Piedmont Cigarettes Baseball Card History and Valuable Cards to Search For
Piedmont cigarettes produced baseball cards inserts in cigarette packs from 1951 to 1963. Made by the Piedmont Cigarette Company based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the Piedmont cards are prized by collectors for their classic designs, informative stats on the back, and inclusion of lesser known players. With over a dozen series produced over more than a decade, there are many valuable and interesting Piedmont cards to seek out.
The Piedmont brand was established in 1896 and produced a variety of tobacco products. In 1951, they began including baseball cards as incentive prizes with the goal of boosting cigarette sales, a common marketing tactic of the time. Unlike some sets with rarer inserts, a Piedmont card could be found in nearly every pack. This resulted in sizable print runs making many cards easier to find yet still affordable compared to contemporaneous brands like Topps.
Not all Piedmont cards were created equal. Certain years and players hold significantly higher values, sometimes thousands of dollars for a single mint condition example. Factors like supply, player notoriety, and condition all impact a card’s worth. With diligent searching of old collections, card shows, and online auction sites, astute collectors can still find valuable finds from this classic but often overlooked set.
1951 is the most coveted Piedmont series for several reasons. It was the brand’s inaugural year and only 86 cards were produced, making each one rather scarce today. Notable stars of the era like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Eddie Mathews are especially pricey in top condition, routinely bringing in over $1,000 a piece. Even lesser known players can sell for $100+. With its small print run and historic significance as the first, 1951 remains the Piedmont series to target.
Rookies andStars of Later Years Also Fetch High Prices
While 1951 understandably garners the most attention, later Piedmont issues saw the debut of famous players as well. The 1951/1952 series contained the first cards for Roberto Clemente and Sandy Koufax, two legends of the game. High grade examples in the $500-$900 range reflect their status. Other notable rookie Piedmont cards include Don Drysdale, Dick Groat, and Brooks Robinson from 1955. With time, as these players’ careers developed, so did demand and prices for their early cardboard.
Beyond rookies, superstar seasons in the later ’50s through early ’60s coincide with some the most expensive Piedmont singles. A near-mint 1958 Hank Aaron, his first 40 home run season, recently sold for $570. Iconic seasons by the likes of Willie Mays, Eddie Mathews, and Mickey Mantle also command heavy premiums, in the low hundreds of dollars, for choice specimens highlighting starring years.
Demand for the brand increased through the 1950s thanks to the inserts. To boost the baseball promotion further, Piedmont expanded sets beyond their original 86 cards. The 1955 series totals 130 cards, and subsequent issues grew from there into the early 1960s when the promotion concluded. That increased supply ultimately lessened individual scarcity and prices compared to the 1951 mini-set.
Conditions Affect Values Greatly
Ensuring a Piedmont card is in the best possible state is critical for maintaining or increasing its market worth. Mint condition specimens fetch the highest bids, while even slight flaws can slice values dramatically. Common issues affect Piedmonts include creasing, corner/edge damage, and discoloration from years in attics or basements. But even well-worn examples can still have appeal to collectors on a budget or looking to fill out their want lists affordably.
Less familiar players, especially in sets after 1955, tend to trade hands in the single digits or low double digits of dollars. For example, a 1958 Al Cicotte (yes, the infamous Black Sox player over 30 years later) recently sold for $13 in played condition. With knowledge gained from guides like The Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards, collectors can determine approximate values across different conditions for strategic buying and selling decisions.
Piedmonts Offer Diverse Appeal
While financial return is a draw for many collectors, Piedmont cards remain popular for their historical significance and fascinating visual elements outside monetary considerations alone. Crisp black-and-white photography highlights the personalities and styles of an era long past. The educational stat lines on the rear provide perspectives lost to time. And locating names deep in the baseball record books offers a sense of discovery.
Whether sought as affordable beginning sets, focuses for lifelong obsessives, or casual pick-ups at shows, Piedmonts endure as fascinating snapshots into the lives and careers of baseball greats. With patience and study of the variables affecting rarity and condition, dedicated collectors can still uncover hidden gems and valuable finds amongst the many affordable commons remaining 60+ years after their original distribution. For baseball history lovers, the thrill of the hunt for Piedmont cards continues rewarding enthusiasts of all levels even today.
