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Baseball Trading Cards Information

Baseball trading cards have been around for over 100 years. They have been collected by children, adults and anyone that has a love for the game. Cards have come in various shapes and sizes and are produced by many different companies. They range in value from a penny to many hundreds of thousands of dollars. There are dozens of locations from which they can be bought or sold, and cards are as popular today as they have ever been.

What Are Baseball Trading Cards?
- Although shapes and sizes have changed over the years, baseball trading cards in 2009 are usually rectangular-shaped cards made out of cardboard or a plastic compound that have dimensions of 2 ½ by 3 ½ inches. They often include an image of a player with his name on the front, and have his seasonal statistics on the back.
History
- Baseball trading cards have been around since 1887 and have gone through several transformations. From 1902 to 1935, cards were packaged with chewing tobacco, bubble gum and cracker jacks, and came in various shapes and sizes. In 1936, the dimensions were standardized for the most part and have stayed that way to the present day. In 1980, "inserts" or special cards were created and put into some packs. The insert cards are considerably more rare than the rest of the cards in the set.
Value
- Baseball card values are determined by condition, scarcity, age and the player. The most expensive card of all time is a 1909 T206 Honus Wagner. Only 50 to 200 were ever produced, making them extremely rare. These cards have been purchased by notable celebrities such as Wayne Gretzky for prices exceeding $400,000. The average value of each card can be found in one of the many pricing guides available, the most popular being Beckett Sports Card Monthly.
Famous Baseball Cards
- While the most famous baseball card is the Honus Wagner, there are several other notable cards. The 1914 Babe Ruth rookie card is widely considered the second most popular card ever produced. Babe Ruth played for the (then) minor league Baltimore Orioles, and the card was printed by the Baltimore News. Another extremely popular card in this genre is the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. The Mickey Mantle card has been sold several times for over $100,000. Other famous cards include the 1951 Willie Mays, 1939 Ted Williams and 1949 Satchel Paige.
Who makes them?
- Baseball trading cards have been produced by many companies over the last 100 years. The most recognizable name is arguably the Topps company, which has produced baseball cards since 1950. Another popular baseball card producer is Upper Deck, which has produced high quality baseball cards since 1988. Panini America Inc., formerly known as the Donruss Corporation, has produced cards since 1954.

Collecting Memorabilia