The history of baseball cards in Canada dates back to the late 19th century when cigarette companies like Goodwin and Company started including promotional cards with their tobacco products similar to what was happening in the United States. These early Canadian cards featured mostly baseball players from minor leagues and amateur teams in Canada.
It wasn’t until the 1920s that Canadian baseball cards really started to resemble the iconic designs that are still collected today. In 1921, the Montreal Royals joined the International League and players on the team started appearing on cards inserted in packs of cigarettes and candy. Montreal-based O-Pee-Chee gained the exclusive rights to produce cards featuring Major League Baseball players for distribution in Canada.
Through the 1930s and 40s, O-Pee-Chee remained the dominant baseball card manufacturer in Canada. Their designs and sets closely mirrored the most popular American brands like Topps and Bowman. Notable O-Pee-Chee sets from this era included 1939 Play Ball, 1948 World Series, and 1950 All Time Greats. Canadian kids grew up trading and collecting these affordable packs of gum and cards found at corner stores.
The golden age of baseball cards is widely considered to be the 1950s. Major League players had become superstars and the cardboard pieces with their photos became highly coveted collectibles. In Canada, O-Pee-Chee released annual sets each year featuring the same players and designs as Topps sets south of the border but with French text on the rear. Some iconic 50s O-Pee-Chee sets were 1952, 1954, and 1957.
The 1960s saw the rise of color photography starting to be used on cards. O-Pee-Chee continued as the leader in Canada with their 1961, 1963, and 1965 issues being some of the most popular of the decade among Canadian collectors. The late 1960s also saw the arrival of the Montreal Expos, Canada’s first Major League Baseball team, further fueling baseball card mania across the country.
In the 1970s, competition started to emerge for O-Pee-Chee as other Canadian companies like Fleer and Maple Leaf entered the baseball card market. The 1970s are also remembered as the “wax box era” when cards would be packed randomly in wax-sealed packs and boxes rather than rigid sets. O-Pee-Chee still had the MLB license but sets like 1972 and 1974 had new designs. The arrival of star players on the Expos made Montreal-based cards very desirable as well.
The 1980s saw the introduction of oddball issues and regional sets focused specifically on Canadian amateur, minor league, and independent professional teams. Companies like Dominion, Score, and In The Game put out these niche sets celebrating Canadian baseball. The rise of sports card conventions and shows also started to take off this decade with the hobby truly mainstream. O-Pee-Chee continued annual MLB sets but added new licensed sets too like Donruss.
In the 1990s, the sports card market boomed with collectors of all ages chasing the hottest new releases and rookies. O-Pee-Chee kept the tradition alive with their annual MLB sets in the early 90s but lost the license to Upper Deck in 1995. Upper Deck Canada took over production for the Canadian market. Other companies like Score also produced regional Canadian sets. The arrival of Internet auctions in the mid-90s changed the game for collectors online.
The baseball card industry contracted significantly after the overproduction of the 90s led to a crash in the late 90s/early 2000s. Canadian-exclusive sets became more difficult to find as companies focused on international releases. E-commerce websites started listing vintage Canadian cards for sale online, opening new frontiers for collectors. The 2000s saw a resurgence of oddball issues focusing on independent Canadian leagues through smaller companies.
In the modern era of the 2010s-2020s, collecting baseball cards in Canada has evolved to incorporate both physical and online communities. While local card shops still exist, especially in cities with pro teams, much of the trading and researching is done through online groups on Facebook and subreddits dedicated to Canadian cards. Online auction sites like eBay also allow collectors to find all eras of O-Pee-Chee, regional sets, and new releases from companies targeting the Canadian market.
Websites from Canadian sports memorabilia companies like Canadian Sports Cards, Mavrik Sports Cards, and Great White North Authentic offer both new release pre-orders of sets featuring Canadian content as well as vintage singles, high-ends, and complete sets for sale. They’ve helped fill the void as the brick-and-mortar card shop scene has declined. Digital platforms are also creating new Canadian-exclusive virtual and memorabilia card products.
The history of baseball cards in Canada dates back over 100 years to the tobacco era. O-Pee-Chee led the way for decades as the dominant producer of cards for the Canadian market. Regional sets and a focus on homegrown talent has long been a staple of Canadian issues. While the industry has evolved, Canadian collectors continue to treasure and trade the cardboard pieces that connect them to the national pastime both online and off.
