Baseball cards have been an integral part of American culture since the late 19th century, bringing the excitement of the national pastime to fans of all ages. The small town of Keene, New Hampshire was no exception, as baseball cards found a dedicated following among local youth throughout the 20th century.
Some of the earliest baseball cards were produced in the 1880s and 1890s by cigarette and tobacco companies seeking innovative ways to market their products. These included sets produced by Allen & Ginter and Old Judge tobacco brands. While it’s unclear if these early sets made their way to Keene in large numbers, baseball’s growing popularity nationwide ensured that at least a few of the town’s young residents got their first taste of the card collecting craze in these early tobacco issues.
The modern baseball card era is generally considered to have begun in 1909 with the release of the iconic T206 tobacco card set. Featuring stars like Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson and Honus Wagner, these beautifully illustrated cards captured the attention of a whole new generation of young fans. In Keene, local youth eagerly snapped up packs of cigarettes and chewing tobacco, hoping for rare pulls of their favorite players. Some enterprising young collectors even set up informal card trading sessions in local parks and playgrounds.
Throughout the 1910s and 1920s, Keene’s card collectors continued to expand their collections through sets produced by companies like American Caramel, Boston Gum and Bazooka bubble gum. The small town’s drug stores and general stores stocked the latest card issues alongside sticks of gum, helping fuel the growing baseball memorabilia craze. Young card traders in Keene amassed sizable collections through swapping duplicates with friends at school.
The 1930s saw the first true “golden age” of baseball cards, as dedicated card companies like Goudey and Play Ball emerged. Their finely designed sets featured glossy color photos and statistical information that brought the major leaguers to vivid life. In Keene, these premium cards were highly coveted, with avid collectors scouring local shops and even traveling further afield to find unopened packs. This was also when the first card shows and conventions began popping up in larger Northeast cities, providing a new avenue for serious collectors in Keene to expand their holdings.
Topps emerged in the post-World War 2 era to dominate the card market for much of the 1950s through 1980s. Their innovative modern designs and exclusive player contracts ensured that virtually every child in Keene seeking an affordable hobby gravitated towards collecting cards. The town’s drugstores became important weekend destinations, as collectors gathered to trade and discuss the latest releases over the counter. Young entrepreneurs also set up informal “card shops” in their basements and garages to facilitate trades.
In the late 1950s, the first specialized sports card shop opened in Keene’s downtown. Called Keene Sportscards, it provided a dedicated place for both casual collectors and serious investors to peruse the latest issues, inquire about values, and participate in organized trading events. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the shop became a vital hub for the town’s thriving card collecting community.
The early 1980s saw an explosion of interest in cards as investment commodities, driven by the rise of expensive vintage issues. Keene Sportscards expanded to a larger storefront to keep up with escalating demand, stocking high-end sets, unopened cases, and rare singles behind locked display cases. The shop became a magnet for collectors from throughout New England seeking to buy, sell or trade.
While the overheated speculation of the late 1980s “card bubble” eventually burst, card collecting remained a popular pastime in Keene through the 1990s and 2000s. A new generation of kids grew up attending organized baseball card shows with their parents at local venues like the Keene Ice Arena. Online trading via the early internet also made it easier than ever for collectors of all ages in Keene to find cards to complete their sets.
Today, while the baseball card market has declined from its ’80s and ’90s peak, the tradition remains an integral part of baseball fandom for many in Keene. Local shops like Funspot Family Fun Center stock current seasonal issues alongside their arcade games. Vintage card shows still attract collectors seeking nostalgia and deals. And card collecting remains a bonding activity for parents to enjoy with their children, passing on the excitement of the game and preserving a small part of the town’s baseball card heritage.
