BCS Baseball Cards: A History of the Iconic Trading Card Company
BCS Baseball Cards was a pioneering company in the baseball card industry that produced some of the most popular and valuable trading cards from the 1950s through the 1980s. Founded in 1948 by brothers Earl and Les Bessent in Chicago, Illinois, BCS got its start producing low-cost reprints of older baseball cards but would eventually become one of the premier original card manufacturers. In this in-depth history, we will explore the rise of BCS Baseball Cards and the iconic sets they produced that still enthrall collectors today.
One of the earliest entries into the post-war baseball card boom, BCS saw an opportunity to capitalize on the growing interest in collecting cards featuring current major leaguers. Their first sets in the late 1940s and early 1950s largely consisted of reprints from the classic T206 and E90 sets from the early 20th century, allowing young collectors to acquire cards of legendary players like Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb for only a penny or two. While not original issues, these affordable BCS reprints helped introduce new generations to the hobby.
Through the 1950s, BCS began producing more original card sets featuring the biggest stars and newest rookies of the day. Sets like 1953 Bowman, 1954 Topps, and 1955 Topps became hugely popular among kids and established BCS as a serious competitor alongside industry giants Topps and Bowman. Featuring colorful designs and sharp photography, these mid-1950s BCS sets captured the excitement of legends like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron in their prime. Rarer variations and short prints from these sets are among the most valuable vintage cards today.
In the late 1950s, BCS truly broke out with their most iconic original set – 1958 BCS. Adorned with a classic red, white, and blue color scheme, these large cards featured true “action shots” of players in game situations. The Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays rookie cards from this seminal set are considered by many to be the highest quality and most aesthetically pleasing of their respective rookie issues. Other notable rookie cards include Bob Gibson, Luis Aparicio, and Nellie Fox. In mint condition, examples of these key ’58 BCS rookies can fetch six figures at auction.
Through the 1960s, BCS continued putting out innovative, visually striking sets each year. The 1961 and 1962 issues featured creative vertical card designs that stood out among competitors. 1963 and 1964 saw BCS experiment with oddball shapes like squares and triangles. The 1967 set celebrated the 100th anniversary of professional baseball with a historical retrospective theme. Each set maintained BCS’s high production values and photography quality that collectors loved. Stars of the era like Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, and Roberto Clemente gained iconic cardboard representations courtesy of BCS.
The 1970s saw BCS transition to the modern size standard for cards but lose ground to the burgeoning licensing power of Topps. Sets like 1971, 1972, and 1974 had their moments but lacked the unique designs of earlier years. In 1975, BCS teamed with the National Football League to produce the highly sought-after “NFL Action” set featuring the biggest stars of the gridiron. This marked BCS’s first major foray into football cards.
In the 1980s, BCS had various multi-year licensing deals to produce cards for the NBA, NHL, and Major League Baseball. Notable sets from this period include 1980 and 1981 Major League Baseball, 1981–1982 Donruss basketball, and 1982–1983 O-Pee-Chee hockey. These continued BCS’s tradition of quality photography and design work. Production issues and increased competition took their toll. After over 40 years in the hobby, BCS ceased card production after the 1986 season.
While no longer actively producing new cards, BCS Baseball Cards left an indelible mark on the industry. Their pioneering reprints, iconic original 1950s/60s issues, and consistent dedication to top-notch photography set the standard that still influences card design today. Keys from their most celebrated sets consistently appear among the highest prices realized at auction. Over 70 years after those first reprints, BCS cards remain beloved by collectors worldwide for their historic significance, visual beauty, and representation of baseball’s greatest stars. The company’s legacy is cemented as one of the true pioneers who helped build the modern baseball card collecting hobby.
