Before the Boom: A Brief History of the First Baseball Cards (1860s–1910s)

1. The Pre-Card Era: Trade Cards (1860s–1870s)

• Era: Post–Civil War, 1860s–1870s

• Format: Small lithographed advertising cards

• Distribution: Given out by tobacco shops, clothing stores, and other merchants

• Baseball Relevance: Some featured generic baseball scenes or amateur teams, not actual players

• Purpose: Primarily advertising, not collectibles in the modern sense

2. First Player Baseball Cards: 1886–1890s

Old Judge Cigarettes (N167 & N172)

• Years: 1886 (N167), 1887–1890 (N172)

• Issued by: Goodwin & Co. (Old Judge Cigarettes)

• Significance:

  • First widely distributed set of real baseball players

  • Featured sepia-toned photographs glued onto cards

  • Over 500 different players, including Hall of Famers like Cap Anson and King Kelly

  • Cards were packed inside cigarette boxes as a promotion

Allen & Ginter (N28 Set – 1887)

• Included 10 baseball players alongside athletes from other sports

• Color lithographs — visually stunning and collectible

• Players like Cap Anson and Charles Comiskey

3. The Legendary T206 Set (1909–1911)

• Not the first, but deserves a mention as the most famous early 20th-century set

• Distributed by the American Tobacco Company

• Features Honus Wagner, the "Holy Grail" of baseball cards

• Over 500 cards across 16 tobacco brands

Summary: The True “First” Baseball Cards

Fun Fact:

Many early cards came from tobacco products, meaning early collecting was literally tied to smoking — even for kids!