Baseball cards were first introduced in the late 19th century as promotions for cigarette and chewing tobacco brands like Allen & Ginter, Old Judge, and Sweet Caporal. These early tobacco cards featured images of baseball players on the front and advertisements for the tobacco product on the back. The T206 baseball card set from 1909-1911 is considered the most famous and valuable set of baseball cards ever produced. The first widely collected set of baseball cards came a few years earlier in 1906 with the release of the M101-7 series by the American Tobacco Company.
The M101-7 series featured over 150 players from the National and American Leagues at the time. Some of the most notable players included in the set were Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Christy Mathewson. The cards had images of the players on the front along with their position, team, and batting average from the previous season. On the back, the cards advertised several American Tobacco brands like Fatima Cigarettes and Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The cards were printed on thin paper stock and measured approximately 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches, similar in size to modern baseball cards.
When the M101-7 series was first released in 1906, the cards held very little monetary value and were simply inserted randomly into tobacco products as a marketing promotion. As the decades passed and baseball card collecting became a popular hobby, the value of these early 1900s cards began to skyrocket. Here is an overview of what various M101-7 cards from 1906 were worth in the vintage baseball card market during different eras:
1950s/1960s: Common players from the 1906 set in worn condition could be purchased for around 50 cents each. Star players in decent shape sold for $5-10.
1970s/1980s: As the hobby boomed, prices rose significantly. Common cards were $1-3 while star players reached $50-100 each depending on condition. Rarer short prints could fetch over $500.
Early 1990s: The sportscard bubble was in full swing. Common 1906 cards reached $5-10 with stars at $100-250. Extremely rare short prints sold for thousands.
Late 1990s/early 2000s: After the bubble burst, prices settled down. Commons were $3-8, stars $50-150, and rare short prints $500-2,000 based on condition and player.
2010-present: With over a century of collecting history, M101-7 cards have gained strong nostalgia appeal. Commons sell for $10-25 in average condition. Star players range from $100-500 depending on the name. Extremely rare short prints that can be verified have sold at auction for over $10,000.
Some of the most valuable individual cards from the 1906 M101-7 series based on recent auction prices and population reports include:
Honus Wagner: Even in poor condition, Wagner routinely tops $100,000 at auction due to his rarity and iconic status in the hobby. High-grade specimens have reached $2-3 million.
Ty Cobb: One of the set’s biggest stars. A PSA 5 copy sold for $27,500 in 2018. Higher grades reach $50,000+.
Joe Tinker: A rare short print error card that was never intended for the set. Just a handful are known to exist. Has sold for over $125,000 in recent years.
Christy Mathewson: Another star pitcher of the era. A PSA 8 sold for $9,600 in 2019 while a PSA 5 traded for $4,200.
Mordecai Brown: His card is also considered a short print error. A PSA 5 copy realized $13,200 at auction in late 2021.
For collectors looking to acquire high-grade examples of their favorite 1906 M101-7 players, be prepared to pay top dollar. Even common players in pristine PSA/SGC Gem Mint 10 condition can fetch thousands due to rarity factors. For researchers, the 1906 set provides a fascinating look at the earliest years of modern baseball card production and popularity. Over a century later, these vintage tobacco cards remain highly coveted by collectors worldwide.
