Baseball cards have been a beloved part of American culture for over a century. From the earliest tobacco cards of the late 1800s to the modern trading cards found in packs of baseball snacks and memorabilia, baseball cards have captured the imaginations of fans both young and old. The Lowcountry region surrounding Charleston, South Carolina has long been steeped in the tradition of baseball. From the Negro Leagues teams of the early 20th century to the modern Charleston RiverDogs minor league franchise, the Holy City and surrounding areas have a rich baseball history. Mount Pleasant in particular has developed a vibrant community of baseball card collectors, traders, and enthusiasts.
Located just east of Charleston across the Cooper River, Mount Pleasant is a bustling suburb that has grown exponentially in recent decades. Along with new residential and commercial developments, the hobby scene in Mount Pleasant has flourished as well. Several dedicated baseball card shops have opened to serve the growing local collector base. Mount Pleasant Cards and Collectibles was one of the first shops to cater specifically to the baseball card community when it opened in 2005. Owner Bill Johnson had been collecting cards since childhood and wanted to establish a dedicated place for collectors on the Charleston area to meet, trade, and showcase their collections.
Mount Pleasant Cards helped foster the local scene in the early days. Weekly trading nights and monthly meetups gave collectors a regular place to socialize and pursue their hobby together. As more people got involved, other shops began to take notice of the demand. In 2010, a former comic book store rebranded as Sports Card World Mount Pleasant to focus exclusively on trading cards of all sports, but with an emphasis on the hot market for vintage and modern baseball cards. Their larger storefront and frequent promotions helped grow the collector base even more. By the mid-2010s, over 200 dedicated collectors were active in the Mount Pleasant area through organized meetups and online Facebook groups.
A major development came in 2016 with the opening of The Card Shack, located in a prominent spot along Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant. Owners Jeff and Melissa Davis had decades of experience in the hobby and wanted to create an “ultimate baseball card destination.” They stocked an immense inventory that included thousands of individual vintage and modern cards, unopened wax packs and boxes from across baseball card history, autographed memorabilia, and more. The Card Shack’s large size, wide selection, and enthusiastic staff made it a magnet for collectors throughout the Southeast. It quickly became a premier hotspot for the baseball card community in Mount Pleasant and beyond.
In the years since, The Card Shack has hosted signings with former MLB stars, annual National Baseball Card Day celebrations, and large vintage card shows that draw hundreds of attendees. They also operate a robust online store and maintain one of the most extensive social media presences of any card shop nationwide. This level of promotion and community involvement has kept the hobby buzzing strongly in Mount Pleasant. The town’s three dedicated card shops, active Facebook groups, and large collector base have made it one of the top baseball card destinations in South Carolina.
Vintage cards from the earliest 20th century tobacco issues through the 1980s are a particular strength among Mount Pleasant collectors. The coastal Charleston area was an early adopter of baseball and many early 20th century tobacco cards survived in local collections. This rich history has filtered into today’s scene, where collectors seek vintage greats like Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth, and Jackie Robinson. High-grade examples of iconic 1950s and 1960s Topps issues are also prized, like the iconic 1952 Topps set. Modern collectors enjoy building complete rainbow foil and parallel sets from the current era as well. Autographed memorabilia and unique vintage memorabilia are also strongly represented in local collections.
Mount Pleasant’s baseball card community is also very active in the broader national hobby landscape. Local collectors frequently travel to major card shows around the Southeast like Atlanta and Charlotte to buy, sell, and trade with collectors from other regions. They also take part in large national conventions hosted by the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) and Beckett grading services. Mount Pleasant cards shops are PSA Authorized Dealers as well, allowing local enthusiasts to easily submit cards for professional grading and encapsulation. This high level of involvement ensures the Mount Pleasant scene stays plugged into current trends and maintains strong ties with collectors elsewhere.
As baseball itself has surged in popularity again in recent years, so too has interest in collecting its historic cards. Mount Pleasant was an early local hotbed and remains one of South Carolina’s strongest baseball card communities. With dedicated local shops, an active collector base, involvement in the national hobby scene, and roots in Lowcountry baseball history, Mount Pleasant looks poised to keep its baseball card tradition thriving for years to come. Its shops, groups, and collectors are preserving the pastime while introducing new generations to the allure and history captured in these small pieces of cardboard.
