What is the oldest baseball card set?

MansGame · May 7, 2013

Pretty simple but I was trying to see what is the oldest baseball card set?

I saw on COMCs the other day they had a card from the 1880s or something and I thought about picking it up just to have a really old baseball card in the PC but thought to myself, it'd be cool to have a really really old baseball card and be able to say it's from the oldest set. Anyone know off the top of their head? Or is this a loaded question because of oddball old items which can be classified as baseball cards.

matfanofold · May 7, 2013

I'd be interested in knowing what the first true baseball card set was also, none of this mixed athlete stuff or team photo issues, just baseball players.

Therion · May 7, 2013

I think it is the 1868 Peck and Snyder cards. But these were team shots but definitely a set.

If you are asking for the first set with individual players, I'll have to actually do some digging.

Therion · May 7, 2013

It seems there is a four way tie for the first set to feature individuals. 1887.

Allen and Ginter, Buchner Gold, Gypsy Queens, and Old Judge. Old Judge had 476 cards!

Source: Baseball Cards, 1887-1914, Sets Browse

Krom · May 7, 2013

Not sure about set but for card it might be 1865 card of the Brooklyn Atlantics.

Is this the world's oldest baseball card? Photo expected to make $100,000 at auction | Mail Online

MansGame · May 7, 2013

Therion said:
I think it is the 1868 Peck and Snyder cards. But these were team shots but definitely a set.

If you are asking for the first set with individual players, I'll have to actually do some digging.

Yea, not team shows but individual players. At least that's what I'm interested in.

Therion said:
It seems there is a four way tie for the first set to feature individuals. 1887.

Allen and Ginter, Buchner Gold, Gypsy Queens, and Old Judge. Old Judge had 476 cards!

Source: Baseball Cards, 1887-1914, Sets Browse

Hmmm very cool! Man, I forget the card that was on COMC but it was OLD... it was like 1880s I think. In pretty bad shape but I think it was only $100 or less...

ThoseBackPages · May 7, 2013

1988 Topps

Casebusters · May 7, 2013

Therion said:
It seems there is a four way tie for the first set to feature individuals. 1887.

Allen and Ginter, Buchner Gold, Gypsy Queens, and Old Judge. Old Judge had 476 cards!

Source: Baseball Cards, 1887-1914, Sets Browse

This may be the next Topps Product to be reinvented
2013 Topps Buchner Gold

Waxov · May 7, 2013

so if those are the oldest baseball card sets, which set is the oldest mixed set that has a baseball card?

jay1065 · May 7, 2013

1866 E.S. Sterry & Co. (currently on eBay: Item 400327821694)

!B9FueDw!mk~$(KGrHqN,!iEEzL)e4e-YBM4)pM5VJ!~~0_12.JPG

Therion · May 8, 2013

Wow! Interesting find!

MansGame · May 8, 2013

Therion said:
Wow! Interesting find!

That is... pretty cool!

smapdi · May 8, 2013

I'd have to go with 1887 Old Judge as the progenitor of the baseball card set as we think of them today, which I'd roughly define as a comprehensive checklist of individual ballplayers.

sigma_chi · May 8, 2013

The 1887-88 Ginter set is very interesting as it includes everything from wrestlers, pugilists (boxers), weightlifter a and even a plantation owner!

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What is the oldest baseball card set?

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