Baseball Memorabilia

About Baseball Memorabilia

The first recorded baseball game was played in Hoboken, NJ in 1846 between the NYC Knickerbocker Base Ball Club and the New York Baseball Club (the Knickerbockers lost). By 1858, the National Association of Base Ball Players was formed, consisting of around 30 small teams. After the Civil War, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional fully-paid team.

Over the next hundred years, a number of leagues emerged, including the National Association, American League, National League, Federal League, and Continental (items from defunct leagues are highly sought after today)...

Baseball cards are widely collected today. The earliest incarnations (1840s) were cardboard-backed photos of local players and teams, which came in cabinet card size and the smaller carte-de-visite size. Commercial baseball cards emerged in the late 1860s when a sporting goods dealer called Peck & Snyder printed cards with an ad on one side and a baseball player on the other. Within a few years, cards began appearing in packages of Old Judge tobacco and other tobacco, candy and chewing gum brands.

Other promotional items such as baseball programs became popular in the 1890s. Advertisers bought space on these score cards, and cards from famous games (e.g. the World Series) are highly sought-after. Other collectible promotional items include gloves, statuettes, plaques, posters, and pins.

And of course, there's a huge market for authentic baseball memorabilia linked to specific players, including greats such as Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, and Willie Mays. They produced plenty of signed baseballs, bats, gloves, photos, and other autographs. But be careful, as fake sports memorabilia is a lucrative business.

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Vintage Baseball Card Collector Ben Henry

I started collecting in 1986. If you’re in Boston and you’re a baseball fan, the Red Sox may take over yo… [more]

An Interview With National Baseball Hall of Fame Curator Tom Shieber

The Baseball Hall of Fame officially opened in 1939, so we’re coming up on our 70th anniversary. If you inc… [more]

An Interview With Baseball Card Collector Dave Campbell

Dave Campbell contacted me after reading a post on The Baseball Card blog. He's been collecting baseball card… [more]



See all 33 videos

Baseball Memorabilia Videos



See all 33 videos


Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Old Cardboard

Old Cardboard

Check out this well-organized collection of 500 sets of baseball cards, each over 50 years old. Browsable by type a… [read review or visit site]

The Baseball Card Blog

The Baseball Card Blog

Ben Henry's lively vintage baseball card blog, started in January 2006, offers hundreds of great posts on (and pict… [read review or visit site]

Cardboard Junkie

Cardboard Junkie

Dave Campbell's in-depth blog on old baseball (and some football) cards lives up to it's motto: 'do cards, not drug… [read review or visit site]

Baseball Cards 1887-1914

Baseball Cards 1887-1914

Roll up your socks for this Library of Congress collection showcasing hundreds of players on colorful early basebal… [read review or visit site]

Baseball Hall of Fame

Baseball Hall of Fame

A home run for baseball collectors, this site features in-depth special exhibits ranging from a baseball uniforms d… [read review or visit site]


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Clubs & Associations: Baseball


Other Great Reference Sites: Baseball

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1952 Topps Mickey Mantle # 311 Psa 8 Nm-mt Yankees$26,000 Ends in 1 hour 44 bids 297 watchers
03 Lebron James Exquisite Limited Logos Auto Rc Bgs 9.5$3,500 Ends Sunday 19 bids 63 watchers
1975 Topps Baseball Rack Box Unopened 24 Rack Packs$2,901 Ends Sunday 17 bids 146 watchers
1960 Topps Baseball Complete Set Nrmt-mint Psa Cards$2,700 Ends Sunday 22 bids 45 watchers
Babe Ruth Lou Gehrig Dizzy Dean Auto Ball Psa & 1/1 Nr!$2,125 Ends Monday 16 bids 47 watchers
1973 Topps Baseball Unopened Wax Box Series Unknown$1,950 Ends Sunday 7 bids 54 watchers
1953 Topps Baseball Complete Set Vg-exmt$1,875 Ends Sunday 15 bids 53 watchers
1957 Topps Complete Set - - Mantle, Robinson$1,782 Ends Sunday 18 bids 35 watchers
?? T206 T-206 Billy Nattress Nm - Mint Psa 8 Beauty ! ??$1,527 Ends Monday 18 bids 10 watchers
T206 Dots Miller Pittsburgh Super Sharp Psa 8 Nm-mt$1,490 Ends Sunday 10 bids 11 watchers
T206 Ed Konetchy St. Louis Super Sharp Psa 8 Nm-mt$1,437 Ends Sunday 7 bids 3 watchers
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth 149 Red Batting Psa 3.5 Vg Plus!$1,413 Ends Sunday 26 bids 59 watchers
1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folder Ty Cobb O'leary Psa 6$1,375 Ends Sunday 10 bids 16 watchers
Babe Ruth - Authentic Autograph - Psa/dna Certified$1,358 Ends Monday 4 bids 35 watchers
1954 Topps #94 Ernie Banks "rc" Psa---7$1,275 Ends Sunday 4 bids 19 watchers
1957 Topps #138 Johnny Unitas "rc" Psa----8$1,225 Ends Saturday 2 bids 18 watchers
1958 Topps Baseball Complete Set Ex-ex+$1,225 Ends Sunday 7 bids 28 watchers
1960 Topps Complete Baseball Set - Ex/nrmt! Great Set!$1,165 Ends Monday 5 bids 26 watchers
1963 Topps Baseball Lot Of All Psa 8 Cards 99 In Total $1,025 Ends in 4 hours 2 bids 23 watchers
1954 Topps Complete Set - - Aaron, Banks, Kaline$1,025 Ends Sunday 10 bids 26 watchers
1969 Super Bowl Iii 3 Ticket Stub Psa Ex 5 Orange Bowl$1,009 Ends in 15 hours 30 bids 32 watchers
# 1963 Topps Baseball Complete Set Mantle Rose Aaron$1,008 Ends Sunday 14 bids 19 watchers
1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle Rookie Pre 1952 Topps - Psa 4$1,007 Ends Sunday 12 bids 19 watchers
1933 Goudey Set Break Lou Gehrig Hof #92 Psa 5 Ex$1,001 Ends Tuesday 19 bids 35 watchers
1961 Topps #531 Jim Coates Gem Mint Psa 10 Yankees $1,000.00 Ends Sunday 10 bids 16 watchers
Boston Red Sox 2007 World Series Signed Baseball$999.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 4 watchers
T206 Ty Cobb Hof Rare Green Port Psa 3 Xtra Nice Image!$940.00 Ends Sunday 11 bids 11 watchers
1939 Play Ball #92 Ted Williams Psa 5 Rookie!!!$910.69 Ends in 7 hours 4 bids 37 watchers
1998 98 Sp Authentic Peyton Manning /2000 Fw Rc Bgs 9.5$910.00 Ends Sunday 17 bids 32 watchers
1912 T202 Hassan Triplefolder Mcgraw/jennings Psa 7$900.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 2 watchers
2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Rookie Auto Bgs 9.0!!$899.00 Ends Saturday 2 bids 11 watchers
1962 Topps Baseball Complete Set Vg-ex+$887.00 Ends Sunday 12 bids 36 watchers
1976 Topps Baseball Unopened Wax Box 36 Packs Gai 8.5$865.88 Ends Sunday 15 bids 33 watchers
1933 Goudey Set Break Babe Ruth Hof #149 Psa 3 Vg$864.00 Ends Tuesday 15 bids 40 watchers
1974 Topps Lot Of 264 Cards Graded Psa 8 Nm-mt$825.00 Ends in 47 mins 2 bids 11 watchers
1948 Bowman Baseball Complete Set Ex W/psa Graded Stars$810.00 Ends Sunday 6 bids 21 watchers
Tom Brady 2000 Sp Authentic #118 Bgs 9.5 Gem Mint$810.00 Ends Saturday 8 bids 10 watchers
1966-67 Topps Bobby Orr Rc #35 Graded Ksa 5$799.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 11 watchers
1971 Topps Baseball Complete Set 20 Psa$767.00 Ends Monday 2 bids 13 watchers
1948 Bowman Yogi Berra Psa 7 Nm #6 Rookie Card R.c.$761.01 Ends in 5 hours 17 bids 22 watchers
1959 Topps #514 Bob Gibson Rc Psa 8.5 Cardinals$761.00 Ends Sunday 8 bids 17 watchers
1959 Topps Baseball Complete Set F-vg$754.50 Ends Sunday 13 bids 23 watchers
1962 Post Canadian #5 Mickey Mantle H/c Psa 9 "1/only1"$725.77 Ends Sunday 13 bids 15 watchers
1957 Topps Baseball #328 Brooks Robinson Psa 8 Rookie$725.00 Ends Sunday 11 bids 18 watchers
T206 Tom Jones St. Louis Higrade Psa 7 Near Mint !$709.00 Ends Sunday 15 bids 8 watchers
Ichiro Suzuki 2001 (r) Jersey/auto Psa Mt-9 Ult. Coll$709.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids 24 watchers
1957 Topps #407 Power Hitters Mantle & Berra Psa 8 Nrmt$707.00 Ends Sunday 11 bids 18 watchers
1961 Yankees Autographed Photos Maris Mantle Berra Psa$702.00 Ends Sunday 29 bids 57 watchers
2009 New York Yankees Team Signed Auto Baseball Ball$696.99 Ends Tuesday 9 bids 39 watchers
1958 Topps Hck #66 Bobby Hull Psa 5$679.99 Ends Saturday 2 bids 15 watchers
1975 Topps Dan Fouts Doug Wilkerson Psa 10 Chargers Rc $677.00 Ends Sunday 9 bids 19 watchers
1909-11 T206 Rube Manning Batting Psa 6 Ex-mt Hindu$676.00 Ends Sunday 13 bids 12 watchers
Psa 7 1952 Bowman Mickey Mantle $660.00 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 28 watchers

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Recent News: Baseball Memorabilia

Source: Google News

Sports cards stolen in Sebastian worth thousands, police say
Sebastian Sun, November 20th

By Lamaur Stancil SEBASTIAN — Police are investigating the theft of thousand of dollars worth of sports cards from a home Sunday...Read more

The Official Major League Baseball World Series Film Collection
JustPressPlay, November 19th

Cinephiles step aside, The Official Major League Baseball World Series Film Collection, along with being a mouthful, is decidedly not for you...Read more

Hingham Historical Society shop features Hingham calendar
Hingham Journal, November 19th

Her husband, Joe, is captain of one of the Hingham Vintage Baseball teams. They both are involved with HHS, following in her parents' footsteps as longtime...Read more

Yogi's museum director talks to men's club
NorthJersey.com, November 18th

The Yogi Berra Museum is replete with baseball memorabilia and countless artifacts relating to Berra's career. But, as Kaplan explained,...Read more

Curt Flood baseball memorabilia to be auctioned
Philadelphia Inquirer, November 12th

She said the decision to sell Flood's baseball memorabilia - it includes a ball autographed by civil-rights pioneer Rosa Parks - was not a financial one...Read more

Louisville Slugger Museum auction Saturday
Louisville Courier-Journal, November 11th

Baseball memorabilia both epic and everyday — from the jersey off Jackie Robinson's back to Ty Cobb's check for a water bill to Curt Flood's driver's...Read more

Vintage Baseball
New York Times (blog), November 5th

AP Jon Miller in 1996. This post may be of interest only to baseball fans, Yankees fans and New Yorkers. So be it. When your team wins the World Series...Read more

Bed Goes Up, Bed Goes Down > Vintage Baseball
CREATiVESPORTS, October 30th

So I pretty much have what I wanted: vintage baseball. My only hope is that both teams keep it up for seven full games, and based upon what we have seen so...Read more

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