JJ Baseball Cards are a vintage brand of baseball cards produced between 1958-1974 by Joshua Jacobson’s Sportscard Company, better known as JJ Cards. While not as prolific or renowned as contemporary brands like Topps and Fleer, JJ Cards offer collectors a unique window into the sport during one of its most iconic eras.
Jacobson originally got his start in the 1950s as a promoter of youth baseball tournaments in Pennsylvania. Noticing the popularity of players collecting and trading baseball cards, he saw an opportunity to expand his business by producing and distributing his owncard set each year. His first self-produced set came out in 1958 and featured mostly minor leaguers and obscure major leaguers.
Despite humble beginnings, JJ Cards would go on to chronicle the entire 1960s decade of baseball – arguably the sport’s golden age. Some of the era’s all-time greats like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Sandy Koufax first appeared prominently in JJ sets during the early stages of their careers. For collectors, finding vintage cards of these future Hall of Famers from their JJ rookie years holds significant nostalgia and value.
True to its identity as an underdog brand, JJ Cards never attained the same widespread distribution or popularity as competitors Topps and Fleer during this time. However, Jacobson prided himself on bringing baseball cards to untapped markets in regions like the Midwest that were often neglected. He would even print sets in multiple languages like Spanish to better serve immigrant communities with a passion for the national pastime.
As the 1960s progressed, JJ Cards improved production quality and design while adding more major league stars. Notable cards from this era include a rare 1965 color test issue starring Sandy Koufax on the front. In 1966, Jacobson began experimenting with novelfoil stamp techniques that gave some cards an iridescent sheen unlike the traditional paper stock. These foil variants would become highly sought after by collectors decades later.
Off the field, the tumultuous late 1960s brought challenging times for JJ Cards and many in the hobby. Topps gained a monopoly foothold in 1971 when it outbid all competitors for the MLB license. Meanwhile, concerns over chewing gum stuck to cards led Jacobson and others to shift to non-edible novelties like bookmarks, pins, and figurines inserted in packs instead of gum. Environmental backlash also sprouted against excessive packaging and deforestation needed to fulfill demand.
Despite obstacles, JJ Cards managed three more annual sets from 1971-1973 with a rotating assortment of stars and minor leaguers. Highlights included a handsome design tailored for the 1972 campaign starring baseball icons like Mays and Aaron. Rising production costs, tax increases, and lagging sales finally forced Jacobson into early retirement from the card industry after 1974 – his 11th and supposedly final set. With Topps dominating distribution, it seemed the end of an era for smaller independent brands.
Collectors presumed JJ Cards disappeared permanently after 1974 like numerous competitors of the 1960/70s boom. So it came as a surprise when in 1991, 10 lost proof sheets destined for the aborted 1975 set emerged from Jacobson’s New Jersey warehouse after all those years. Only 1000 of the rarest trial run cards ever saw daylight before Jacobson’s passing in 1998 at age 82. It was a fascinating closure to the mystery of what might have been for JJ’s attempted comeback some two decades later.
Today, JJ Cards are sought after most passionately by vintage collectors and fans of underrated oddball issues. Especially tough subsets include the 1965 Koufax color test, 1966 iridescent foils, pre-rookie cards of future legends, and extremely low-print late 60s/early 70s players before Topps took over the MLB license. Even common years often command premiums based solely on condition, with high-grade examples scarce after half a century of handling. Auction prices reflect growing intrigue in the brand’s unique role shadowing giants like Topps during baseball’s renaissance era.
For those willing to hunt garage sales, flea markets, and online auctions, JJ Cards continue to surprise enthusiasts with unexpected finds. Though production was short-lived, Joshua Jacobson’s plucky Sportscard Company managed to put down roots with collectors by chronicling a golden age of the national pastime many will never forget. With each newly rediscovered card, the buried history of this vintage underdog brand sees renewed appreciation among baseball fans and the collecting community.
