19th Century baseball cards
Scope and Contents Note
The collection documents the history of nineteenth century baseball cards. The materials date from 1868 to 1895. It includes team, group, and individual player cards. The card formats include trade cards, cigarette cards, and tobacco cards.
Dates
- 1868-1895
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. It is available by appointment. Please email research@baseballhall.org or call 607-547-0330.
Conditions Governing Use
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum provides use copies of materials to facilitate private study, scholarship, and research. The Museum welcomes you to use materials in our collections that are in the public domain and to make fair use of copyrighted materials as defined by copyright law and with proper citation.
Permission to publish materials must be obtained from: Giamatti Research Center, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, 25 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 13326
Phone: 607.547.0330 E-mail: research@baseballhall.org
Historical Note
The first commercially produced baseball cards are believed to have been manufactured in the 1860s as product advertisements. These early cards were small and mounted on cardboard. These early cards generally feature player portraits, either head shots or full lengths. Some sets include the player's name, team, and position. The backs may have advertising for the tobacco product.
Extent
1 Volumes (In 1 3D-ring binder box)
Abstract
The collection documents nineteenth century baseball cards.
Arrangement Note
The collection is arranged by series: Series I. Kalamazoo tobacco cards; Series II. Mayo tobacco cards; and Series III. Peck & Snyder trade cards; Series IV. S.F. Hess & Co; Series V. Allen & Ginter; Series VI. Buchner Gold Coin; Series VII. Goodwin Champions.
Physical Location
Photograph Cooler, Aisle 3/4
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift
Cards are placed in acid-free sleeves and in 3 ring box binders. Stored in the photograph cooler.
- Title
- Guide to the19th Century Baseball card collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Claudette Scrafford, Manager of Archives
- Date
- April 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Archives Repository