Dynamite magazine was a publication launched in 1977 that was aimed towards young boys and focused on sports, comics, puzzles and games. At a time when baseball card collecting was booming, Dynamite saw an opportunity to get in on the action and started including baseball cards as inserts in their magazine issues. These Dynamite baseball cards became a highly coveted and valuable part of the 1970s and early 1980s trading card landscape.
Dynamite’s first series of baseball cards came in 1978 and featured current major league players. The cards had a distinctive look with colorful borders and action photos of the players. One of the unique aspects of the Dynamite cards was that in addition to stats and a picture, many of the cards also included fun facts or anecdotes about the players. This helped capture kids’ interest and make the players seem more human. Some examples of facts that appeared on the early Dynamite cards included Hank Aaron’s hobby of fishing, Nolan Ryan’s collection of snakes and lizards, and Steve Garvey’s passion for golf.
The Dynamite cards were also notable for using different size formats than traditional baseball cards. Some issues included larger 3×5 inch cards while others had smaller 2×3 inch or 13/16×21/8 inch “mini” cards. The card stock was also of higher quality than typical baseball cards of the time period. This gave the Dynamite inserts a very premium feel. While the cards lacked any true statistical information on the back, their unique designs and added player facts made them highly collectible.
In the late 1970s, the peak of the baseball card boom, Dynamite was releasing new baseball card series multiple times per year. Notable sets from this time period included the 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981 issues. Rosters in these early Dynamite sets primarily featured current major leaguers but also included some retired star players as well as a few promising rookie cards. Perhaps the most valuable Dynamite rookie card is the 1981 Darryl Strawberry, which is one of the key cards from his entire career. Other top rookies first appearing in Dynamite sets included Dwight Gooden, Ozzie Smith and Cal Ripken Jr.
In the early 1980s, the baseball card market started to crash due to overproduction. In response, Dynamite scaled back the frequency of their card releases but production continued into the mid-1980s. Their 1984 and 1985 sets focused more on star players and included fewer base cards per issue. By 1986, Dynamite’s baseball card inserts became more infrequent and shifted to highlighting star players rather than full rosters. The last known Dynamite baseball card is believed to be from their 1987 issue, which featured Orel Hershiser on the heels of his record-setting season and World Series MVP performance.
While Dynamite magazine folded in the late 1980s, their baseball cards remain a very collectible part of the 1970s/1980s market. In part, this is due to the cards’ distinctive look, higher quality stock, inclusion of player facts and biographies, and the fact that they were inserted in a popular magazine read by many young collectors at the time. The early Dynamite sets in particular are some of the most sought after vintage issues for team and player collectors. Key Dynamite rookie cards like Strawberry, Gooden and Ripken routinely sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars in high grades. Even common Dynamite cards of star players from the 1970s and early 1980s have maintained significant collector value decades later. For those who grew up reading Dynamite and collecting the enclosed baseball cards, the inserts hold strong nostalgic appeal as well. As a result, Dynamite baseball cards continue to be a highlight for collectors of 1970s and 1980s sports memorabilia.
In conclusion, Dynamite magazine took advantage of the great baseball card boom of the late 1970s by including card inserts that captured kids’ interests through unique designs and added player bios. While the company and magazine are no longer around, their baseball cards remain an important part of the vintage trading card landscape. The higher quality stock and premium feel of the Dynamite issues set them apart from typical 1970s/1980s mass produced cards. Collectors today still eagerly seek out complete sets and key singles from the various Dynamite releases for their nostalgia, distinctive designs, and the fact that they highlight an important period for the hobby. Dynamite cards were an innovative part of the 1970s/1980s baseball card boom and their legacy continues to grow decades later.
