Baseball Card History

I started a thread awhile ago on this, but never finished it, and I can't seem to find it, so I thought I would try again
I think the bold ? are correct, but not sure?
Please add to list

First baseball card - 1866
First Bowman card 1948
First topps card 1952
First Fleer card 1963?
First Donruss 1981
First Topps Tiffany 1984
First Upper Deck 1989
First certified auto ???
First Certified Dual Auto 1992
First Refractor - 1993
First Dufex - 1993
First game used card - 1997
First patch card - 1997 (Frank Thomas only)
First game used ball card -1999
First patch card - 2000 (not frank thomas)
First sticker auto 2001 Donruss (right?)
20 years later, Upper Deck quit making Baseball Cards 2009

Topps - [strike:2t5gk7l9]1951? (Blue Backs & Red Backs)[/strike:2t5gk7l9]1948 Topps Magic Photos
Fleer - 1959 Ted Williams
Sticker Auto's - 1999 Fleer Ultra

1948 Topps Magic Photos

JoshHamilton said:

1948 Topps Magic Photos

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Good call.

I think the first certified auto in a set from a major release was the '91-92 Jerry West auto'd Basketball heroes from the insert set. Then they did a Ted Williams in the '92 Baseball set, I believe.

There was also a non-licensed set in '85 that had a Pete Rose auto.

gt2590 said:

I think the first certified auto in a set from a major release was the '91-92 Jerry West auto'd Basketball heroes from the insert set. Then they did a Ted Williams in the '92 Baseball set, I believe.

There was also a non-licensed set in '85 that had a Pete Rose auto.

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1990 UD Baseball, Reggie Jackson Heroes /2500. I think that's the earliest certified auto from a licensed company.

Was the 1987 Fleer extended tin set - Fleer Glossy - their first version of Tiffany for them ?

First baseball Photo card 1863 Jordan & Co.
First Fleer baseball cards are 1923 E-Unc. Frank H Fleer "Bobs and Fruit Hearts"
First signed baseball cards, 1935 Pebble Beach Clothiers

First cards with stats on back... 1911 T205, 1911 T212-3 Obak
First cards with facsimile signatures on front... 1911 T205
First Tobacco baseball cards.... 1886 N167 Old Judge NY Giants
First cards issued with Candy/Gum... 1888 E223 G&B Chewing Gum
First Game Cards... 1888 WG1 Base Ball Playing Cards
First diecut... 1888 "Scrapps"
First printed photo baseball cards... 1895 N300 Mayo Cut Plug
First intentionally short printed chasecard... 1923 V117 Maple Crispette (#15 Stengel)
First Premium cards (ie coupons sent for card)... 1888 N173 Old Judge Cabinets, 1888 N173 Dogs Head Cabinets
First baseball player pins... 1898 Cameo Pepsin Pins
First foreign issue cards of Major Leaguers... 1909 Cabanas (Cuba)
First cards with checklists... 1887 N28 Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

There are many others too...

Donutme said:

Was the 1987 Fleer extended tin set - Fleer Glossy - their first version of Tiffany for them ?

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Yes. The 1987 Fleer set was "short printed" -- compared to the 86, anyway, and it was already insanely priced ($1 to $1.50 A PACK!) at card stores. The glossy set made 14 year olds like me **** in their pants.

IndyMann said:

Topps - [strike:1wxppp88]1951? (Blue Backs & Red Backs)[/strike:1wxppp88]1948 Topps Magic Photos
Fleer - 1959 Ted Williams
Sticker Auto's - 1999 Fleer Ultra

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I don't know about in the case of Ultra, but in many early cases I believe the sticker was initially used so the athlete would know where to sign and was actually already part of the card when the player received it.

First Certified Auto: 1986 Star Co Jose Canseco autograph (randomly inserted in sets & MLB licensed)

http://cgi.ebay.com/JOSE-CANSECO-AU...0372730114?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item5193d79502

KLARNOLD said:

First Certified Auto: 1986 Star Co Jose Canseco autograph (randomly inserted in sets & MLB licensed)

http://cgi.ebay.com/JOSE-CANSECO-AU...0372730114?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item5193d79502

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There was an earlier Mickey Mantle certified autograph.I believe it was from 1981 or 1982.The name of the set escapes me.

Cool topic.

I was thinking about historical cards/sets like this the other day. Anyone recall what year/set that is really old and had a coin in the card?

fkw said:

First baseball Photo card 1863 Jordan & Co.
First Fleer baseball cards are 1923 E-Unc. Frank H Fleer "Bobs and Fruit Hearts"
First signed baseball cards, 1935 Pebble Beach Clothiers

First cards with stats on back... 1911 T205, 1911 T212-3 Obak
First cards with facsimile signatures on front... 1911 T205
First Tobacco baseball cards.... 1886 N167 Old Judge NY Giants
First cards issued with Candy/Gum... 1888 E223 G&B Chewing Gum
First Game Cards... 1888 WG1 Base Ball Playing Cards
First diecut... 1888 "Scrapps"
First printed photo baseball cards... 1895 N300 Mayo Cut Plug
First intentionally short printed chasecard... 1923 V117 Maple Crispette (#15 Stengel)
First Premium cards (ie coupons sent for card)... 1888 N173 Old Judge Cabinets, 1888 N173 Dogs Head Cabinets
First baseball player pins... 1898 Cameo Pepsin Pins
First foreign issue cards of Major Leaguers... 1909 Cabanas (Cuba)
First cards with checklists... 1887 N28 Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

There are many others too...

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That 1863 Jordan and Co. first baseball photocard was the one that was just auctioned off recently, the one that old women found, correct?

You've been a great addition to FCB, fkw!!

KLARNOLD said:

First Certified Auto: 1986 Star Co Jose Canseco autograph (randomly inserted in sets & MLB licensed)

http://cgi.ebay.com/JOSE-CANSECO-AU...0372730114?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item5193d79502

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This was in 1985 with random autos, I believe....Renata Galasso Pete Rose set.

First Sticker Auto was from SAGE:

They were started by SAGE in their college basketball and football releases and finally reached professional sports card with 1999-00 Ultra Fresh Ink basketball and also appeared in 2000 baseball Fleer products. Upper Deck first used stickers in 2000 Upper Deck Encore football and Topps joined the group in 2001 with Topps Reserve but did not use stickers again until 2004. Donruss also first used stickers in 2001.

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http://cardboardmania.blogspot.com/2008 ... e-and.html

Do you count '88 star as a certified auto? Randomly inserted auto's were distributed there in '88

G $MONEY$ said:

fkw said:

First baseball Photo card 1863 Jordan & Co.
First Fleer baseball cards are 1923 E-Unc. Frank H Fleer "Bobs and Fruit Hearts"
First signed baseball cards, 1935 Pebble Beach Clothiers

First cards with stats on back... 1911 T205, 1911 T212-3 Obak
First cards with facsimile signatures on front... 1911 T205
First Tobacco baseball cards.... 1886 N167 Old Judge NY Giants
First cards issued with Candy/Gum... 1888 E223 G&B Chewing Gum
First Game Cards... 1888 WG1 Base Ball Playing Cards
First diecut... 1888 "Scrapps"
First printed photo baseball cards... 1895 N300 Mayo Cut Plug
First intentionally short printed chasecard... 1923 V117 Maple Crispette (#15 Stengel)
First Premium cards (ie coupons sent for card)... 1888 N173 Old Judge Cabinets, 1888 N173 Dogs Head Cabinets
First baseball player pins... 1898 Cameo Pepsin Pins
First foreign issue cards of Major Leaguers... 1909 Cabanas (Cuba)
First cards with checklists... 1887 N28 Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

There are many others too...

Click to expand...

That 1863 Jordan and Co. first baseball photocard was the one that was just auctioned off recently, the one that old women found, correct?

You've been a great addition to FCB, fkw!!

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Thanks G $Money$, The card the lady found was a 1869 Peck and Snyder Cincinnati Reds Team card. Some will call it the first card.

There are quite a few cards that can be called the first baseball card...depends on how you determine what a baseball card is...
The 1863 Jordan & Co. is the older card listed in catalogs, but is is really a photo ticket and describes the game as being played at a Cricket Grounds, there are 4 different players known including Baseball Hall of Famer Harry Wright (last sold for $83,545) and his younger bro Sam Wright.

The 1869 Peck and Snider cards (there are a few different types) are also considered by some to be the first baseball cards, because they have advertising for a product or service on back, but they were not issued FREE, and also show a full team and not an individual player.

The 1886 N167 Old Judge NY Giants cards are the first true baseball card showing individual Major Leaguers and were included FREE with a product (tobacco) or service of some kind (early definition of a collector card by the ACC)


PS here is a scan I have of an example of the first Fleer baseball cards

Here is a link (below) to the first signed cards (these cards were only issued personally signed by the player)

1935 Pebble Beach Clothiers (complete set is 7 dif)
http://www.oldcardboard.com/pc/pebble-beach/pebble-beach-gal.asp

fkw said:

Here is a link (below) to the first signed cards (these cards were only issued personally signed by the player)

1935 Pebble Beach Clothiers (complete set is 7 dif)
http://www.oldcardboard.com/pc/pebble-beach/pebble-beach-gal.asp

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Nice stuff fkw! You know your vintage quit swearing. Great info.