Pre-War Card Collector
@prewarcards.bsky.social
By Anson Whaley, a pre-war collector of sports and non-sports cards. Beckett and Sports Collectors Daily contributor. T205, T206, T207 baseball cards set builder. Scruffy looking. 2025 SABR Burdick Award Winner. Find my site at www.prewarcollector.com.
A play in three acts.
January 8, 2026 at 10:05 PM
A play in three acts.
First cool pickup of 2026 are these three 1930s Seal Craft Disc sheets that are complete with the cards not having been separated. I'd only seen one such sheet before in an REA auction. These were to be tied together with string to make crafts. Also have the original envelopes. #Cardsky
January 6, 2026 at 5:27 PM
First cool pickup of 2026 are these three 1930s Seal Craft Disc sheets that are complete with the cards not having been separated. I'd only seen one such sheet before in an REA auction. These were to be tied together with string to make crafts. Also have the original envelopes. #Cardsky
Let's talk about Walter Hagen's rookie card. prewarcollector.com/2026/01/05/w...
Walter Hagen’s No Good, Very Bad, Horrible, Rotten Rookie Card
Well, I suppose I’ve seen worse
prewarcollector.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Let's talk about Walter Hagen's rookie card. prewarcollector.com/2026/01/05/w...
My latest article on the site takes a look at a handful of 1930s cards picturing Shirley Temple as a ... football player?
Shirley Temple on the Gridiron: A Collection of 1930s Football Cards
The popular actress is on a trio of football cards — from the Netherlands
prewarcollector.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:33 AM
My latest article on the site takes a look at a handful of 1930s cards picturing Shirley Temple as a ... football player?
lol -- nice!
January 5, 2026 at 3:30 AM
lol -- nice!
I haven't had to buy any in a while. It's been over a year, I think. So I haven't been looking. I still see some individual ones on eBay, where I've bought some. But not seeing them on Amazon. You used to be able to buy packs of 3, 4, 5. of them. But not seeing that now -- just some individuals.
December 10, 2025 at 7:44 PM
I haven't had to buy any in a while. It's been over a year, I think. So I haven't been looking. I still see some individual ones on eBay, where I've bought some. But not seeing them on Amazon. You used to be able to buy packs of 3, 4, 5. of them. But not seeing that now -- just some individuals.
To kick off its 2025 Allen & Ginter launch, Topps interviewed some collectors about their A&G collections. Really cool that they wrote an article on my original Allen & Ginter 1888 and 1889 (N28/N29) 'Champions' set builds. You'll find it here: ripped.topps.com/collector-st...
Collector Stories | Old-School Allen & Ginter Prewar Cards
Anson Whaley’s interest in vintage cards led him to complete the pre-war N28 and N29 Allen & Ginter runs, but that’s just part of his impressive collection.
ripped.topps.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:29 PM
To kick off its 2025 Allen & Ginter launch, Topps interviewed some collectors about their A&G collections. Really cool that they wrote an article on my original Allen & Ginter 1888 and 1889 (N28/N29) 'Champions' set builds. You'll find it here: ripped.topps.com/collector-st...
I'm often asked how so many trade cards from pre-1900 can exist. This one offering medicine explicitly says on the back that more than FIVE MILLION of their cards alone were printed. Millions of cards have been discarded but that helps explain how so many have survived. #Cardsky
December 2, 2025 at 2:01 AM
I'm often asked how so many trade cards from pre-1900 can exist. This one offering medicine explicitly says on the back that more than FIVE MILLION of their cards alone were printed. Millions of cards have been discarded but that helps explain how so many have survived. #Cardsky
I recently posted the rare card of Harley Davidson that I acquired but what is it? Here's a rundown. prewarcollector.com/2025/12/01/h...
The Most Popular Roller Skating Card of Them All: A Harley Davidson (No, not that one)
Harley Davidson’s T224/T229 Pet/Kopec Cigarettes roller skating card is arguably the most famous of them all
prewarcollector.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:30 PM
I recently posted the rare card of Harley Davidson that I acquired but what is it? Here's a rundown. prewarcollector.com/2025/12/01/h...
Is it John or is it Arthur? My latest article is a rundown of the confusing 1895 Mayo baseball card that was either intended to feature a Hall of Famer or a journeyman. prewarcollector.com/2025/11/30/j...
What’s the Deal with John Clarkson’s 1894-95 Mayo Card?
The card of John Clarkson in the 1894-95 N300 Mayo baseball card set is a mystery
prewarcollector.com
November 30, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Is it John or is it Arthur? My latest article is a rundown of the confusing 1895 Mayo baseball card that was either intended to feature a Hall of Famer or a journeyman. prewarcollector.com/2025/11/30/j...
If you had told me at the start of the year that one of my bigger card purchases would be a roller skater, I would have thought you were insane. Yet, here we are. #Cardsky
November 28, 2025 at 6:26 PM
If you had told me at the start of the year that one of my bigger card purchases would be a roller skater, I would have thought you were insane. Yet, here we are. #Cardsky
Yes, correct.
November 25, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Yes, correct.
It's a very interesting card. The red rectangle is cutout and affixed to the card. The silhouette is not a separate layer. It's merely an area where the red didn't color. As if they cut out the image of the player, colored in around it, and then stuck that to the card.
November 25, 2025 at 8:06 PM
It's a very interesting card. The red rectangle is cutout and affixed to the card. The silhouette is not a separate layer. It's merely an area where the red didn't color. As if they cut out the image of the player, colored in around it, and then stuck that to the card.
I've wanted the famous 1966 Topps Batman No. 1 card for some time now. I just wasn't enamored with one enough to buy it. That changed when I found this hand-cut, blank back scrap rarity. I've seen a few proof/scraps for other cards in the set before, but never on the key No. 1. #Cardsky
November 25, 2025 at 7:54 PM
I've wanted the famous 1966 Topps Batman No. 1 card for some time now. I just wasn't enamored with one enough to buy it. That changed when I found this hand-cut, blank back scrap rarity. I've seen a few proof/scraps for other cards in the set before, but never on the key No. 1. #Cardsky
Different colors. I remember seeing a blue or purple one. Not sure of the others, though.
November 25, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Different colors. I remember seeing a blue or purple one. Not sure of the others, though.
One of the great pre-war mysteries are these handcrafted cards using silhouettes of seemingly either E94 Close Candy or M131 Baltimore News cards. I've seen 2-3 of these and have heard of a collector with several more. Backs signed by someone named Richard Montague. Here's my Red Murray. #Cardsky
November 21, 2025 at 3:10 AM
One of the great pre-war mysteries are these handcrafted cards using silhouettes of seemingly either E94 Close Candy or M131 Baltimore News cards. I've seen 2-3 of these and have heard of a collector with several more. Backs signed by someone named Richard Montague. Here's my Red Murray. #Cardsky
Just some peas in a pod on this early baseball trade card that is likely from the 19th century. This one is designated as No. 222 by Frank Keetz and features miniature men (brownies) playing a game of baseball using peas as the baseballs. #Cardsky
November 20, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Just some peas in a pod on this early baseball trade card that is likely from the 19th century. This one is designated as No. 222 by Frank Keetz and features miniature men (brownies) playing a game of baseball using peas as the baseballs. #Cardsky
1920s baseball and non-sports strip cards are common. But to date, the only hockey strip card I've ever seen is the one in the W542 multi-sport strip card series. Anyone know of any others? #Cardsky
November 13, 2025 at 7:47 PM
1920s baseball and non-sports strip cards are common. But to date, the only hockey strip card I've ever seen is the one in the W542 multi-sport strip card series. Anyone know of any others? #Cardsky
A card you don't see everyday -- 1921 D48 Invisible Color Pictures issued by bakeries. When you add water, they filled in with color. This one avoided that fate. This is the baseball card in a mostly non-sports set. I believe mine is the only graded example by either SGC or PSA. #Cardsky
November 12, 2025 at 6:13 PM
A card you don't see everyday -- 1921 D48 Invisible Color Pictures issued by bakeries. When you add water, they filled in with color. This one avoided that fate. This is the baseball card in a mostly non-sports set. I believe mine is the only graded example by either SGC or PSA. #Cardsky
I was having a hard time finding the title of the N85 Duke Stamps card on the left. That's because it wasn't there. While normal variations of this card title it, "First Letter Carrier," this one has a print error and is missing the title. First one I've seen missing from this set. #Cardsky
November 11, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I was having a hard time finding the title of the N85 Duke Stamps card on the left. That's because it wasn't there. While normal variations of this card title it, "First Letter Carrier," this one has a print error and is missing the title. First one I've seen missing from this set. #Cardsky
About time I get another new article up on the website - #Cardsky
prewarcollector.com/2025/11/10/b...
prewarcollector.com/2025/11/10/b...
Setting the Record Straight on a Babe Ruth Stereoview Card
Let’s clear up some confusion on a popular Babe Ruth card
prewarcollector.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:46 AM
About time I get another new article up on the website - #Cardsky
prewarcollector.com/2025/11/10/b...
prewarcollector.com/2025/11/10/b...
Pretty much. But these were created a couple of years before it was built/completed. I think the base was the last part to be finished -- it was paid for by the US, I believe. These were renderings so the base design likely changed.
November 11, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Pretty much. But these were created a couple of years before it was built/completed. I think the base was the last part to be finished -- it was paid for by the US, I believe. These were renderings so the base design likely changed.
I already had the Pratt's Astral Oil version of the 1883 Root & Tinker trade card of the Statue of Liberty. In today's mail was the New Singer variant, advertising sewing machines. These are often cited as the first cards of the famous landmark. #Cardsky
November 10, 2025 at 9:43 PM
I already had the Pratt's Astral Oil version of the 1883 Root & Tinker trade card of the Statue of Liberty. In today's mail was the New Singer variant, advertising sewing machines. These are often cited as the first cards of the famous landmark. #Cardsky
I sadly don't even have any glasses to look at it yet. I need to get some as well as one of those contraptions to look at stereoview cards. They're pretty cheap on eBay.
November 10, 2025 at 5:35 AM
I sadly don't even have any glasses to look at it yet. I need to get some as well as one of those contraptions to look at stereoview cards. They're pretty cheap on eBay.