1973 O-Pee-Chee/OPC #480 Juan Marichal (Giants)

Book = $ *BOOK*
Price = $ 11.95
NEAR MINT

Price = $ 11.95

Below are short bits & pieces on sportscard & baseball trading card collecting.
Please wander around the website for more info, prices, values & images
on vintage baseball, football, basketball, hockey, sport and non-sports cards.

1934,1935,1936 Diamond Matchbooks
During much of the Great Depression, matchbook collecting swept the country ! Sports matchbooks started appearing in the 1930s, most issued by Diamond Match Company of New York. Over the next few years, several series were issued with similar designs; b/w photo of the player on front with short write-up and stats on back. The player's name and team was also printed on the 'saddle'.
Please consider the following info as approximate.
1934's first baseball release featured 200 players, in 4 different background colors (red,blue,green and orange) for a total of 800 different covers. The set features plenty of Hall-of-Fame greats like Dizzy Dean and Mel Ott.
1935's issue was tiny with only 24 total covers (8 red,8 blue,8 green).
A third series was later released with 200 or more different covers (players/colors).
1930's matchbook covers appear to be huge bargains for collectors as their current values are fractions of the value of Goudey and other baseball cards from the same era.

Click for complete 1935-1936 Diamond Matchbook Checklist and Prices
Note: You may be on that page right now.

1972 Manama
Official Postage Stamps

These beautiful official government issued postage stamps from Manama were made of a plastic like material and used a an advanced printing technique to show multiple images as the card was moved. This technique was later used on a baseball card issue called "Sportflics".

Each of these postage stamps pictured 2 different players as the stamp was titled. There were 8 different stamps issued, 4 with American player-combos and 4 with Japanese player-combos.

A special stamp picturing BABE RUTH alongside the famous Yankees "MURDERS ROW" was also issued and appears to be significantly scarcer than the others.

For more info on postage stamp issues click below:
1972 Manama Baseball Postage Stamps Checklist & Prices
1969 Ajman Baseball Postage Stamps Checklist & Prices

1968 Baseball Marbles
by Creative Creations

These 'Marbles' were issued in 'blister packs' of 20 marbles. The 'Marble' was a ��-diameter clear plastic orb containing a paper insert with the player's portrait on the front a facsimile autograph on the back.
The blister packs themselves are collectible. They measure 9-3/4� x 10-1/2�, with the marbles positioned on front; the pack�s back features a baseball design awash in approximately 60 player's facsimile signatures. The package mentions 24 series of 20 marbles per but only 120 different marbles were created.

One of the more interesting collectibles from the late 1960's, they are sought after by both Team and Player collectors.

For another similar interesting issue see the 1970 Chemtoy SuperBalls.

How long have sports cards been around ? (part 2)

The first important and mainstream basketball set was issued by Bowman in 1948. Other than a Topps set in 1957-58 and a 1961-62 Fleer set, there were no mainstream basketball sets issued until Topps started producing yearly sets beginning with their 1969-70 set featuring the rookie card of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who then went under the name of Lew Alcindor.

In hockey, there were a few sets issued in the 1910's and while O-Pee-Chee issued some sets in the 1930's, the real modern sets began in 1951 with the itroduction of Parkhurst's first set.

In racing, while cards go back as far as the early Indy car days of 1911, modern racing sets began in 1988 with the issues released by MAXX.

1973 O-Pee-Chee/OPC #480 Juan Marichal (Giants)

1934,1935,1936 Diamond Matchbooks

1972 Manama Official Postage Stamps

1968 Baseball Marbles by Creative Creations

1972 Manama
Official Postage Stamps

1968 Baseball Marbles
by Creative Creations