In a truly extraordinary find for baseball memorabilia enthusiasts, a time-honored collection of baseball cards has emerged, offering a tangible link to the sport’s storied past. Discovered by an individual in Northern California, this collection has propelled a trove of baseball history into the modern collecting hobby.
The journey of this remarkable collection began with a simple phone call to Auction Monthly, a trusted auction house based in Granite Bay, in late September. An individual reached out with news of an old tin box filled with baseball cards that he wished to sell. What followed was a meeting that unveiled an astonishing piece of history. Nestled within a rusty Pedro Cut Plug Tobacco tin was a meticulously preserved assembly of strip, caramel, and tobacco baseball cards, whose origins date back over a century.
The collection once belonged to a man named “Ed,” born in 1909, who spent his childhood in Oakland and passed away in 1994. Throughout his life, Ed held onto his collection of baseball cards with unwavering dedication. As Ed’s son recounts, his father, like many of his generation who endured the Great Depression, never threw anything away. The tin, likely a gift from an uncle, became a childhood treasure chest, revealed to Ed’s son in his early years and then rediscovered in a closet after his father’s passing in 1994.
Now, nearly three decades since its rediscovery, this collection has found its way into a hobby that, while vastly different from the 1920s, still shares the same spark of fascination.
The tin contained an astonishing array of over 600 cards, all dating from 1926 or earlier. The cards’ condition reflects their age and the young hands that once cherished them. Strip cards, torn or cut and carried in pockets, bear the signs of being beloved possessions. Amongst this remarkable collection, one player’s presence stands out—the legendary Babe Ruth—with no fewer than 20 cards depicting the “Bambino.”
This collection boasts several incredible highlights, including a 1919-21 W514 Shoeless Joe Jackson card, a 1921 E220 National Caramel Ruth card, and a 1922 American Caramel E121 Ruth card. The cards even represent nearly every player from the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal. Additionally, multiple Ruth cards from the W514 series dating from 1919-21, three 1920 W519 Ruth cards, a 1922 American Caramel E121 Ty Cobb card, a 1921 W516 Ty Cobb card, and a 1920 W519 George Sisler card make up this comprehensive collection.
Spanning several pre-War sets, this collection encompasses a diverse selection of strip cards from 1919-1923, reflecting Ed’s childhood years, and several 1924-26 Zeenuts cards, a series predominantly distributed on the West Coast.
Upon acquiring this significant collection, the auction company was astounded by the number of Ruth cards—a remarkable find that highlights the collection’s significance. Promptly, the company began the process of selecting the finest cards for grading, while others were sold in their original state.
For the baseball card collecting world, this discovery transcends a mere transaction or the addition of inventory. It serves as a poignant reminder of the deep-rooted love for baseball that spans generations. Once a young boy’s cherished possession, carried through the decades in a simple tobacco tin, this collection now stands as a symbol of the timeless allure of the game and its heroes.
Each card bears the telltale signs of its age, worn at the edges not just by time but by the eager fingers of a young fan. Each card tells a story—the story of a boy who idolized figures like Ruth, Jackson, Cobb, and Sisler, and who, through these cards, could hold a piece of his heroes in his hands. This story resonates with many collectors, who value not only the monetary worth but also the emotional connection, nostalgia, and love of the game that these cards represent.
As this collection enters the public sphere, it serves as a reminder of the enduring legacy of baseball’s early legends. The excitement surrounding the unearthing of this cache of memorabilia is akin to finding a hidden gem that, once polished, illuminates a bygone era of sports history. For collectors, historians, and baseball aficionados alike, the release of this century-old collection is a momentous occasion—a bridge connecting tangible artifacts from the past to the present’s passion for collecting.
Each card from this astonishing find acts as a bridge across time, connecting the dots of baseball’s evolution. As the auction house processes the collection, each piece will find its way into the hands of those who appreciate not only their rarity but also the journey these cards have undergone. From the pocket of a young baseball fan in the early 20th century to a revered position in the collections of modern enthusiasts, these cards carry with them the essence of America’s pastime—a legacy that continues to captivate and inspire.
