Baseball cards have been a beloved pastime for generations of fans across the United States. From the late 19th century up through today, kids and collectors alike have enjoyed amassing collections of these small pieces of cardboard that capture memories of the national pastime. In Marietta, Georgia and the surrounding metro Atlanta area, baseball cards remain a vibrant part of the local culture and economy.
Some of the earliest baseball cards were produced in the late 1880s by tobacco companies as promotional items to be included in their cigarette and chewing tobacco packs. These tobacco era cards from brands like Allen & Ginter, Old Judge, and Sweet Caporal featured some of the game’s original stars like Cy Young, Honus Wagner, and Nap Lajoie. While the tobacco companies stopped producing cards in the early 20th century, the baseball card craze had taken off.
In the post-war boom of the 1950s, the modern baseball card industry was born. Topps Chewing Gum began annually releasing sets featuring the latest major league players each season. Their colorful cardboard cards with bubblegum became hugely popular with kids across America. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Topps faced competition from other brands like Fleer and Donruss but remained the dominant force. Their classic design aesthetic helped cement baseball cards as an integral part of summer for generations of young fans.
In the Marietta area during this golden age of baseball cards, local shops like K&B Drug Store and Rexall Drugs stocked the latest card packs alongside comic books and candy. Kids would pool their allowance money, eagerly awaiting the release of the new season’s sets each spring. Trading cards in the schoolyard and at Little League games was a ubiquitous childhood pastime. Local card shows also started popping up on weekends where kids could buy and trade with other collectors.
As Marietta and Atlanta boomed in population through the 1980s, the area developed a vibrant baseball card collecting scene. Specialty card shops opened to cater exclusively to the growing hobby, like Great American Card Company and A&B Sportscards in Smyrna. These shops hosted larger weekend trading events that drew collectors from across north Georgia. The rise of online selling on platforms like eBay in the late 90s further connected local collectors to a nationwide and global marketplace for their cards.
Some of the most iconic and valuable baseball cards ever produced have connections to the Marietta area. In 1987, a rare mint condition ’52 Topps Mickey Mantle was pulled from a pack at a card shop in nearby Woodstock and later sold for over $100,000. In 1990, a local 14-year-old unearthed a ’09-11 T206 Honus Wagner, considered the “Mona Lisa” of cards, in his grandmother’s attic. Graded as one of the finest known examples, it was insured for over $1 million. Stories like these reinforced the allure and potential payoff of the baseball card hobby for Marietta collectors.
Today, the baseball card scene remains active in Marietta and metro Atlanta. Specialty shops like A&B Sportscards have been joined by national chains like Steel City Collectibles and Dave & Adam’s Card World catering to collectors of all ages. Local card shows are still regularly hosted on weekends at venues like the Cobb Galleria Centre where the latest releases are available alongside vintage treasures. The annual Atlanta Sports Memorabilia Expo is one of the largest and most prestigious card shows in the country.
While the rise of digital platforms and online sales have impacted brick-and-mortar retailers, local card shops continue thriving by cultivating communities of collectors. They host events for release days of high-profile sets from companies like Topps, Panini, and Leaf that draw crowds of enthusiasts. Regional groups on Facebook also help connect area collectors of all levels to trade, sell, or simply share in their passion for the cardboard classics that spark memories of summer afternoons at the ballpark.
For over a century, baseball cards have provided a connection to the game’s history and a gateway for young fans in Marietta. Whether chasing the latest stars or hunting for a forgotten treasure from tobacco’s early days, the cardboard collectibles remain a beloved hobby for collectors in the city and around metro Atlanta. With new generations now taking up the pastime alongside their parents and grandparents, the future remains bright for this classic corner of American sports culture and childhood in Marietta, Georgia.