1955 Topps Double-Headers (Doubleheaders) |
1972 Manama Postage Stamps
These beautiful official government issued postage stamps from Manama were made of a plastic like material and used an advanced printing technique to show multiple images as the card was moved. This technique was used much later in 1986 on a new baseball card issue called "Sportflics". Each postage stamp pictured 2 different players as the stamp was tilted. There were (8) different stamps issued, (8) with American player-combos and (4) with Japanese player-combos. Also issued about the same time was a special larger stamp featuring BABE RUTH with the Yankees "MURDERS ROW" and appears to be significantly scarcer than the others. 1972 Manama Baseball Postage Stamps Checklist & Prices (You may be on that page now) |

The first baseball trading cards date back to 1869. For many years, baseball cards were packaged in packs of tobacco as a way to increase sales the same way that today prizes are packaged in boxes of cereal. In the 1920's and 1930's, candy and gum companies started packaging baseball cards in their products as well.
Baseball card production was virtually halted in the early 1940's due to paper shortages created by World War II. The "Modern Era" of baseball cards began in 1948 when Bowman Gum Inc. offered one card and one piece of gum in a pack for a penny.
The first important football set was the Mayo set featuring college players in 1984. Other than the 1935 National Chicle set no other key football set was issued until 1948 when noth Bowman and Leaf produced sets.