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DOUBLE PLAY BASEBALL CARDS SAN ANTONIO

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Double Play Baseball Cards: A San Antonio Institution

Double Play Baseball Cards has been a staple of the San Antonio baseball card scene for over 30 years. What started as a small hobby shop run out of the owner’s garage has grown into one of the largest and most respected card shops in all of Texas. Still located in San Antonio today, Double Play continues to be a hub for local collectors and a destination store for collectors from around the state.

Double Play first opened its doors in 1989 when owner John Smith decided to expand his personal collection of cards into a full-fledged business. He rented a small space in a strip mall on the north side of town and stocked it with his personal inventory of cards. Word quickly spread among the local collecting community about the new shop in town and business took off almost immediately. Within a few years, Double Play had outgrown that initial location and moved to a bigger storefront downtown.

Through the 90s, Double Play rode the wave of renewed interest in the hobby sparked by the rise of stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and Cal Ripken Jr. They stocked the latest packs, boxes and sets from Topps, Fleer and others while also amassing an impressive inventory of vintage and rare singles. The shop became a popular weekend destination for collectors both casual and hardcore. Families would spend afternoons browsing the vast selection of affordable commons and rookies while more serious collectors evaluated graded gems and one-of-a-kind vintage rarities.

As the card industry began to boom in the late 90s, Double Play expanded their inventory and services to keep up with growing demand. They added sports memorabilia like autographed balls and jerseys to their offerings. The store was remodeled to include more display cases and seating areas. And they began to offer a mailing list and website to reach customers beyond their local area. This helped turn Double Play into a true destination shop that drew collectors from around the state on buying trips.

Into the 2000s, Double Play continued to cement its place as a pillar of the Texas card community. Owner John Smith was a pioneer in the use of online auctions to move high-end inventory and pioneer the “group break” model that’s now commonplace in the industry. These innovations kept Double Play at the forefront of collecting trends as the rise of the internet began to change the hobby landscape. The shop sponsored and hosted major card shows that drew thousands of attendees from across the region.

Today, Double Play is still going strong after more than three decades in business. Under second-generation ownership, the store has been remodeled again into a 10,000 square foot “card superstore.” In addition to its massive selection of new and vintage basketball, football and baseball cards for sale, it now features a full cafe and event space. Double Play hosts signings, group breaks and release parties that are among the largest and most anticipated events on the Texas card calendar.

For San Antonio collectors, young and old, Double Play remains a vital hub of the local hobby scene. Multi-generational families still make weekly pilgrimages to dig through wax boxes and browse the inventory. It’s also a can’t-miss destination for out-of-town collectors visiting San Antonio. Whether you’re a casual fan or a hardcore collector with a six-figure collection, Double Play feels like a home away from home. Through ever-changing industry trends, it has endured as an institution in the city and Texas card community for over 30 years thanks to passionate ownership and loyal customers

There’s no telling what the next 30 years may hold for the business and hobby. But one thing is for certain – Double Play Baseball Cards will continue to be a staple for collectors in San Antonio and Texas for generations to come. It’s hard to imagine the landscape without its prominent place at the heart of the local scene. However the industry evolves, this iconic shop’s legacy is sure live on.

DOUBLE PRINT BASEBALL CARDS

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Double print errors are some of the most sought after mistakes in the world of baseball card collecting. When a printing plate is incorrectly used to print the same image on two consecutive baseball cards, it results in a rare and valuable double print error card. These mistakes have captured the imagination of collectors for decades due to their accidental one-of-a-kind nature.

While the exact causes of double print errors are not fully understood, they are believed to occur during the printing process at the factory when the printing plates fail to advance properly between card prints. This results in the same image being accidentally printed twice in a row on consecutive cards. The duplication of the image across two separate pieces of cardboard is what makes double print cards so visually striking and desirable to collectors.

Some key aspects that define double print error cards include:

The front image is duplicated exactly across two touching cards, with no variation between the prints. This indicates the plate failed to advance between impressions.

The backs of the cards will be different, as the backs are printed via a separate plate in a different part of the printing process. This helps authenticate it as a true double print.

Often the edges of where the two cards were joined can still be seen, with a faint line or crease where they were once connected. Over time this may fade.

The rarity of double prints makes them extremely valuable. Only a tiny percentage of any given print run experience this error, so they are very difficult to acquire.

Some of the most famous and high value double print baseball cards that have sold at auction include:

A 1909 T206 Honus Wagner double print that realized over $500,000 at auction in 2016. This is arguably the most iconic and expensive double print card ever.

A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle double print PSA 8 that sold for over $100,000 in 2020, setting a record price for the Mantle rookie.

A 1975 Topps Nolan Ryan rookie double print PSA 8 that sold for $45,000, reflecting Ryan’s Hall of Fame status and the scarcity of high grade 1975s.

A 1964 Topps Sandy Koufax double print PSA 8 that brought in over $30,000 at auction in 2018.

A 1956 Topps Hank Aaron rookie double print PSA 6.5 that sold for just under $20,000 in 2019.

While the above examples involved some of the most valuable modern rookie and star player cards, double prints can occur for virtually any player and set from the earliest days of baseball cards up to modern productions. Condition is still very important, as with any collectible, but double prints command large premiums even in lower grades due to their one-of-a-kind status.

In terms of sets, the most commonly seen double prints originated from the classic 1950s and 1960s Topps issues, when production and printing techniques were still developing. They have been reported across many other vintage and modern sets as well over the decades.

An interesting aspect of double print cards is that the two images are not always a perfect match. Sometimes faint variations can occur between the duplicate fronts, such as slight misalignments, different shades of ink, or minor flaws. This helps further prove they are not counterfeits and adds to the organic, accidental nature that makes them so intriguing to collectors.

While double prints are still discovered with some regularity today in vintage wax packs or group lots, the majority of high grade examples have usually been in collectors’ hands for decades. Their extreme rarity means finding one in a current product or group purchase is considered incredibly lucky. Most serious collectors seeking a double print must be prepared to pay top dollar to the few individuals who own these accidental, one-of-a-kind pieces of cardboard history.

For the passionate baseball card collector, double prints represent the ultimate mistake – a fleeting error that resulted in a card whose story of uniqueness is intrinsically tied to the history of the hobby. Their scarcity and visual impact is why they remain among the most exciting and valuable finds that can be unearthed in the pursuit of vintage sports memorabilia. Whether a key rookie, star player, or obscure name, double prints will continue to capture imaginations for years to come.

1955 TOPPS DOUBLE HEADER BASEBALL CARDS

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The 1955 Topps Double Header baseball card set was unique in Topps’ early history as it featured two players per card. Released in 1955 as Topps’ third baseball card series, the Double Header set contained 132 cards and featured 264 individual player photos. The dual player format allowed Topps to effectively double the number of players included in their set compared to previous years.

Topps had produced baseball cards since 1951 but their early sets only included a single player photo per standard size card. In 1954, their set totaled only 132 cards. For 1955, Topps sought to expand their player coverage and introduce more variety to collectors. The Double Header concept proved an innovative solution. By pairing two current major league players together on each card, Topps was able to showcase over 250 players in a single 132 card product.

The 1955 Topps Double Header cards featured a vertical split design with one player photo above the other. Each photo was approximately 1 3/8 inches tall by 1 1/8 inches wide. Below the photos was a white space for the players’ names, positions, and team affiliations. The reverse side of each card contained no additional stats or images – just a blue border. The cards measured approximately 2 5/8 inches by 3 5/8 inches, slightly larger than modern standard size cards to accommodate the dual player layout.

In selecting player pairings for the 1955 Topps Double Header set, there was no discernible pattern or logic to the combinations. Players from all teams were mixed together randomly with no regard for position, statistics, or other similarities. For example, card #1 paired Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe with Cleveland Indians outfielder Larry Doby while card #2 combined Boston Red Sox first baseman Walt Dropo and Washington Senators pitcher Camilo Pascual. The seemingly random pairings added an element of surprise for collectors as they had no way of predicting which two players would be shown on the next card pulled from a pack.

The 1955 Topps Double Header set is notable not just for its innovative dual player design but also because it features some of the biggest stars from that era. The likes of Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Stan Musial all received standard sized solo cards in previous Topps issues but were included in paired format in the 1955 Double Header set. Other notable Hall of Famers present included Robin Roberts, Duke Snider, Richie Ashburn, and Roy Campanella among many others. In total, over 40 players from the 1955 set would eventually be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

While production values were still relatively basic compared to modern standards, the 1955 Topps Double Header cards represented a leap forward both in terms of the number of players included and the visual presentation compared to Topps’ first two sets from 1951-1954. The paired player format proved popular with collectors and Topps would continue to issue Double Header style sets, with slight variations, through the late 1950s. Condition is always a concern for 70 year old cardboard but high grade examples of the 1955 Topps Double Header cards remain popular with vintage baseball card collectors today due to the historic players featured and the set’s place as a unique and transitional release in the early development of Topps.

The 1955 Topps Double Header set marked both an innovative design change and an expansion of player coverage for Topps compared to previous issues. By pairing two players on each standard sized card, Topps was able to showcase over 250 major leaguers, nearly doubling the count from their 1954 set. While production values were still basic, the 1955 Double Headers featured many of the era’s biggest stars and over 40 would later earn enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The random dual player combinations added an element of surprise for collectors as they had no way to predict which players would be paired on the next card pulled from a pack. Condition remains a concern for 70 year old cardboard but high grade examples of the pioneering 1955 Topps Double Header set remain prized by vintage baseball card collectors today.

DOUBLE HEADER BASEBALL CARDS

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Double header baseball cards were a unique card format introduced in the 1930s that featured two player photos and stats on a single larger card. They provided collectors with more content for their money compared to standard size cards at the time. The double header format was popular with collectors during the Great Depression era and helped drive interest in the growing baseball card hobby.

The first double header cards emerged in 1933 from the Goudey Gum Company. Goudey had been issuing standard size baseball cards as promotional inserts in their chewing gum packs since 1931. In 1933, they experimented with a larger card format that could showcase two players side by side. The cards measured approximately 3.5 inches by 2.25 inches, nearly twice the size of a standard baseball card of the time.

On one double header card, the front would feature a photo and stats for one player on the left side and same for another player on the right side. The backs were blank. In total, Goudey issued 60 different double header cards over two series in 1933 and 1934 featuring a total of 120 different players. Some of the stars featured included Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and Lefty Grove.

Collectors appreciated getting twice the content for the same price of a pack of gum. At a time when money was tight during the Depression, the double header cards provided more value and excitement per pack. Their larger size also made them easier to see the photos and stats compared to postage stamp-sized standard cards of the period. The cards caught on in popularity with collectors.

Inspired by Goudey’s success, other card companies soon followed with their own double header issues. In 1935, National Chicle issued one series of 48 cards featuring 96 players. The same year saw the debut of double headers from Diamond Stars and Red Rock. Even more companies like Bell Brand and Play Ball entered the double header arena over the next few years.

The larger size and two-player format of double headers made them very appealing to collectors. Some collectors also found the larger cards less portable and harder to store in albums compared to standard size cards. By the late 1930s, most gum and candy companies had shifted back exclusively to standard size vertical format cards that became the enduring classic design.

While short-lived compared to standard cards, double headers remain a very collectible niche subset today due to their larger size, scarcity, and place in baseball card history. With fewer printed than single player issues, double headers tend to be some of the most valuable and desirable vintage cards for serious collectors. Grading services like PSA and SGC especially enjoy grading these unique larger format cards when high quality specimens come on the market.

The rarest and most valuable double headers are the 60 original 1933 and 1934 Goudey issues which started the craze. Top stars like Babe Ruth in these early Goudey sets can sell for over $10,000 in Near Mint condition. But high grade examples of any early 1930s double headers from the other pioneer companies like National Chicle are still valuable, routinely selling for hundreds to low thousands of dollars.

Even more common players attain significance and demand when appearing on rare double headers from obscure short-lived brands. For example, a 1935 Diamond Stars Babe Ruth in grade NM condition recently sold at auction for over $3,000 solely due to the brand’s extreme scarcity. The largest and most complete vintage double header collections can be worth over $100,000.

While short-lived in actual production, double header cards played an important role in the history of the burgeoning baseball card hobby and industry during the 1930s. Their larger size and two-player format provided novelty and value that collectors of the Depression era appreciated. Today, surviving high quality specimens are prized possessions for those who collect the earliest and rarest vintage cards. The unique double header format continues to fascinate collectors with their place in the early evolution of the modern baseball card.