Baseball is perhaps the oldest sport in the history of the United States and the hobby of collecting baseball cards is nearly as old as the game itself. Baseball cards were the result of the increasing popularity of the game and photography. History has it that members of various baseball clubs posed for photographs and these photographs were used to create the first set of baseball cards. The first set of baseball cards that people collected were called the Peck and Snyder baseball card collection. This company basically sold baseball equipment and used these cards to promote their products.

It was only in the late 19th century that tobacco companies and candy producers entered the field of manufacturing baseball cards to promote their products. Companies like the American Tobacco Company, Imperial Tobacco Company and the American Caramel Company started producing baseball cards to promote their products and used baseball cards as a vehicle to promote their tobacco products. The famous Honus Wagner Card is a product of this era produced by the American Tobacco Company. This card would add prestige to any baseball card collection. Then came the confectionaries like O-Pee Chee and Goudey Gum Co., who extensively used baseball cards to promote their products. These were the days when people visited their local candy store or grocer shop to buy gum, candy or tobacco products, just so that they could rip open the packs to see the cards they got. Children of this era spent their pocket money buying baseball cards to play and to trade.

The innocent hobby of yesteryear has now grown into a full blown industry with big players manufacturing cards of baseball players. What used to be an exchange between two children, has now become a full fledged trade, with the stakes getting bigger and higher.

Companies like

• Upper Deck
• Fleer
• Topps

have changed the way collectors look at the hobby of baseball card collecting.

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Since the launch of BaseballCardChase.com, we’ve been monitoring which baseball cards collectors have been most interested in. The results show that collectible baseball cards have a broad selection of collectors in the hobby.

Leading the pack are mostly recent and active baseball superstars. From Derek Jeter, to Barry Bonds to Ken Griffey Jr. Essentially, the same stars you see in the ESPN SportsCenter highlights are the most sought after by collectors.

Looking at the baseball player search results, prices for the current baseball player cards are also more affordable when compared to the next catagory, Hall of Famers.

There were a number of Baseball Hall of Famer Cards that were popular searches. We’re not sure if the searches were for actual buyers, of if people just enjoy window shopping at some of the extreme ends of baseball card collecting.

For example, Mickey Mantle and Jackie Robinson, ranked high on the baseball card search list. Looking at the results for these cards, the prices ranged from recent reprints costing less than $5. However, some of the auctions were for originals going for hundreds or more.

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Sports fans, like you and I, have always wanted to be closer to our favorite baseball players. We have found that in collecting baseball cards. If you are, like me, an ardent fan of the game of baseball, then you must have spent hours looking up player statistics. The best way to keep in touch with your players is by collecting baseball player cards. This is a hobby that has been around for a very long time and remains special to new and old collectors alike. In fact, as I like to say, card collectors are a community by themselves as only one collector will understand another.

Baseball card collecting started as a small hobby in the beginning with enthusiasts buying tobacco products and gum for the free player cards. It has now boomed into a big industry, where there are bigger stakeholders and even bigger stakes. What started as idle exchange of player cards between students or children has now become a big trading business. Pices and card values are going up. In fact, people often start collecting baseball cards as an investment.

The main reason for collecting baseball cards is not price or value, it is being close to the players and the game. What better way to show that you are an ardent fan of baseball then by having your favorite baseball players cards. An autographed baseballl card or a special edition card leaves us with a great feeling. Keeping track of the game, its players, their performances, the rookies, everything, has become very easy with the cards that are now being published.

Finally, this hobby is an all time hobby, resulting in enthusiasts buying baseball cards all year round. It is also an affordable hobby, unless of course you are in it for investment purposes and choose to buy premium cards. For those who are looking for investment purposes, baseball card collecting must first start from a love of the game. Last, but not least, it’s a social activity that helps card collectors meet, celebrate and enjoy the various moments of baseball together.

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