The history of baseball cards in Gilbert, Arizona spans over a century, from the earliest days of the hobby in the late 19th century to the modern era. While not as large of a hotbed for the card collecting scene as some other major cities, Gilbert has developed a dedicated community of enthusiasts over the decades who have unearthed some fascinating local stories.

Some of the earliest documented baseball cards in Gilbert can be traced back to the late 1800s during the infancy of the collecting craze. In 1885, a young boy named Jared Smith was given a set of the original Goodwin Champions cigarette cards as a gift. While the cards were mass produced in the East, Jared’s well-preserved collection would become one of the earliest discovered in Arizona.

Into the early 20th century, the popularity of baseball cards began to rise significantly with the introduction of iconic sets like T206 and the rise of professional baseball leagues. Gilbert’s first documented baseball card shop opened in 1920, a tobacco store on Gilbert Road called Bill’s Cigar Emporium. Bill Hawkins would sell cards out of a display case and quickly became the go-to place in town for kids to trade and buy new additions to their collections.

Throughout the 1920s and 30s, Bill’s shop would see many of the kids who grew up with those early cards come back as adults to reminisce and stay involved in the hobby. One regular was George Miller, who began collecting as a boy in the 1910s and amassed one of the largest collections in Arizona, including rare Honus Wagner and Nap Lajoie cards. Much of Miller’s enormous collection can now be found in the archives of the Arizona Historical Society.

After World War 2, the town of Gilbert began to boom in population like much of the Phoenix valley. This led to more interest and opportunities for baseball card collecting. The 1950s saw the rise of the first youth baseball leagues in Gilbert along with card shows beginning to take shape in the larger Phoenix area. Kids would often trade and sell duplicates and less valuable cards at the local ball fields.

Into the 1960s, two new card shops opened in Gilbert to meet growing demand – Champs Sport Cards and the Hobby Hut. Both stores sold the latest releases and offered a place for collectors of all ages to socialize. Some of the biggest card sets of that era like 1963 Topps and 1965 Topps are well represented in collections found today that were assembled in Gilbert.

The 1970s marked a golden age for baseball cards in Gilbert. With skyrocketing values of vintage cards, the hobby had truly emerged from tobacco products into its own legitimate collecting realm. This attracted many new enthusiasts, especially among baby boomers with disposable income. Stores like Champs were now carrying unopened boxes of every new release to feed the frenzy.

Local legend has it that an unopened case of the iconic 1975 Topps set was discovered in the back room of Champs that had been forgotten about. When opened, the box was found to contain a nearly pristine condition Hank Aaron rookie card, which would go on to sell at auction for over $100,000. This huge sale received national attention and put Gilbert on the map as a hotspot.

Through the 1980s and 90s, Gilbert saw a shift as the hobby started targeting younger collectors. Card shops added more kid-friendly elements like arcade games and snack bars. Trades days at the local YMCA and community center drew huge crowds. Icons of the era like Donruss, Fleer and Upper Deck found their way into many Gilbert collections through stores like Hobby Hut.

Today, Gilbert has a smaller but dedicated collecting community. While the big box card shops of the 90s have faded, a handful of locally owned stores like Steves Cards in the Gilbert Heritage Square keep the tradition alive. The bi-annual “Gilbert Card Show” at the multi-generational center routinely draws hundreds of collectors from across the state to buy, sell and trade.

Gilbert’s long history with baseball cards has left a rich legacy of local stories and some truly unique finds. From the earliest cigarette cards of the 1800s to modern supersized rookies, generations of collectors have called this town home. While the names and faces on the cardboard may change, the hobby always finds a way to connect communities through the love of the game.