The 1938 Play Ball baseball card set is one of the most popular and valuable vintage card issues from the 1930s. Produced by the American Chicle Company as a promotion for their chewing gum, the 1938 Play Ball set is the last major baseball card release before World War II disrupted production. With its colorful artwork and capturing of legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in their primes, the 1938 set remains a highly collectible part of baseball card history.
The 1938 Play Ball set contains a total of 364 cards issued over the course of the season. The cards feature photos of major and minor league players from both the American and National Leagues on the front, with stats and career highlights on the back. Some key things that make the 1938 Play Ball set stand out include:
Hall of Famers: The 1938 set features over 50 future Hall of Famers, including legends like Babe Ruth (Card #1), Lou Gehrig (#2), Jimmie Foxx (#5), Mel Ott (#6) and many others. Getting a high grade example of a star from this era in their prime is extremely desirable.
Final Season for Legends: 1938 was the last season before retirement for all-time greats Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Their cards hold extra significance as some of the last portrayals of these legends in action before leaving the game.
Colorful Design: Bright colors and illustrations make the 1938 Play Ball set really pop visually compared to drabber tobacco era issues. The artwork attracted young collectors at the time and remains a big part of the set’s appeal today.
Rarity of High Grades: Very few examples of 1938 Play Ball cards have survived in top-graded Near Mint or higher condition due to the fragile cardboard stock and over 80 years of potential damage. High grades are exceptionally rare and valuable.
Complete Sets Still Elusive: With 364 total cards, putting together a fully intact 1938 Play Ball set in high grades is an extremely difficult task. Even incomplete sets with many key stars demand top dollar.
When it comes to individual card prices in the 1938 Play Ball set, there are several prime examples that routinely sell for five-figure sums or more:
Babe Ruth (#1): In PSA/SGC 8 or above, Ruth routinely brings $50,000+. A true gem mint grade could reach $100,000+.
Lou Gehrig (#2): Much like Ruth, eight-figure sums are not unheard of for a PSA/SGC 8+ graded Gehrig in this set.
Jimmie Foxx (#5): Foxx is one of the most valuable non-Ruth/Gehrig cards in the set. PSA 8s have sold for $15,000-30,000.
Mel Ott (#6): As a Hall of Famer, Ott cards also crack the five-figure range starting at PSA 8.
Joe DiMaggio (#17): An early DiMaggio as a young star player can net $10,000+ in top condition.
Hank Greenberg (#21): High grades of this future Hall of Famer routinely sell for $5,000-10,000.
Ted Williams (#43): One of the last Ted Williams cards before his epic career. PSA 8s have reached $15,000.
Bob Feller (#47): The young Feller’s card can reach $5,000 for PSA 8s as well.
Johnny Mize (#56): A star first baseman, PSA 8 Mizes have sold for around $4,000-5,000.
Beyond the true star cards, there are also plenty of valuable short prints and oddball parallel variations that can spike 1938 Play Ball prices even further:
Error Cards: Cards like an error back Ted Lyons (#240) or front image swapped Johnny Rizzo (#339) can reach five figures for top collectors.
Parallel Back Variations: Around two dozen cards have variations in the stats or text on the backs, making high grade matched number/back pairs extremely scarce.
Printing Variations: Things like different color uniforms, borders, or stats positioning make some cards much harder to obtain in top matched condition.
Short Prints: Scarcer players like Johnny Allen (#144) or Jim Weaver (#321) have far lower print runs and command premiums even in lower grades.
As one of the most iconic and collectible pre-war baseball card sets ever produced, the 1938 Play Ball issue continues to entice vintage collectors nearly a century after its original release. With its timeless photos and artwork combined with the legendary players and scarcity of high grades, the 1938 set shows no signs of losing value and demand over time. For dedicated collectors, pursuing a complete set or chasing individual star cards in pristine condition offers the thrill of obtaining true American pop culture treasures with a rich history in the game of baseball.
