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OLD MILL CIGARETTES BASEBALL CARDS

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Old Mill Cigarettes Baseball Cards: A Brief History of the Prominent Tobacco promoting collectible

In the early 20th century, tobacco companies were constantly looking for new ways to promote their products and attract customers. One popular marketing tactic involved including small collectible cards with pictures of sports stars inside cigarette packs. Between 1909-1950, several major American tobacco brands issued baseball cards as incentives to buy their cigarettes. One of the most prolific issuers was Old Mill Cigarettes, which released dozens of sets featuring top players from the early decades of professional baseball. While controversial today due to promoting smoking, these vintage cardboard collectibles became highly coveted items that helped shape the modern sports memorabilia industry.

Old Mill was a brand produced by the Gallaher Tobacco Company, which began distributing card sets between 1914-1917. Some of the earliest included stars like Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, and Tris Speaker. Each plain-backed 57mm x 87mm card pictured a single player against a solid color background. Information included their team, position, and signature. Sets from the 1910s are quite scarce today in high grade due to the fragility of the early paper stock and frequency of play by children. The condition and rarity of ancestral Old Mill cards make them highly valuable to dedicated collectors and researchers seeking to learn about professional baseball’s early eras.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Old Mill Cigarettes released numerous premium quality card issues on thicker paperboards than earlier decades. Notable inclusions were Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Rogers Hornsby, whose prolific careers made them huge favorites among fans. During this period, elaborate horizontal cigarette card albums also became popular as a means of display. In the late 1920s, some Old Mill sets added color lithography and sepia-toned tones that enhanced the realism compared to previous monochrome designs. Numbers dipped slightly but quality remained high through World War II as Old Mills kept people stocked with smokes at home and abroad.

Significant Old Mill sets from the golden age between the two wars included their 1922-1923 issue picturing the entire rosters of American and National Leagues on dedicated cards. Another landmark was the 1936 release commemorating the 100th anniversary of professional baseball itself. Featuring over 100 top talents of the time in accurate on-field uniforms against illustrative diamond backdrops, this centennial set became one of the most visually stunning promotions in sports card history. Even after more regulations were placed on tobacco ads targeted at youth, clever Old Mill designers found ways to continue promoting America’s pastime alongside their smokes through subtle historical themes.

As medical research increasingly linked cigarettes to lung cancer in the post-war 1940s, tobacco firms faced growing restrictions on advertising and promotional strategies. By 1950, the end of putting sports cards in packs was nearing as regulations tightened further. Old Mill’s final few issues from the late 1940s are considered some of the rarest in the entire cigarette card collecting genre due to low print runs as the fad faded. Luckily for historians and aficionados today however, over 80 years of Old Mill cards still survive, showcasing the greats from baseball’s early 20th century in rich illustrative detail. While the brand that issued them has long ceased production, these cardboard collectibles maintain cultural value in commemorating the golden age of America’s pastime.

Whether actively smoked in the past or kept pristinely preserved in protective sleeves, vintage Old Mill baseball cards continue to be prized by a dedicated community of collectors, researchers, and history buffs. Though controversial by today’s health standards, they undeniably helped promote both professional baseball and the tobacco industry during a time when cigarettes were far more socially accepted. As one of the first and most prolific sports card publishers, Old Mill Cigarette issues remain some of the most cherished examples of nostalgia, art, and sports memorabilia from the early decades of the modern baseball era in America.

AMERICAN BEAUTY CIGARETTES BASEBALL CARDS

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American Beauty was a brand of cigarettes introduced in 1908 by the American Tobacco Company. One of the unique marketing strategies employed by American Tobacco to boost sales of their new American Beauty brand was including premiums and collectibles inside cigarette packs. Beginning in the 1920s, American Beauty packs contained printable items like coupons, paper hats, and paper dolls for nearly a decade before switching to inclusion of small size photos and trading cards featuring various topics starting in the late 1920s and continuing through the 1950s. Baseball cards became one of the most popular premium inclusions distributed by American Beauty and other cigarette brands, helping to fuel the rise of baseball card collecting as a hobby in the post-World War II era.

The American Tobacco Company was one of the “Big Three” major tobacco conglomerates in the early 20th century, along with Liggett & Myers and R.J. Reynolds. Seeking to compete against brands like Camel and Lucky Strike, American debuted American Beauty cigarettes featuring a floral design motif on its packs in 1908. While the cigarettes themselves offered nothing unique, American Tobacco executive James B. Duke aggressively marketed American Beauty using promotions, premiums, and novel packaging ideas. One strategy was including small printed items inside packs as a bonus for customers starting in the late 1910s. Early premiums were practical printed sheets containing coupons, paper cutouts, and diagrams for items like paper dolls, hats, and other novelty cuts.

As photography became more widespread and affordable in the late 1920s, American Tobacco began using small photo prints as premiums enclosed in American Beauty cigarette packs. Early photos depicted scenic landscapes, celebrities, historic figures, and other generic subjects. The inklings of using sports imagery and collectible cards as premiums began emerging. In 1930, American Tobacco’s L&M brand became one of the first to include small photo cards featuring individual professional baseball players as premiums inside packs sold nationwide. The simple novelty of enclosing collectible photos proved an instant hit with smokers, especially young males.

Building on this, American Beauty followed suit in 1931 by including individual 2″ x 2.5″ size color photo cards of baseball players as pack premiums for the first season. Issued without gum or candy, these early American Beauty baseball cards focused on capturing single headshot portraits of players from 1930 MLB rosters. Early subjects getting their likeness on an American Beauty baseball card included legends like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Jimmie Foxx. While no rarity scale existed yet, the inaugural 1931 set is among the most complete issues due to high initial production and distribution numbers by American Tobacco. Finding an intact 1931 American Beauty card in average condition today remains quite achievable for collectors.

In 1932, American Tobacco upped the ante on their baseball card premiums. American Beauty cards transitioned to a larger 2.5″ x 3″ size with more vivid color portraits and cropped head-and-shoulder shots. Basic stats for batting average, home runs, and runs batted in were listed on the reverse of each card for the 1931 season. This added level of player stats and larger colorful images made the cards more data-rich and enticing for young collectors. Popular stars of the day like Joe DiMaggio, Dizzy Dean, and Bill Dickey had their early careers memorialized on American Beauty cardboard. Scarcity remains moderate for the 1932 set compared to later Depression-era issues.

During the early-to-mid 1930s, American Beauty improved on the evolving baseball card concept with each successive season issue. The 1933 and 1934 American Beauty sets took on cleaner graphic designs befitting the Art Deco era. Meanwhile, the inclusion of additional stats like pitching records and career year-by-year lines for hitters enriched the statistical value of each card. More obscure 1920s-era veterans made their baseball card debuts alongside established superstars. Unfortunately, the worsening Great Depression took a steep toll on both the tobacco industry and the fledgling hobby of baseball card collecting during this period. Cigarette sales plunged over 40% by 1933 as disposable incomes dried up across America. In response, American Tobacco was reluctantly forced cut costs by dialing back premium distributions in packs.

Through 1934 and 1935, the scarcity of surviving American Beauty baseball cards grew substantially due to economic hardship reducing pack sales and numbers issued. While many early 20th century cards saw heavy usage as playthings or advertisements before acquiringcollector value later on, Depression conditions ensured fewer fans could afford packswith premiums. This makes intact high-grade samples from 1933-1935 among the most coveted and expensive in the entire vintage tobacco era genre today due to their rarity versus quality surviving. Examples can easily fetch thousands of dollars even in lower grades.

By 1936, the tobacco industry regained stability against the backdrop of FDR’s New Deal revitalizing the American economy. Looking to regain lost market share, American Beauty splurged on its most ambitious baseball card production yet for the latest MLB season. The 1936 tobacco issue ballooned the set count to an unheard of 110 distinct cards. Even fringe players received the baseball card treatment alongside true heroes like Lou Gehrig, Dizzy Dean, and Mel Ott. A generous distribution helped ensure good survival rates to the present day, making 1936 American Beauty’s one of the most attainable and affordable vintage tobacco issues for collectors. The large numbers printed also helped restore popular demand for sports card collecting after the lean Depression years.

In the late 1930s, tobacco premium policies began trending towards more generic photographs rather than sports-specific cards. This was partly due to rising MLB salaries making sports rights more expensive, and a push to broaden appeal beyond male demographics. As such, the 1939 American Beauty baseball card set would be the brand’s last true sports-based premium for over a decade. Featuring smaller 1.5″ x 2″ landscape photos fitted with player stats on the reverse, the 1939 tobacco issue commemorated the final season before WWII impacted the baseball landscape. Scarcity remained light, preserving its status as a key affordable set within the vintage era.

After a four year hiatus due to WWII resource constraints, American Beauty reintroduced baseball cards alongside its competitors in 1948 as the country emerged victorious and optimistic. By this time, the simple sports images inside cigarette packs had evolved into a bonafide national past time, especially among the burgeoning Baby Boomer generation. The 1948-1952 Topps Gum Company issues are hailed as kickstarting the modern era of sports card mass production and speculative collecting. Meanwhile, American Beauty stuck to its roots issuing 148 player photos across its 1948-1952 baseball card sets. While less ornate than Topps counterparts, these tobacco-era offerings from the post-war bubble served an important role preserving the early careers of legends like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Sandy Koufax for collectors today.

In conclusion, American Beauty cigarette packs played an integral pioneering part in the development of sports card collecting as a popular American hobby through their baseball card premiums from the 1930s onward. With increased quality, quantities, and relevance over successive season issues, these early tobacco-based baseball cards helped ignite interest during a bleak period that carried forward enthusiastically after WWII. Although lacking frills compared to later glossy competitors, American Beauty’s contributions to commemorating MLB’s Golden Age deserve recognition among vintage collectors today due to their historic significance as forefathers of the collectibles industry. Finding conditioned samples from their heyday production between 1931-1952 remains quite achievable within most budgets.

SWEET CAPORAL CIGARETTES BASEBALL CARDS VALUE

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Sweet Caporal was a brand of cigarettes produced by P. Lorillard Company of New York City from 1887 to 1954. In addition to cigarettes, the brand also produced collectible baseball cards inserted into their packages from 1909 to 1933. The Sweet Caporal cards were among the early tobacco brands to include sports cards as an added marketing incentive for customers.

Starting in 1909, Sweet Caporal included cards featuring individual baseball players in over half of their packs of cigarettes. The size of the cards was smaller than modern day baseball cards, measuring approximately 2.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches tall. The fronts of the cards featured a black and white photo of a player in their uniform along with their name and team. The backs were left blank with no statistics or biographical information provided.

Some of the notable Hall of Fame players featured on early Sweet Caporal cards include Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, and Ty Cobb. These early cards from the brand’s initial issues in 1909-1911 are considered key cards for any baseball card collection due to the notoriety of the players pictured and the scarcity of surviving examples after over 100 years. Complete 1909-1911 sets in Excellent or Near Mint condition can sell for over $100,000 at auction. Even single high grade examples of cards for Wagner and Cobb from this era have brought five figure prices.

From 1912-1915, the quantity and quality of Sweet Caporal cards increased substantially. Nearly complete sets were now found in factory sealed packs and the photo size was increased slightly. Players spanning both major leagues were included on the cards at this time. In addition to depicting current major leaguers, the brand also featured semi-pro and minor league players believed to have future potential. This gives the 1912-1915 issues significant historical value for researching early 20th century baseball beyond just the majors. Sets and high grade individual cards from these years can bring thousands of dollars on the collector market.

The peak era for Sweet Caporal cards was from 1916-1929. Distribution of the cards was at an all-time high during World War I and the Roaring 20s. Nearly every pack contained multiple cards picturing major and minor league players of the day. For the first time, the backs of the cards included basic career statistics and information for each player through the previous season. This “reverse” stat section makes the 1916-1929 cards very desirable for research in player performance during this defining period in baseball history. Near complete master sets with 500+ different cards can sell for over $15,000. Individual star or rookie cards still garner strong prices as well.

During the 1930-1933 period, Sweet Caporal card distribution declined along with cigarette sales during the Great Depression. The surviving cards from the brand’s final issues have more historical significance than monetary value due to their relative scarcity. Rarities from 1930-1933 can still attract bids in the low hundreds of dollars from committed collectors looking to finish their Sweet Caporal sets. After 1933, the company discontinued the baseball cards as the cigarette brand wound down production in the following decades.

In the over 80 intervening years since Sweet Caporal cards ceased, they have grown greatly in demand and prices among vintage sports memorabilia collectors. Their place as one of the pioneering brands that added baseball cards to cigarette packs helped spark baseball card collecting into a mainstream hobby. While challenges remain in locating pristine high graded examples, the affordability of cheaper conditioned common cards has allowed more collectors to enjoy and learn from these early depictions of the national pastime’s greatest players. As with most pioneering collectibles, the allure and value of complete or key Sweet Caporal sets and individual cards will likely continue increasing over time.

OLD JUDGE CIGARETTES BASEBALL CARDS

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Old Judge Cigarettes Baseball Cards: A Nostalgic Look Back at an Iconic Collectible

For many baseball card collectors and nostalgia buffs, the name “Old Judge” immediately conjures memories of intricate cigarette pack designs, tobacco tin lithographs and, most importantly, the iconic cardboard trading cards that could be found inside packs during the Tobacco Era of the early 20th century. Produced by the American Tobacco Company from 1891 to 1930, Old Judge issues featured some of the biggest stars in the game and became highly coveted additions for any budding card collection. While the cigarettes have long since disappeared from store shelves due to health concerns, the Old Judge cards themselves remain prized pieces of both pop culture history and the beginnings of organized professional baseball.

One of the earliest entries into the baseball card market, Old Judge debuted sets featuring individual player portraits in 1891 amidst the advent of cigarettes as a mass consumer product. Rather than simple advertising, the brand saw cards as an opportunity for genuine collectability and crafted intricate backs detailing stats and biographies. Many of the initial issues showcased players before they even adopted uniform numbers, presenting an fascinating snapshot of the nascent sport taking form. Notable early subjects included future Hall of Famers like Nap Lajoie, Cy Young and Honus Wagner, preserving their likenesses for history in vivid color lithographs.

Through the 1890s and into the new century, Old Judge evolved their sets with each new season. Around 1896, the decision was made to add team logos and uniforms to cards for a more readily identifiable visual connection to fans. Numbers began appearing on uniforms by the late 1890s as well. The early 1900s witnessed thicker card stock and refined color portraits. Subjects continued to highlight the best talents across both leagues, with superstars like Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson and Babe Ruth all immortalized during their playing days thanks to Old Judge issues.

Aside from the core baseball card offerings found inside packs, American Tobacco offered additional memorabilia for collectors through specialized sets and promotions. Tin lithograph portraits provided enormous images often depicting posed group shots of whole teams. These rare and fragile promotions from the turn of the century are among the most coveted in the hobby today. Occasional postwar issues in the 1920s gave fans one last chance at snagging cards of the era’s greatest legends before the brand’s demise.

In 1909, the brand broke new ground by issuing cards with white borders along the outside edge, making for easier sorting and display in albums or loose sheets. This innovation became the standard design not just for Old Judge, but helped define the classic baseball card aesthetics still used today across all manufacturers. Additional advances included the first Goudey set in 1933, widely considered the first “modern” design with its large player photos and stats on the back.

During the heyday of Tobacco Era issues between 1891-1915, Old Judge reigned as the most popular baseball card to collect. Their wider distribution through American Tobacco’s cigarette business and colorful chromolithographic printing processes meant greater availability and more vivid imagery compared to competitors. Many early hobbyists cut their teeth seeking and trading Old Judges featuring the legends that captivated the country during baseball’s initial boom in popularity nationwide. Their hand-cut size and thick cardboard also held up better to the rigors of youthful collecting than some flimsier contemporaries.

While newer generations may not be able to personally remember hunting through packs of Old Judge cigarettes for vintage stars, the brand’s lasting influence is undeniable. They helped fuel baseball card collecting as both a fad among kids and a mature hobby for enthusiasts. Countless albums were filled with carefully organized Judge issues next to competitors like Mayo Cut Plug, Fatima or El Principe de Gales brands. Beyond the packets themselves, ancillary items like photographs became crucial parts of early baseball memorabilia and helped build appreciation for the sport’s history.

When health concerns ended cigarrete trading cards by the 1950s, pristine specimens of Old Judge issues took on an aura of nostalgia for those who recalled the excitement of chasing down heroes in tobacco stores while feeding another childhood obsession. First series stars like Hughie Jennings and Cupid Childs became even more ethereal prewar figures. As values rose for investment potential, a secondary market emerged to acquire desired pieces to round out vintage collections. While reproductions exist, keen eyes can still spot real treasure trove finds of 100+ year old cards among attics, flea markets and antique shops.

For modern fans, the Tobacco Era and its antiquated advertising methods seem like a vanishing remnant of a bygone era, yet the infatuation with collecting icons from baseball’s first golden age remains undiminished. Old Judge stars like Nap Lajoie, Honus Wagner and Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown have become immortal not just for their on-field feats, but because their likenesses survived through the years ensconced in tobacco trims and nostalgic memories triggered whenever those seminal cardboard slices are unearthed once more. Few brands captured America’s pastime in its prime quite like Old Judge Cigarettes, cementing their place as one of collecting’s most iconic names.

HASSAN CORK TIP CIGARETTES BASEBALL CARDS

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Hassan Cork Tip Cigarettes and Baseball Cards of the 1950s

During the mid 20th century, tobacco companies heavily promoted their cigarette brands through innovative marketing techniques. One popular method involved including collectible baseball cards or other promotional items inside cigarette packs. This helped attract new younger smokers while encouraging existing smokers to purchase more packs in hopes of completing a set. One such brand that utilized this strategy was Hassan Cork Tip Cigarettes.

Produced by the Hassan Tobacco Company based in Richmond, Virginia, Hassan Cork Tip cigarettes were first introduced in the early 1950s. They aimed to distinguish themselves from competitors like Camel, Lucky Strike, and Chesterfield by featuring a unique cork filter tip. At the time, filtered cigarettes were just beginning to gain widespread popularity as a perceived safer alternative to non-filtered varieties. The loose granulated cork in the filter was said to mildly flavor the smoke.

To promote this new cork tip filter, the Hassan Tobacco Company began including small collectible cardboard baseball cards inside each pack. These early cards from the early 1950s featured images of current Major League players on the front. On the back was a brief biography of the player as well as promotion for Hassan Cork Tip cigarettes. Sets would feature cards of stars from all 16 MLB teams at the time.

Completing a full Hassan Cork Tip baseball card set from a single season proved challenging, as packs were randomly inserted with only a few cards. This rarity helped drive interest and intrigue among collectors, especially younger boys and teens. It gave smokers incentive to purchase more packs in hopes of finding cards they needed. The cards themselves became highly coveted among players as well, who would sometimes swap or trade them.

Some notable stars featured on early Hassan Cork Tip baseball cards included Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, and early 50s MVPs like Yogi Berra, Hank Sauer and Jim Konstanty. The vibrant color images captured the action and excitement of America’s pastime. At the bottom of each card in small print, it promoted “For the finest in filter smoking, choose Hassan Cork Tips.”

As cigarette baseball cards grew in popularity through the 1950s, Hassan Tobacco expanded their offerings. In 1953 they began including cards showing action shots in addition to individual player portraits. More complete sets with over 100 cards could be found. Special promotional sets with managers or coaches were distributed as well. Color photography was still uncommon, but the realistic black-and-white images attracted many collectors.

The inclusion of baseball cards proved an extremely successful promotion for Hassan Cork Tip cigarettes. Sales increased substantially throughout the 1950s as the brand gained national recognition. The cork filter tip design also helped differentiate Hassan from its competitors and addressed growing health concerns over smoking. But it was the allure of the increasingly rare baseball cards that particularly resonated with American boys and teenagers. Collecting and trading the cards became a beloved pastime in its own right.

Mounting concerns from health organizations like the AMA over targeting minors with sports promotions led Congress to pass the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965. This banned inclusion of non-tobacco inserts like baseball cards in cigarette packs, dealing a major blow to Hassan Tobacco and other companies utilizing similar marketing techniques. Without their baseball card promotions, Hassan Cork Tip cigarette sales declined sharply in the late 1960s. The brand struggled to stay competitive and was discontinued by 1972.

today, unopened Hassan cork tip cigarette packs from the 1950s and 1960s containing pristine original baseball cards have become highly valuable collectors items. Top rookie cards or stars in mint condition can fetch thousands of dollars. While the targeted promotion of cigarettes to minors using sport promotions is no longer legal or seen as ethical, collectors still prize these vestiges of post-war tobacco advertising which intertwined America’s two great pastimes of baseball and smoking. The cork tip filter design also represents an interesting period when manufacturers experimented with different perceived “safer” smoking technologies before the true health risks were fully known and regulations increased. As a result, vintage Hassan Cork Tip basketball cards remain a prized find for both sports memorabilia and tobacco ephemera collectors alike.

The inclusion of collectible baseball cards was an innovative marketing strategy successfully utilized by Hassan Cork Tip Cigarettes in the 1950s and 1960s to attract new smokers, especially youth. It drove huge sales increases for the brand and national recognition through promoting the sport of baseball. Rising health concerns and legislation against targeting minors eventually led to the banning of non-tobacco inserts and the decline of Hassan Cork Tip cigarettes. Today, unopened vintage packs and pristine cards retain value as a nostalgic link to post-war America when tobacco promotion intertwined ciggies with the national pastime.

TURKEY RED CIGARETTES BASEBALL CARDS

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The legendary Turkey Red cigarettes brand is intrinsically linked with the early history of baseball cards partially due to their vibrant red packaging and promotion of the sport. Originating in the late 19th century as one of America’s most popular chewing tobaccos and cigarette brands, the Ott & Bullitt Company used ornate trade cards inserted in packs as an early marketing strategy. These cards initially featured landscapes, politicians, and notable figures but soon shifted focus to baseball players of the nascent professional leagues as interest in the sport exploded nationwide in the early 1900s.

Known for their durable quality and distinctive crimson color, Turkey Red cigarettes and their accompanying baseball cards helped fuel America’s passion for the game at a pivotal time in its development. Between 1887 to 1915, Ott & Bullitt produced thousands of unique ‘Large Size’ and ‘Small Size’ baseball cards featuring star players that captivated collectors and exposed more consumers to professional teams and leagues. The cards were longer lasting and seen by more eyes than newspaper images due to their packaging and distribution method. This granted earlier ballplayers publicity and renown they otherwise may not have achieved.

Produced on thicker stock than most contemporary tobacco cards, original Turkey Red issues have survived in far greater numbers than similar baseball memorabilia of the period. Their resilience made them highly desirable to early card collectors, which also contributed to higher survival rates. With information like team affiliations, positions, and career highlights sometimes included directly on the cards, they served both promotional and historical documentation purposes that expanded knowledge of baseball’s formative era. Some experts argue these widely distributed cards did as much for popularizing professional baseball as the modern sports section of daily newspapers.

Due to being randomly inserted in cigarette packs bought nationwide rather than sold directly to collectors, Turkey Red cards reached a much broader audience and greater circulation than sets from other tobacco brands of their time. This massive exposure significantly assisted in spreading awareness and interest of individual players as well as the emerging professional leagues and clubs they represented. Many of the earliest superstars whose exploits drew new fans to the sport had Turkey Red cards issued featuring their likenesses, statistics, and accomplishments.

Issued from the late 1880s into the 1910s, Turkey Red cards documented the early years and transformations of professional baseball. They captured legends of the time like Cy Young, Honus Wagner, Nap Lajoie, and others during the growth of the National League and before the modern live ball era. Many of the Turkey Red cards from the 1890s featuring these pioneering players are among the most valuable in the entire collecting realm today due to their historical significance, rarity, and popularity with early adherents to the hobby. Condition is always key, but elite examples in top shape can sell at auction for well over $100,000.

While some tobacco companies produced baseball memorabilia as promotions for just a year or two, Ott & Bullitt maintained the highest and most consistent volume of baseball cards in their Turkey Red packaging for approximately three decades. This immense run coincided with transformative times when baseball shook off its amateur roots and professionalized into the national pastime. Ott & Bullitt aided this progression through the mass distribution of player images utilizing their renowned cigarettes. An immeasurable number of fans were first introduced to their favorite ballplayers by collecting and trading Turkey Red cards.

The popularity of Ott & Bullitt’s Turkey Red brand also directly led to innovations in baseball card production. Seeing the promotional power of images, they began issuing cards on thicker boards rather than basic paper to prolong the lifespan in packets and increase desire for collection among consumers. This set a precedent that shifted the industry to longer-lasting card stock still used today. Turkey Red cards also helped establish standard baseball card sizes, statistics included on the back, and guided subject matter towards active players instead of just generic team shots. Their widespread presence educated the public about the developing sport.

Though production ceased by the 1910s due to increased government regulation of tobacco advertising, the legacy of Turkey Red cards persist as some of the most prized possessions in collectible sports worldwide. They resonate not just as tangible relics but reminders of a key junction when American pastimes like baseball truly took hold nationally. Ott & Bullitt illuminated today’s stars through the cards while also preserving snapshots from inaugural professional campaigns. In bridging baseball’s amateur origins with its modern prominence, Turkey Red issues occupy a truly unique and history-defining position among sports collectibles.

1887 N172 OLD JUDGE CIGARETTES BASEBALL CARDS

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The 1887 N172 Old Judge cigarette set is one of the most valuable and historically significant releases of tobacco-related collectibles. Produced by the American Tobacco Company and inserted randomly into packs of Old Judge cigarettes, the cards featured prominent baseball players from the late 1880s and helped popularize the relatively new sport of professional baseball across the United States. The cards were mass produced but are now exceedingly rare, with only a tiny fraction of the original print run known to have survived to the present day in collectors’ hands. Given their excellent condition and key role in baseball history, pristine examples can sell at auction for well over $1 million each.

Old Judge was one of the most prominent cigarette brands of the late 19th century, produced as American Tobacco sought to capitalize on growing tobacco consumption in the post-Civil War era. Building brand loyalty through promotional items was an early form of mainstream advertising. In 1887, the N172 set was introduced, with individual cigarette cards printed on a thick paper/cardboard substrate and measuring approximately 2.5 x 3 inches each. Each card featured a single baseball player in action along with their name and team.

There were a total of 25 cards issued in the series, profiling stars from the National League, American Association, and other prominent amateur clubs of the time. Notable inclusions were Cap Anson of the Chicago White Stockings, future Hall of Famer Tony Mullane of the Louisville Colonels, Dan Brouthers of the Buffalo Bisons, and Erastus “erasmus” Wedge of the Cleveland Blues. The cards represented some of the best known players and biggest stars of late 19th century baseball at a time when the spotlight was just beginning to shine on professional athletes.

When initially inserted into cigarette packs as intended by American Tobacco, the cards would have been a major attraction for baseball enthusiasts looking to collect profiles of their favorite players and teams. They were never intended as collectibles in their own right. Most consumers used and disposed of the cards without consideration for their future value. Surviving examples are scarce due to effective quality control measures like standardized sizes that made cards easy to tear and damage over a century ago. Environmental factors like exposure to heat, humidity, and rodents have also taken a toll.

Today, hobby experts estimate less than 200 examples might still exist across all 25 N172 cards in the set. The rarest are considered to be the cards of legendary players like Roger Connor, Tim Keefe, and Mike “King” Kelly – with perhaps only a handful known for each. Even relatively common players like Buck Ewing and Hick Carpenter could be worth six figures if in exceptional preserved quality. The finest specimens regularly break records when they cross the auction block.

In 2013, mint condition examples of Bug Holliday, Dave Orr, and Jim Whitney sold for $204,000, $231,000, and $262,000 respectively at auction. A PSA EX-MT 5/5 “Gem Mint” Roger Connor from 1887 changed hands for over $1 million in 2016. And a rare Mike “King” Kelly graded PSA NM-MT 8 sold in 2021 for an astounding $657,250. Prices have consistently risen steeply in line with growing awareness and demand from affluent collectors.

For serious paper money investors and tobacco Americana fans, owning an N172 is considered a singular achievement. They represent history through baseball’s earliest icons and the surging popularity of cigarettes at a unique moment in time. The 1887 Old Judge set is one of a handful of non-sports card releases predating the modern era that laid important groundwork. Examples changing hands for hundreds of thousands or over $1 million today illustrates how far collectibles have come since randomly tossed aside over a century past. In the eyes of the paper money community, they are national treasures deserving of preservation and display by devoted caretakers willing to pay top dollar.

The 1887 N172 Old Judge baseball card set holds immense cultural and historical significance as tobacco memorabilia, representations of professional baseball’s rising stars, and highly valuable rarities within the hobby. Despite being mass produced promotional items originally intended for brief usage and disposal, a tiny fraction have incredibly survived over 130 years to become million-dollar commodities. They connect the earliest eras of America’s pastimes to an evolving present where history commands increasingly high prices. For any aficionado of sports, tobacco Americana, or simply paper money collecting, obtaining an N172 would be considered an crowning achievement.