting of cards as a hobby. Players featured included Hall of Famers Cap Anson, Jim O’Rourke, and Tim Keefe. The tobacco companies produced cards sporadically over the next decade, helping fuel interest in the sport.
In 1888, the Goodwin & Company produced the first tobacco card series specifically for baseball cards. Known as the “Old Judge” cigarette cards, this landmark 52-card set featured individual player portraits on the front with statistics on the back. This format set the standard template for baseball cards that is still used today. The set included stars like Buck Ewing, John Montgomery Ward, and Roger Connor. The cards measured approximately 1 1/2 inches by 2 1/4 inches and had rounded corners.
In 1890, the Allen & Ginter tobacco company issued their “Champions of the American League” set which included cards of star players from the National League and American Association. This was one of the first major sets to feature players from different teams and leagues together. Players included Cap Anson, Dan Brouthers, and Ed Delahanty. The cards had a color tint and included the player’s position and team. This helped collectors and fans learn about players from other clubs.
The early 1890s saw several new tobacco companies enter the baseball card market including Mayo Cut Plug, Plug Tobacco, and Pinkerton Tobacco with their own series. These smaller sets helped expose more players to collectors. In 1891, Allen & Ginter greatly expanded their set to a whopping 180 cards known as the “Magnificent” or “Wonderful” set. This featured the most comprehensive collection of stars up to that point including future Hall of Famers like Cy Young and Kid Nichols.
In 1892, Goodwin & Company produced another landmark 52-card set known as the “Winners” set. This featured colorful lithographic images of star players in action poses. Future Hall of Famers included in this highly coveted set are Billy Hamilton, Dan Brouthers, and Kid Nichols. The cards had a distinctive blue border. This innovative set helped make baseball cards more visually appealing to both young collectors and adults.
The 1893 season saw several new tobacco companies join the baseball card boom including Mayo’s Cut Plug and Plug Tobacco. The biggest and most famous set that year was Goodwin & Company’s “Old Judge” series which included an unprecedented 252 cards over eight series releases. This mammoth collection featured the majority of star players from both major leagues and helped cement baseball cards as a mainstream collectible.
In 1894, Allen & Ginter issued their final tobacco card series before they ceased production. Their “R300” set featured 300 cards over three separate releases and is considered one of the most complete rosters of 19th century ballplayers ever assembled in a single set. Stars included Cap Anson, Kid Nichols, and Cy Young. This helped conclude the early boom period for baseball cards produced by tobacco companies before production slowed in the late 1890s.
The early baseball cards from the 1870s through the 1890s helped fuel interest in the growing sport during post-Civil War America and the Gilded Age. They provided a unique glimpse into the earliest stars and teams before professional baseball was truly established. While production of cards slowed after the 1890s, the tobacco companies had firmly established the tradition of baseball cards as a collectible that would continue to grow over the next century as the sport’s popularity expanded nationwide. The oldest surviving cards remain a treasured link to the pioneering earliest eras of professional baseball.
The baseball cards produced in the 1800s, primarily by tobacco companies, helped establish the tradition of collecting cards as both a promotional item and hobby related to America’s pastime. Featuring some of the first superstar players, the early tobacco era cards between the 1870s through 1890s provide a fascinating look at the earliest eras of professional baseball development before the modern game truly began at the turn of the 20th century. They remain some of the most prized possessions for serious baseball card collectors today.
