Going back over 100 years, Zeenut brand snacks have been a popular treat for kids across America. Known especially for their peanut brittle and other confections made with lots of peanuts and other nuts, Zeenut has been a household name almost since the early days of mass produced snacks. What many collectors don’t realize is that Zeenut briefly issued their own set of baseball cards in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Looking to capitalize on the growing popularity of baseball card collecting that had taken off in the previous decade, in 1938 Zeenut began including a single baseball card in random packages of their snacks. The cards featured professional players from both the American and National Leagues of Major League Baseball. Since Zeenut was based out of Virginia at the time, they tended to feature more players from east coast teams like the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox. They also included stars from other teams to appeal to a wider audience across the country.
The Zeenut cards differed from most other baseball card issues of the era in that they were much smaller, only about 2×3 inches in size. This was largely due to space constraints from including them in snack packages. They also utilized a unique style where the player’s portrait took up most of the card with just their name, team and position listed below in small text. The front of the cards featured a black and white photograph of the player in their uniform. On the back was printed basic career stats and a short bio. The cardboard stock was quite thin and fragile compared to tobacco or bubblegum cards issued by companies like Topps, Bowman and Goudey.
Originally, Zeenut only planned to include baseball cards as a limited promotion but their popularity led the company to extend the program for several years. They produced new sets of 60-80 cards each season from 1938 through 1942. Some of the biggest stars featured over the years included Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Bob Feller, Stan Musial and Hank Greenberg. Rarity among the sets is varied as circulation of Zeenut snacks was quite high due to their low cost. Commons can be acquired for $5-10 while stars are usually $50-100 and the true key vintage rookies can reach into the thousands.
What makes these early Zeenut cards particularly fascinating to collectors today is the time period in which they were released. Issued right as America was entering World War 2, they represent a snapshot of baseball before wartime disrupted the sport. Many top players soon went off to serve in the military, some never returning to play again. Tragedy also struck in 1941 when Yankees legend Lou Gehrig succumbed to ALS, immortalizing one of the last Zeenut cards of the Iron Horse. With resources becoming scarce due to the war effort, 1942 was the final year Zeenut produced cards before halting new issues. They focused production solely on core snack items.
After the war ended, Zeenut resumed candy making but never picked up their baseball card promotion again. The collectibles market had changed as newer, larger card companies like Topps gained dominance. Still, the vintage 1938-1942 Zeenut card sets remain a unique part of the early development period of baseball cards. They captured the sport during a transition time before wartime suspended competition for several years. Only about 10-15% of the original Zeenut card print runs are thought to still survive today in collectible condition given the fragile materials. But for those who enjoy finding and preserving obscure oddball issues, a complete run of Zeenuts can be a real fun and challenging find.
Prices have steadily climbed in recent decades for key Zeenut rookies and stars as vintage baseball card valuations have increased across the board. While commons can still be had cheaply to build full sets, some individual cards now sell for thousands. This includes a rare 1942 Ted Williams that was listed on eBay several years ago for over $12,000. High grade 1938 Lou Gehrig rookie cards have hit the six-figure range at major auctions when in gem mint condition. Clearly scarcity and the historical significance of these diminutive icons of America’s pastime have cemented their place as some of the most coveted and valuable oddball issues out there.
For those just starting to hunt down examples today, the best strategy is to watch regularly for small lots on marketplace sites and check in with your local vintage and card shops. Given their small size, Zeenuts are easy to miss amidst stacks of bigger issues. Be sure to carefully examine all edges as the cardboard is prone to damage over 80+ years. Grading companies like PSA and SGC have seen a decent number of submissions in recent times, helping establish populations of graded high quality specimens. By taking your time and having patience, it’s very possible to put together an overall set or even find valuable key pieces of these unique and fascinating relics depicting baseball’s history prior to the onset of World War 2.
While certainly obscure in relation to giants like Topps, Zeenut’s brief foray into the booming hobby of baseball card collecting during the late 1930s and early 1940s firmly etched their tiny team issues into the timeline of our national pastime. Frozen in time, they offer hobbyists today a portal into appreciating the game, its stars and the unfolding world events that surrounded the sport during a transitional period before war disrupted competition for several seasons. Scarcity, condition challenges and the notable names featured make individual high grade Zeenuts some of the most desired targets among vintage oddball collectors worldwide.
