1976 O-Pee-Chee/OPC #193 NL Home Run Leaders (Mike Schmidt)

Book = $ *BOOK*
Price = $ 17.50
NEAR MINT to NM/MINT
Also Dave Kingman & Greg Luzinski. Back lists the NL Home Run Champs from 1901 thru 1975.

Price = $ 17.50

Below are short bits & pieces on sportscard & baseball trading card collecting.
Please wander around the website for more info, prices, values & images
on vintage baseball, football, basketball, hockey, sport and non-sports cards.

1993 Topps Inaugural
Colorado Rockies Set

In 1993 Topps produced a limited number of special factory sets to honor the Colorado Rockies first season. A special gold foil Rockies logo was added to each card.
The initial print run of 5,000 ran out quickly so the Rockies had 5,000 more sets made. Cards were only available as factory sets so singles and team sets are a bit tougher to find.
Click for complete 1993 Topps Inaugural Rockies checklist & prices
Note: You may be on that page now.

1934,1935,1936 Diamond Matchbooks
During much of the Great Depression, matchbook collecting swept the country ! Sports matchbooks started appearing in the 1930s, most issued by Diamond Match Company of New York. Over the next few years, several series were issued with similar designs; b/w photo of the player on front with short write-up and stats on back. The player's name and team was also printed on the 'saddle'.
Please consider the following info as approximate.
1934's first baseball release featured 200 players, in 4 different background colors (red,blue,green and orange) for a total of 800 different covers. The set features plenty of Hall-of-Fame greats like Dizzy Dean and Mel Ott.
1935's issue was tiny with only 24 total covers (8 red,8 blue,8 green).
A third series was later released with 200 or more different covers (players/colors).
1930's matchbook covers appear to be huge bargains for collectors as their current values are fractions of the value of Goudey and other baseball cards from the same era.

Click for complete 1935-1936 Diamond Matchbook Checklist and Prices
Note: You may be on that page right now.

1970/1972/1973 Topps Candy Lids
Checklist & Values

Topps has tried many crazy products, called "test issues". Mostly distributed in limited areas, test issues were scarce. "Candy Lids" were little tubs of candy with player's photos on bottom of a 1-7/8" lid. 10 cents/tub, 24 tubs/box.
Topps first Candy Lids in 1970 and they are very, very hard to find. They had small photos of Tom Seaver, Carl Yastrzemski & Frank Howard.
1970 Topps Candy Lids were called "Baseball Stars Bubble Gum", had 24 players, the 1973 Topps Candy Lids had 55.
Topps planned 1972 Candy Lids but never released it, a few proofs do exist.
Topps 1973 Pinups & Comics share many of the same photos.

Click for complete 1973 Topps Candy Lids Checklist/Prices
Note: You may be on that page now.

How long have sports cards been around ? (part 1)

The first baseball trading cards date back to 1869. For many years, baseball cards were packaged in packs of tobacco as a way to increase sales the same way that today prizes are packaged in boxes of cereal. In the 1920's and 1930's, candy and gum companies started packaging baseball cards in their products as well.

Baseball card production was virtually halted in the early 1940's due to paper shortages created by World War II. The "Modern Era" of baseball cards began in 1948 when Bowman Gum Inc. offered one card and one piece of gum in a pack for a penny.

The first important football set was the Mayo set featuring college players in 1984. Other than the 1935 National Chicle set no other key football set was issued until 1948 when noth Bowman and Leaf produced sets.

1976 O-Pee-Chee/OPC #193 NL Home Run Leaders (Mike Schmidt)

1993 Topps Inaugural Colorado Rockies Set

1934,1935,1936 Diamond Matchbooks

1970/1972/1973 Topps Candy Lids Checklist & Values

1993 Topps Inaugural
Colorado Rockies Set

1970/1972/1973 Topps Candy Lids
Checklist & Values