Tobacco baseball cards were first introduced in 1886 by tobacco manufacturer Allen & Ginter to help promote the sales of cigarettes and chewing tobacco. In the late 19th century, tobacco companies began including premiums such as cards with their products as a marketing tactic. This proved successful in drawing customers and the inclusion of sports images on cards helped popularize professional baseball. For over 30 years, tobacco companies dominated the baseball card market by including cards in their cigarette and chewing tobacco packages.
The inaugural tobacco baseball card set released by Allen & Ginter featured images of 22 baseball players on lithographic cards measuring approximately 2 1/4 inches by 2 5/8 inches. Some of the notable rookie cards included in this pioneer set were James Tyng, Will White, Bob Caruthers and Dave Orr. While production techniques have improved greatly over the past 130+ years, these original 1886-1887 Allen & Ginter cards are considered some of the finest and most prized by collectors today. In near mint condition, a complete set could fetch well over $100,000 at auction. Even single rare cards from this set in top condition can sell for thousands.
In the following years, other tobacco companies like Goodwin & Company, Britling Cigarettes and Sweet Caporal entered the baseball card market by developing their own sets that were inserted randomly into tobacco products. The popularity of baseball cards skyrocketed during this time due to the release of these premium offerings. In 1887, Goodwin & Company produced one of the earliest high numbered tobacco sets that spanned 92 cards total. Possibly one of the rarest baseball cards from this era is an 1882 Old Judge tobacco card of Kellogg & Mathewson, which has a reported population of only four known survivors today.
During the 1890s, tobacco cards became more specialized and regional production helped expand the industry. Companies focused on specific teams, players or leagues which resulted in unique localized tobacco card issues not seen before. The release of Exhibit Cards by Pinkerton Tobacco in 1891 depicted scenes from professional baseball games and player portraits. This innovative concept was a forerunner of modern team and league oriented sets. Also in 1891, an American Tobacco Company set included cards highlighting players divided up by position which likely inspired the first baseball card insert classifications.
The early 1900s saw tobacco baseball cards enter a golden age of production. Between 1900-1910, tobacco manufacturers released hundreds of innovative card sets for brands like T206 White Border Tobacco, Turquoise Border, M101-7 Murad Turkish and Cracker Jack. These sets featured many of the most iconic early 20th century baseball stars printed on quality chromolithographic cards. Players immortalized included Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth (as a Boston Red Sox), Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson. The rarity and advanced printing methods used on the most coveted cards from these issues led to them developing legendary status among collectors that endures to this day.
In 1909, Cadbury began packing small pieces of merchandise into its chocolate bars as prizes. In 1912, the F.H. Gilmore Company started inserting baseball cards in Cracker Jack to boost sales. This packaging innovation has been credited by hobby historians with helping spark baseball card collecting as a mainstream national pastime in America. With cards now commonly found in popular snack items like Cracker Jack, more kids became exposed to the hobby during this era. The inclusion of a few player cards inside every box or bags of food was an effective and affordable marketing tactic.
The golden age of tobacco cards continued through the 1910s-1920s as companies battled to release bigger and better sets packed with the most current player stats and photographic imagery. Around this time, tobacco companies began introducing the modern size and shape to cards which are still used today at approximately 2 1⁄2 inches by 3 1⁄2 inches. In 1916, American Caramel began including yearbooks and longer bookshelf style seasonal sets in paper premium cello packs. Topps Chewing Gum would later build upon this premium concept of assembling complete team card books in the post-war years.
The Great Depression of the 1930s slowed production however baseball cards remained an affordable childhood novelty to buoy spirits. After World War II, the industry revived greatly thanks to trading cards included in bubble gum from companies like Bowman and Topps. Due to health concerns over marketing cigarettes directly to youth, tobacco manufacturers were effectively barred from inserting baseball cards in their products. So trading card gum companies filling the void created the modern baseball card collecting landscape.
While no longer directly produced by tobacco firms, vintage tobacco era cards from the 19th century through early 20th century remain some of the most prized possessions for collectors. The history, rarity, advanced production quality and memorable subjects featured continue to fuel high prices at auction. Modern collectors are especially keen to acquire early 20th century tobacco cards in pristine graded condition of iconic players like Wagner, Ruth, Cobb and Mathewson. Given the circulation of over 100 million tobacco cards versus surviving populations often in the low thousands, to unearth a gem tobacco card today in a flea market or unassuming collection is akin to achieving the American collecting dream.
Whether a set builder tracing complete runs, autograph hunter or simply an admirer of baseball history – there are opportunities to purchase vintage tobacco cards in the current marketplace. Reputable online marketplace like eBay often have tobacco cards for sale from third party gradedholders or individual collectors. Auction giants like Heritage Auctions also regularly offer significant individual cards or complete tobacco sets to the highest bidder. Local card shops or small antique stores may surprisingly turn up a quality tobacco era single on occasion. By understanding production timelines, player rosters and identification markers – collectors can hopefully add a tobacco diamond to their personal collections. The rewarding journey of attaining iconic pieces of sports and tobacco Americana from the earliest days of the national pastime continues to this day.
