Vintage cards are the most popular and most valuable cards in the hobby. They are the iconic finds, and the ones that can go into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, at auction. As with all cards, they are judged by rarity, grade, and how many investors want them.
There is not an agreed cutoff date for vintage cards. Different groups argue, pre-war, 1970s, or prior to the 1980s. The word vintage is arbitrary and changes from area to area. For example, 1970s music is generally considered vintage, while clothes from the late 1990s are as well.
The most authoritative vote comes from Beckett which defines 1980 as the cutoff date, but it depends on who you ask.
Furthermore, vintage cards can be grouped into multiple areas. A major era is prior to 1914 with baseball’s post-Civil War era, the rise of cards with tobacco, and baseball’s ascent in the early 20th century. These cards are in extremely sensitive condition.
WWI, the Great Depression, and WWII are their own era. The 1933 Goudey is the famous set from this era because it brought baseball cards to a new level of quality. This was during an era where resources were scarcer through war and economic difficulty.
Lastly the post war to 1980 era is hugely significant. Topps was dominant, they produced beautiful cards, and their cards are still a huge sell. The 1952 Topps is one of the best sets of all time.
This article will take you through a few sets in order to describe vintage better. It will answer general concepts of vintage cards such as sensitivity, grading, counterfeits, and give an idea of sets over time. We will start with The Big Three: 1909-1911 T206, 1933 Goudey, and 1952 Topps.
1909-1911 T206
The T206 was released from 1909 to 1911 by the American Tobacco Company which owned 16 different brands. The coloring, size, and rarity of the cards make them significant today. T206 was the name given to the set by Jefferson Burdick in his book The American Card Catalog.
T206 features 524 cards, measures at 1 7/16” x 2 ⅝” (seen as the standard tobacco size card), and it has 100 minor league players. Because the set was released over 3 years, many players have cards in different uniforms with their new teams. Additionally, some players have multiple cards and poses. For example, Ty Cobb is on four cards.
This is the major set of the tobacco era because it is considered a great representation of the time. The variations have created appeal for investors, as well as the plethora of Hall of Famers.
The set has been subject to many scams over the years with the massive incentive to produce counterfeits. The Honus Wagner, the most expensive card in the baseball card hobby, has been the subject of many attempts to trim and boost colors. Cards from the T206 should be bought from more highly regarded sources because of these scams.
The deception over the T206 reveals a larger theme of vintage cards. Since vintage cards are the most valuable, extra care in purchasing is needed because there is a massive incentive to counterfeit or to alter the cards for a bump in grading.
1933 Goudey
The 1933 Goudey has 240 cards, and it was marketed with bubble gum. They stood out for a number of reasons such as the colorful illustrations which are viewed as beautiful today, the cards measured 2 ⅜” x 2 ⅞” which were much broader than traditional cards, and these cards set the stage for modern card stock which was thicker and more durable. Because of these three factors, the 1933 Goudey started a new era of baseball cards.
A major card is from Nap Lajoie. The 1933 Goudey was produced without the #106 with Lajoie. In 1934, Goudey sent out the remaining card, but it was only mailed after a letter was received from the customer. It has major investor appeal because of the discrepancy.
Furthermore, there are plenty of Hall of Famers. Most notable is that Babe Ruth has four different cards in the set with the #144 found at half the rate of other cards.
A factor that can make vintage cards so valuable is that they are ahead of their time. The 1933 Goudey is a vanguard set, and it is treated as such today.
1952 Topps
Speaking of vanguard sets, the 1952 Topps laid the foundation for years for Topps’ success. The set helped to define modern baseball cards. The nice photos, colorful backgrounds, team logos, and authentic signatures brought in a new era.
The 1952 Topps was released in six series with 407 cards in total. Naturally the set contains hallmark players such as Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Willie Mays, and Jackie Robinson.
The variations and intricacies abound for this set. The sixth and final series was short printed, and as the baseball season came closer to an end, the cards were not widely distributed. Later on, many stored cards from later series were dumped by Sy Berger, the architect behind the cards. The #311 Mickey Mantle was part of this sixth series, and it is part of the reason it is perhaps the most famous card today.
A fun fact is that Al Rosen from Massachusetts found 5,500 cards in pristine condition in 1986. This included almost 100 Gem Mint Mickey Mantles. It is widely dubbed, “The Find.”
Grading, as with all vintage sets, makes a massive difference. A PSA 1 Mickey Mantle can go for around 10 dollars. Meanwhile, a PSA 9 Mickey Mantle is worth a couple million. Each grade bumps up the card’s value dramatically.
1909 American Caramel E90-1
Outside of T206, the 1909 American Caramel E90-1 set is the most respected set of its era. The scarcity of each card varies wildly because some players are pictured with different colored backgrounds or poses. The set is rather condition sensitive due to its age. Most of the cards in this set are found at a lower grade, with the highest ever being an 8.
The 1909 MLB season was in the heart of the dead ball era. Scores were very low with hardly any home runs. Babe Ruth broke the era in 1919 with a 29 home run season which was unheard of productivity.
Part of the set’s popularity is that there are around a couple dozen Hall of Famers on the set. Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Ed Walsh, Frank Chance, Addie Joss, and Joe Tinker are just a few of the greats on this set.
1971 Topps
The 1971 Topps are known for their black backgrounds which stand out among a crowd of cards. The players’ names are in lower case, while the team names are capitalized. The back has a short bio, a few stats, and a black and white shot of the player.
There are 752 cards in the set, and they were issued in seven series about a month apart throughout the 1971 MLB season. For the first five series (cards #1-523), cards are easier to find. Like many other sets, the later printed cards are not as common.
By the time the sixth and seventh series were ready for release, store owners were already asking for football cards. Another interesting fact is that 66 cards in the last series are considered short prints. They can demand higher prices.
It’s a great set for Hall of Famers (Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Nolan Ryan) and rookies (Ted Simmons, Don Baylo, Steve Garvey).
There are a couple of variations too, which some investors love. In the beginning of printing, there was a black mark on a number of Jim Northrup and Jim Nash cards. There are only a limited number of these misprinted cards. Also, series two, three, and four can sometimes have faded ink on the hats that lead to orange hats.
For this set commons can be more valuable because of the condition sensitivity. The noteworthy black borders chip easily. If the borders bend slightly, white shines through the black. Furthermore, scam cards are common for this set because of the border. It makes the card easier to trim, and a black marker can mask some dents or bends.
Sensitivity, great rookie, members of Cooperstown, unique design, and a short print of later series are themes of vintage cards.
1949 Bowman
This set used tinted photos on colored backgrounds. The technique stood out then and since. It was a major difference from the previous black and white Bowman issues.
There are some major rookie cards. The best ones are Jackie Robinson at #50 and Satchel Paige at #224.
The set is not one of the best, but it is one of the most popularly collected today. This is because, like many vintage cards, there is a whole variety of variations. There are all of these modifications from printing the names.
Variations are a major part of collecting vintage cards. Printing was not as precise as it is today, so the seemingly minor mistakes can make a huge difference in price decades later.
1961 Topps
Topps cards from 1958-1962 are very popular today, so the 1961 Topps is their representation in this list.
The 1961 Topps set has been popular since it came out. The player’s picture dominates the front of the cleanly designed card. Collectors like it because it is an easily sortable set. The team names are on the right corner, and the teams are also distinguished by color.
The set also comes with subsets like “Baseball Thrill,” MVP series, World Series highlights, and All-Star cards. Some collectors go after these. Another favorable asset of the set is that come of the Rookie cards (not all) had a yellow star which designated a rookie.
Last but not least, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were in an epic home run chase which makes their cards very valuable.
1955 Topps Doubleheaders
The last set is not the most valuable, but it illustrates the variety in creativity of many vintage cards. Of course, traditional cards will stand out, but these oddities are still popular
The 1955 Topps Doubleheaders reintroduced the double folders set. This was Topps first sidebar baseball issue, and it was inspired by the Mecca cigarettes cards of forty years prior.
This set was released with a pack of gum at one penny. There are 122 baseball players on the 66 cards. The cards measured at 2 1/16” x 4 ⅞”.
The set is known for its oddities, and it is missing some major players like Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Sandy Koufax. Many major players are still on the set, such as Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, and Jackie Robinson.
Because of its strangeness, the paper stock is weak, the size leads to troubles, and there were no cases for the unique cards. No 10 grades are found on PSA’s website; only 35 PSA 9’s are there.
A higher grade card of a solid duo can still reach to over one thousand. Cards like these are highly collectible, and they represent intricacies that many vintage cards have.
Last Words
Variations are common for vintage sets. This can include the obvious of the 1955 Topps Doubleheaders, and it can be in more important areas like size, coloring, design, and style. Mistakes in printing, giving a player multiple cards, or a lack of distribution can make the cards more exciting to collect and therefore more valuable.
Condition sensitivity is a major concern for vintage cards. Many have not been protected well at all over time. A couple grades difference can increase the value of the card dramatically.
As a result, counterfeiting, trimming, and general restoration is more common with vintage cards. If the scammer can get away with it, thousands or even millions of dollars are at stake. It is important to be more careful with these cards and to buy from reputable sources.
Most of the sets mentioned have historical value. They represent more than baseball; they represent an era of American history. All cards are defined by an era, but some of these sets helped define the era itself.