The Manufacturing History of Baseball Cards

The tradition of collecting and trading baseball cards can be traced all the way back to the late 1800s when cigarette and tobacco companies began inserting photographs of baseball players into cigarette packs as a marketing incentive. Over a hundred years later, baseball cards have evolved into a multi-billion dollar collectibles industry. Along the way, several key manufacturers played pivotal roles in the growth and popularity of baseball cards.

The earliest recognized baseball cards were produced starting in 1869 by a company known then as Goodwin & Co. These original cards were included in packages of game equipment like balls, bats, and catcher’s masks rather than tobacco products. It was the cigarette companies that really popularized the concept of including baseball cards in their packs starting in the 1880s as an advertising gimmick.

Companies like Allen & Ginter, American Tobacco, and Mayo Cut Plug were baseball card pioneers. Their cards featured simple black and white photographs of players from popular teams like the Chicago White Stockings and Boston Beaneaters. These early tobacco era cards from the late 1800s are among the most coveted and valuable in the entire collecting hobby today due to their rarity and historical significance. They represent the true birth of sports card manufacturing.

In 1909, the American Tobacco Company consolidated the industry by acquiring most of its competitors. They then formed the monopolizing Tobacco Trust which controlled the production of baseball cards for several decades through brands like T206. During the early 20th century, their cards included hugely popular sets like T206 and E90 that have become legendary in the hobby. Stars of the deadball era like Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Christy Mathewson could all be found in American Tobacco packs.

The most dominant baseball card manufacturer of the post-war era from the 1940s through the 1960s was Topps. Founded in 1938, Topps overtook the cigarette companies as the primary sports cards provider. Their innovative designs and inclusion of more graphic images truly brought the cards into the modern collecting era. Topps released highly successful and iconic sets like 1952, 1956, and their flagship 1969 issue which is still considered the most famous set of all-time. For multiple generations in the mid-20th century, Topps practically owned the baseball card market.

In the late 1980s, Topps began facing stiff competition from new competitors like Fleer and Donruss who sought licenses to produce cards for the recently re-organized Major League Baseball. This marked the beginning of the modern era of licensed sportscard manufacturing. Fleer and Donruss released innovative sets with new technologies like the”Pro Graded Prospects” subset and multi-level marketing techniques. Their rapid growth threatened Topps’ decades-long monopoly.

The dawn of the 1990s saw the ultimate challenge to Topps as rival manufacturer Upper Deck entered the market. Building on the success of Donruss and Fleer, Upper Deck truly broke Topps’ stranglehold by outbidding them for the MLB license in 1989. Their super premium card stock and inserts featuring pieces of game-used memorabilia set new standards which Topps scrambled to match. Upper Deck’s “Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card” is considered the most valuable modern card ever produced.

By the mid-1990s, increased competition and a speculative bubble caused the baseball card market to crash. Fleer and Donruss were forced out of the annual set business while Upper Deck’s market dominance was diminished. Topps survived and remains the major power in the industry today along with new competitors like Panini who have sought to innovate by acquiring licenses from the NBA, NFL and worldwide soccer leagues.

In the over 150 years since those original 1869 Goodwin baseball cards, the manufacturing of sports cards has grown into a multinational, multi-billion dollar licensed collectibles industry. Along the way, companies like Topps, Upper Deck, Fleer and American Tobacco radically changed and grew the hobby from its early tobacco-era roots through constant innovation and business evolution. Without these pioneering companies, baseball cards almost certainly would not have become a mainstream American pastime enjoyed by generations of collectors.

The Origins of Baseball Card Manufacturing

The tradition of collecting and trading baseball cards dates back to the late 19th century. Some consider the oldest baseball card to be a tobacco card from 1875 featuring Boston Red Stockings player Cliff Carroll. It was not until the 1880s that baseball cards began being included as promotional items inside cigarette and tobacco products on a widespread basis.

The American Tobacco Company and Goodwin & Company were two of the earliest manufacturers to produce baseball cards for distribution. Their cards would feature prominent players from the National League and American Association on the front, with advertisements for tobacco products on the reverse. Collecting these early tobacco era cards quickly became a popular hobby among both children and adults.

Rise of the Tobacco Era (1890s-1910s)

In the 1890s, several new tobacco companies entered the baseball card market, greatly expanding production. Allen & Ginter, Sweet Caporal, and Mayo Cut Plug were major issuers. Their cards exposed more people to the sport by highlighting star players across multiple teams. Exclusive contracts were signed to feature specific clubs or leagues exclusively for a period of time.

Color lithography became more widely used in this decade as well, allowing for higher quality, vividly colored images on the cards. Information like positions, batting averages, and home towns were regularly included for the first time. Premium sets with additional non-player cards covering teams, ballparks and game facts also emerged.

The tobacco era reached its peak in the 1900s-1910s as cigarette companies battled for market share. Brands like Fatima, Cadillac, and M101 issued cards in virtually all of their products. Over time, the cards grew larger in size and included more statistics and biographical details on the back. Exquisite embossed and imprinted ‘premium’ sets were also produced in smaller quantities.

Transition to Non-Tobacco Issues (1920s)

As anti-tobacco sentiment increased in the 1910s, manufacturers began phasing out the inclusion of baseball cards with their products. In response, several companies formed specifically to produce and distribute sets independent of cigarettes.

In 1921, Joy Tobacco issued the first non-tobacco era set. But it was the Goudey Gum Company that had the most success, releasing over 30 different high quality series from 1933-1941 featuring glossy color photos. Goudey signed licensing deals with both the American and National Leagues to use team logos and player likenesses.

The 1930s also saw the rise of regional sets issued by confectioners and dairies. Companies like Lone Star, Calvert, and Tip Top Gum incorporated baseball cards as a promotional tool for their candy bars and dairy products. These localized sets helped spread interest in the sport across smaller communities and cities.

Post-War Boom and Decline (1950s-1980s)

After World War 2, the baseball card market boomed with the emergence of modern mass production. Topps Chewing Gum became the dominant manufacturer, securing exclusive agreements with both major leagues and the players association. Their pioneering use of color photos, innovative designs, and wider distribution led to unprecedented popularity.

In the 1950s and 60s, Topps issued some of the most iconic and valuable sets ever produced like 1952, 1954, 1957, and 1960. Competition arose in the late 1960s from Fleer and Kellogg’s. They challenged Topps’ monopoly until Kellogg’s was bought out and Fleer’s parent company went bankrupt in the 1980s.

By the late 1970s, interest in baseball cards began to decline. Overproduction diminished scarcity and collector enthusiasm waned. The 1980s saw the market saturated with low quality offerings from smaller issuers. Many retailers stopped stocking cards altogether. This downturn continued into the early 1990s before a revival sparked by nostalgia and increased speculation.

Modern Era and Resurgence (1990s-Present)

In the 1990s, the baseball card industry reinvented itself. Upper Deck debuted with state-of-the-art photography and designs that rekindled collector passion. Other companies like Score and Leaf followed suit. Meanwhile, the internet allowed for easier trading and greater accessibility of older vintage cards.

This resurgence was boosted by record-breaking sports card auctions in the late 1990s and 2000s. Iconic rookie cards from stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Chipper Jones, and Alex Rodriguez shattered previous sales records. The boom attracted many new investors and speculators, not just traditional collectors.

Today, Topps remains the MLB’s official licensee alongside competitors like Panini, Donruss, and Bowman. Parallel high-end releases have proliferated the market alongside mainstream retail sets. New technologies have brought innovations like autograph and memorabilia cards. Meanwhile, online communities allow collectors to easily trade, sell and stay up to date in the ever evolving hobby. Through its ups and downs, the tradition of baseball card collecting and manufacturing has endured for over 150 years.