Drake’s Cakes have been a beloved snack in America for over 150 years, known for their moist fruitcake and being sold in iconic tins. What many people may not know is that Drake’s once included baseball cards inside their tins in the late 19th/early 20th century, making them a unique part of sports card history.
The story began in 1887 when the Drake Company of Brooklyn, New York began packaging their cakes in decorative tins to keep them fresh. Seeking a creative way to promote their products even further, they had the idea in the 1890s to include small collectible cards inside the tins featuring photos of famous baseball players from that era. Baseball was exploding in popularity across America at the time and placing cards of star athletes inside a popular snack was a genius marketing ploy.
The earliest known Drake’s Cakes baseball cards date back to 1898 and featured photos of players like Honus Wagner, Cy Young, and Nap Lajoie. The cards measured about 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches and were printed using a basic lithographic process on thin cardstock. On the front would be a black and white photo of the player along with their name and team. The backs were left blank.
Collectors at the time didn’t necessarily see the cards as having much value on their own, but children enjoyed finding them as a fun surprise inside their Drake’s tins. The company was able to effectively promote both their brand and America’s pastime simultaneously through this novel partnership. Production of the cards continued on and off through the early 1910s as Drake’s tested different promotional strategies.
One of the rarest Drake’s Cakes cards known to exist is a 1909 example featuring Pittsburgh Pirates great Honus Wagner. Unlike the earlier 1898 Wagner card which regularly sells for over $1 million today in near-mint condition, the 1909 Wagner is considered even more coveted by vintage sports memorabilia experts. Only a small handful are believed to still exist in collectors’ hands. In 2016, one fine example fetched $657,250 at auction, setting a new record for a non-sports issued Wagner card.
While the inserts were not always included year-round, Drake’s Cakes baseball cards continued to be found sporadically inside tins into the 1910s. By this time, dedicated sports card companies like American Caramel were producing higher quality multi-player sets on thicker cardstock specifically designed for collecting. As a result, Drake’s phased out their baseball cards and focused solely on using the tins as a packaging/promotional tool for their baked goods.
Despite their short print run, Drake’s Cakes cards remain an important part of the early history of baseball cards predating the modern era. They proved inserting small collectibles could effectively market a brand’s product while also tapping into America’s growing baseball fandom. Today extremely high grade examples in collectors’ hands are among the most valuable and sought after pre-WWI cards.
Even after over a century, the Drake’s Cakes brand is still going strong today. While they no longer include baseball cards, their tins of fruitcake are still sold nationwide each holiday season and have become a Christmas tradition for many families. For serious vintage sports memorabilia collectors, finding an intact Drake’s Cakes card from the early 1900s inside an original tin would be the ultimate surprise and prize. Their brief yet impactful history shows how even small promotions can have lasting significance within the hobby.
In summary, Drake’s Cakes baseball cards were truly ahead of their time in seeing the promotional potential of combining America’s two great loves – baseball and snack foods. Though a small niche within the vast world of pre-war sports collectibles, their role in the early evolution of baseball cards deserves recognition. For both history buffs and vintage card aficionados, Drake’s Cakes cards continue to be a unique and fascinating bridge between baking goods and baseball’s earliest superstars over a century ago.