Hobbies And Interests
History
Baseball cards have been manufactured since the 1800s. During the early part of the twentieth century, countless manufacturers were producing cards. The competition for the baseball card market continued up until World War II. Paper shortages and other factors left a hole in the market after the war and few companies were producing cards. By the early 1950s, the market was dominated by just two companies: Topps and Bowman. Topps succeeded in buying Bowman in 1955 and would control the market as a monopoly until the early 1980s when two new card companies appeared on the scene.
Development
The appearance of Donruss and Fleer as baseball card manufacturers greatly impacted the market dominance enjoyed by Topps. Not only did they bring competition, but they were also bringing innovation. Within a few years, the sets issued by these rivals would gain favor for bold designs and the use of white card stock. The traditional card stock used by Topps was gray and had remained unchanged since the companies inception. The need to regain market share and lure collectors back became the mission of the company. Competition leads to innovation. The tiffany baseball card was developed using some new ideas, but also using the competition's own innovations against them.
Characteristics
In 1984, Topps released the first tiffany baseball card. The name was chosen to capitalize on the luxurious connotations associated with the Tiffany name in American culture. People instantly connected the set to the department store, jewelry maker, and stained glass lamps of the past. The tiffany baseball card did boast many high priced changes. Released in limited quantities and only as sets, the tiffany card featured premium white stock and a glossy protective coating on the front. The limited quantity appealed to serious collectors as an investment. The casual collector who liked the quality of the upstart companies were lured back to Topps. The tiffany baseball card would continue to be issued by Topps until 1991.
Impact
In the short time that it was offered annually, the tiffany baseball card changed the collecting landscape. Rivals quickly pushed to develop cards with more features that could be produced in mass quantity and at traditional prices. In 1989, the Upper Deck company debuted on the market. Upper Deck used holograms, white stock and bold designs, but distributed cards in packs. The affordability and availability of Upper Deck spelled the end for the tiffany series. It was becoming illogical for collectors to continue to pay a premium for tiffany cards when standard cards from several companies looked as good and were more available.
Legacy
The tiffany card was key in driving the market into new areas. Tiffany baseball cards were issued by other companies after Topps no longer produced their annual set. Topps would issue limited edition tiffany sets occasionally in subsequent years as a nod to the company's past. The prices of tiffany sets have risen dramatically through the years because demand has exceeded the limited supply. Many of the features of cards from current sets can be traced to the tiffany sets of the 1980s.