Baseball cards have been a beloved part of American culture for over a century, allowing fans to collect pieces of their favorite players and teams. The small town of Longmont, located just north of Boulder, Colorado, has deep roots in the rich history of baseball cards dating back to the early 20th century.

Some of the earliest baseball cards to be collected in Longmont were issued during the 1910s and 1920s by cigarette and candy companies like American Caramel, American Tobacco, and Sweet Caporal. Local general stores would stock packs of these cards alongside their tobacco and confection products. Young boys around Longmont eagerly awaited the arrival of new card shipments so they could search through the packs, hoping to find stars of the day like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, or Walter Johnson. Starting in the late 1920s, gum and bubblegum brands like Goudey and Play Ball also began issuing cards in their products, further fueling the baseball card craze in Longmont.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, baseball cards provided a relatively inexpensive escape and pastime for kids and adults alike in Longmont as the country struggled economically. The rise of colorful, photograph-centered cards from companies such as Goudey, Play Ball, and Leaf in the mid-1930s made collecting even more enjoyable. Residents would swap and trade duplicates at school, at local parks, or at neighborhood gatherings to complete their sets. Some of the most coveted cards in Longmont during this era featured legends like Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and Dizzy Dean.

After a lull in production during World War II, the postwar period saw an explosion in the popularity of baseball cards in Longmont and across the nation. Iconic sets were issued in the late 1940s and 1950s by Bowman, Topps, and others that captured the Golden Age of the game and its biggest stars. Kids in Longmont eagerly ripped open packs of these cards looking for treasures like the iconic 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle or 1953 Topps Willie Mays rookie cards. The modern baseball card collecting hobby was truly born during this time.

Local card shops first began popping up in Longmont in the 1960s to meet the rising demand, like Bob’s Baseball Cards which opened its doors in 1963. Here, collectors could browse organized boxes filled with cards both old and new to round out their collections through trading. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the local card shop became a hub of activity, especially around the release of new sets each year from Topps, Fleer, and Donruss. All-time greats like Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, and Nolan Ryan had their likenesses preserved for collectors in Longmont and beyond during this era in vivid color photos.

In the 1980s, the arrival of upper deck and the increase of professional sports as a business led to new heights in production quality, statistics, and card values. Longmont saw many young collectors get hooked during this “golden age” of the hobby, chasing rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Cal Ripken Jr., Wade Boggs, and Ozzie Smith. The unprecedented popularity and high prices of vintage cards also led to the rise of the first memorabilia cards featuring game-used bats, balls, or jersey swatches of stars.

The 1990s saw unprecedented growth and mainstream attention on the hobby as sports card values soared. Michael Jordan’s basketball cards were outselling even the most coveted baseball rookies. In Longmont, the rise of the internet allowed for easier collecting across state lines and 24/7 access to the latest news, stats, and card checklists. Icons like Ken Griffey Jr., Greg Maddux, and Derek Jeter had their legendary careers captured in plastic for an entire new generation of young collectors. The local card shops were still going strong, transitioning to host organized trading events and tournaments.

In the 2000s and 2010s, while physical card packs declined some with the rise of digital card collecting apps, the hobby remained a beloved pastime for many in Longmont. Iconic rookie cards of Albert Pujols, Clayton Kershaw, and Mike Trout fetched big money at the local shops and shows. As baseball card collecting celebrates over a century of history, its roots in capturing the nostalgia and joy of the game remain deeply embedded in the community of Longmont, Colorado. To this day, local residents still flock to card shops and shows hoping to find their next piece of memorabilia from baseball’s storied past.

Baseball Cards in Longmont, Colorado: A History

Longmont, Colorado has a rich history with baseball cards dating back to the early 20th century. Some of the earliest baseball card collectors and dealers called Longmont home. Even today, the city continues to be a hub for baseball card collectors, traders, and businesses. Let’s take a look at the story of baseball cards in Longmont over the past century.

When the first mass-produced baseball cards hit the market in the late 1880s as inserts in cigarette packs and candy, the hobby started small but began gaining popularity across the United States in the early 1900s. One of the first serious baseball card collectors in Colorado was Longmont resident Harry Weber. Born in 1890, Harry became fascinated with the cards as a young boy and amassed one of the largest collections in the state by the 1920s, numbering in the thousands. He was known around town as the guy to see if you were looking to buy, sell, or trade cards.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Harry’s collection and dealings helped grow the baseball card scene in Longmont. Small groups of collectors would gather at his home or the local drug store to swap duplicates and discuss the players and teams. In the post-World War II era as the hobby exploded nationally, Longmont saw more shops and collectors enter the scene. The 1950s are considered the golden age of baseball cards when iconic sets like Topps and Bowman were released annually. Local drug stores and five-and-dime stores started stocking packs and boxes to meet the growing demand.

Two of the first dedicated baseball card shops in Colorado opened their doors in Longmont in the 1960s, cementing the city’s reputation as a hotbed for the hobby. Marty’s Baseball Cards was founded in 1962 by Marty Greenberg, one of Harry Weber’s former collectors. He offered the latest wax packs along with singles, high-grade gems, and supplies for collectors. Down the street, Bob’s Sportscards launched in 1967 and soon became the premiere destination for traders in the Front Range area. On weekends, their store would be packed with collectors of all ages browsing boxes, making deals, and talking shop.

The 1970s saw further growth and specialization within Longmont’s card scene. As the market matured, some shops focused more on supplies and accessories while others built strong reputations for their inventory of vintage and high-end cards. Meanwhile, the first organized baseball card shows began in the city. Held periodically at venues like the Eagles Lodge, these multi-dealer shows attracted collectors from across Northern Colorado. Top regional dealers also set up shop at the shows. The growing popularity of these events signified that Longmont had truly become a baseball card hub.

In the 1980s, the proliferation of sports card shows nationwide coincided with the peak of collecting frenzy driven by the arrival of stars like Rickey Henderson and Dwight Gooden. This boom was on full display in Longmont. Annual spring and fall shows routinely drew hundreds of attendees and over 50 tables of dealers. Meanwhile, the city’s shops expanded their inventory and services. Places like Swamp Baseball Cards, which opened in 1982, offered consignment sales of collections, want lists, and special group breaks of new wax at its large storefront. The rise of the internet in the 1990s allowed Longmont’s shops and traders to reach an even wider collector base.

The baseball card market experienced fluctuations over the next two decades with the rise and fall of sport-themed investments. However, Longmont’s scene proved resilient through major industry downturns. While some shops closed or changed hands, new stores also emerged. Today, a handful of brick-and-mortar outlets still proudly serve the local collector community, including Longmont Sportscards (established 1993), which has one of the largest retail inventories in the state. Periodic card shows also remain a staple on the calendar.

Online platforms have connected collectors in Longmont to a vast worldwide audience. Sites like SportsCardForum and CO Sports Cards have active Colorado-based forums where locals regularly buy, sell, and trade with each other. You can also find many collectors from Longmont active on Instagram, YouTube, and specialty auction sites. The next generation continues to be drawn in through breaks, group breaks, and box break livestreams that are a modern twist on the old pack-rip sessions at local shops.

After over a century, baseball cards remain deeply woven into the fabric of Longmont. From the pioneering efforts of early collectors to thriving multi-generational businesses today, the city’s impact on the hobby is still felt across Colorado and beyond. Whether browsing the latest releases or reminiscing about childhood favorites, baseball cards continue providing a source of entertainment, nostalgia, and community for collectors in Longmont.