Dodgers Blue Heaven: 5 Cool Vintage Jackie Robinson Cards You Can Own Without Going Broke

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

5 Cool Vintage Jackie Robinson Cards You Can Own Without Going Broke

Several weeks back Rich Mueller at Sports Collectors Daily put together a fun list featuring vintage Willie Mays Baseball cards. Check out that post here. It was titled "5 Cool Vintage Willie Mays Cards You Can Own Without Going Broke," and I was so smitten by it I decided to echo it here.

So, please check out my list of "5 Cool Vintage Jackie Robinson Cards You Can Own Without Going Broke" below.

BTW, I decided to go off the beaten path a bit by focusing on the "truly" affordable cards, i.e. cards you can get for about $20 bucks or less. As a result, I've had to be rather liberal about what vintage means.

As is the case with Jackie Robinson cards, nearly all of the available issues from his playing days will cost you a pretty penny. In fact, there is only one card produced and distributed from when he actually played that can be deemed affordable (that card is at the very bottom). The other cards in my list were all issued post-retirement - some several decades later.

Now, on to my list:

1977 Renata Galasso TCMA - Series 1

By no means is this card rare. In fact, it's plentiful in the marketplace and downright cheap. You should be able to pick it up for just a couple of bucks. What I love about this card is the image they used on the front. It's a classic.

1980 Perez-Steele Hall of Fame Postcard

Whether your favorite player is Nolan Ryan or Jackie Robinson you must have a Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcard of that star in your collection. They were produced by noted sports artist Dick Perez and Peggy & Frank Steele over a 20-year period in 15 different series, and are limited to 10,000 copies. Since their inception they became the autograph collectors best friend as fans sought to get every card possible signed. As you can see, the Jackie Robinson postcard is absolutely gorgeous. You should be able to find a copy for $10 to $20; oftentimes even less.

1961 Nu-Card Baseball Scoops

This is the first real "vintage" aged card on my list. These 1961 Nu-Card Baseball Scoops were of a standard card size and feature a mock newspaper card design in front. As you can see, the card commemorates Jackie's remarkable game against the Phillies during the last game of the regular season in 1951. As you know, Jackie helped the Dodgers eek out a victory to force a playoff series against the Giants for the pennant. Unfortunately, this game proved to be the last highlight of the year for the Dodgers. They would go on to lose a three-game playoff against the Giants in spectacular fashion. This card can be purchased for about $10 to $20.

1960 Nu-Card Baseball Hi-Lites

The 1960 Nu-Card set is almost as large as your typical postcard. They measure 3 1/4" x 5 3/8", and like the set shown above feature a mock newspaper card design in front. In fact, this card commemorates the exact same moment as the 1961 card. Unlike the above card, there is no description on the reverse. Instead, it is on the front and the reverse includes a trivia question. This card can be purchased for about $10 to $20.

1947-1966 Exhibits

Produced by the Exhibit Supply Company of Chicago over a 20-year period, these cards were available to fans in "penny arcade" vending machines in local stores. They are printed on heavy cardboard and are nearly postcard sized (3 1/4" x 5 3/8"). It is likely the Robinson cards were manufactured during his entire Baseball career, but were discontinued upon his retirement. They can be purchased from between $15 to $25.