Minus my graded cards, here are the 928 cards that comprise the 520-card T206 set and the basic/non-error 208-card T205 and 200-card T207 sets. Out of the binder for scanning and photo ops today. #Cardsky

I'm not sure that I'm actually collecting P.T. Barnum stuff, but I look out for his cards when I can. Here are some early cards and an original ticket from 1887 for a Madison Square Garden show. #cardsky

Took me a while but I finally found a suitable upgrade for the Chief Bender card in my T207 set. #Cardsky

These 1885 Lichten Bros. trade cards featured child boxers. While most variants of these cards do not provide names, a rarer variant includes the names of heavyweight champion John Sullivan and Paddy Ryan, as a depiction of one of their fights. #Cardsky

The basketball cards in the T51 Murad College Sports set have taken the recent attention as they're oft-recognized as the first true cards of the sport. But the Michigan football card has always been a popular one. Here's the rare 'Number on front' 1st series variation. #Cardsky

Hall of Fame Native American pitcher Chief Bender led the league in win-loss percentages three different times. Here's his card in the 1909-11 E90-1 American Caramel baseball card set. #Cardsky

Among the earliest cards of legendary inventor Thomas Edison are these pair of c1879-80 advertising trade cards for Edison's Polyform medication, which used his name and likeness to promote their product. Edison later took the distributor to court for using his likeness. #Cardsky

There are conflicting dates on when exactly this set of six winter sport cards was issued by Diamantine Schuhputz, a German shoe polish brand. Here are four of the six cards, including the highlight, which is the ice hockey card. #Cardsky

I'm sorry but this card was too pretty not to buy. #Cardsky

I've had thousands of Stollwerck Chocolate cards & know how difficult it is to find ones not in low-grade. Majority of graded ones I see are no higher than a 3 as many have indented corners from being stored in albums for decades. Couldn't pass up this SGC 4 of Ben Franklin. #cardsky

Athletics and Red Sox star Jack Barry appeared on the membership cards for the Rovers Junior Baseball League, likely in Canada, in 1919 and 1920. While we don't know exactly how Barry was linked to the league, here are examples of the front of both foldout cards. #Cardsky

1889 N85 Duke Stamps cards picturing -- card collectors in the 19th century. Love these. #Cardsky

Been a little while since a new article on the site, but here's the latest on a Civil War CDV with ties to baseball, professional pedestrian (walker) Edward Payson Weston, and a U.S. President not named Abraham Lincoln. prewarcollector.com/2025/09/16/c... #Cardsky

Here's a nice pickup in today's mail. A total of 18 Stollwerck Chocolate cards all missing ink. These all have only red and yellow ink applied and are hand cuts. While I've seen miscut Stollwercks before, these are the first that amount to scraps that I've seen. #Cardsky

One of the few big cards left in my 1887 N184 Kimball Champions set is in today's mail -- this card of legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley. This makes 39/50 on the set. I doubt I get to the finish line by the end of the year, but I'd like to be close. #Cardsky

I love these 1893 N259 Types of the Stage cards of circus performers. The set mostly features actresses and theater stars, and also includes a handful of performers you'd see in a circus. #Cardsky

Not pre-war but I started collecting the 1991-93 Pro Line Portraits pack-inserted certified football autographs set this year. With 370 of the roughly 525 total cards, I just passed the 70% mark. #cardsky

The 1890 N353 Consolidated Cigarettes "Ladies of the White House" may be the first card set dedicated to First Ladies. Martha Washington got two cards -- one picturing her as a young bride, and a second as the elderly wife of George. #Cardsky

One of the most unique cards in my collection is this collectible card of 19th century player William Smith. The card also served as a ticket to a benefit game played in his honor after he passed away in a bathing accident. How rare are these cards? Only 2-3 are known to exist. #Cardsky

United Tobacco's 1936 set detailing sports in South Africa included a card for baseball. While the back references the formation of a league just before the set was released, other reports online state that the sport present there since the 1890s. #Cardsky

Like some other famous subjects, the most popular card of the legendary P.T. Barnum is probably his 1911 T68 American Tobacco Company Heroes/Men of History card. Here's my PSA 4.5. #Cardsky

Some UK cigarette cards have been seen with blank backs and a 'Proof CLB' stamp on the back. I've never been able to find good information on exactly what they are, but I've got a couple in my collection. Here's a Wills card of cricket legend Jack Hobbs. #Cardsky

I'm not sure of the earliest bowling trading cards (not counting cabinet cards or CDVs) to feature actual subjects. But could it be the trio in the 1910-12 T218 Champions set? #Cardsky

A vintage depiction of a young Angel Hernandez being chased off the field by players after a bad call from the 1888 Duke Perilous Occupations set. #Cardsky

While there are earlier cabinet cards, I believe the c1902 Ogden's Tabs cards may be the first trading cards to picture real lacrosse players and teams. #Cardsky

Some of the earliest cards of the moon are this set of four cards depicting its various phases. This set includes advertisements from an 1882 sale, indicating these would have been printed no later than that. #Cardsky

Buck Weaver's rookie card in the 1912 T207 baseball card set is one of the keys in the entire series. Weaver was one of eight Chicago White Sox players banned from the major leagues after the 1919 World Series gambling scandal. Here's the example from my complete set. #Cardsky

Here's a nice pickup in today's mail -- Joe Spring 1925 Dominion Chocolate. Playing for the Toronto Oslers, Spring is one of two baseball players in the Canadian candy card set. This replaces the PSA 2 currently in my collection. This also has the original coupon still attached. #Cardsky

Superman's first card is viewed as the first card in the 1940 Superman Gum set. But Lois Lane's debut is on card No. 5. Here's her first card where she's called, 'Lois Lane, the top-notch girl reporter.' #Cardsky

Destroying the brand a little every time I post a modern card but this was a nice pickup in today's mail. With his overpopulated 1989 Upper Deck card going insane, it could be now or never. PSA 10 of Ken Griffey, Jr.'s first card -- 1987 Bellingham minor league rookie. #Cardsky

Nice mail day with the fifth of the rare 1905 Dominoe Co. College Football team postcards. This one is for Brown. Others I have are Harvard, Yale, Rindge, & Dartmouth. There are a handful of others that are known out there. These are some of the earliest football cards of real players. #Cardsky

My latest article for the site is writing about the cards of one Anson Mott prewarcollector.com/2025/08/02/t... #Cardsky

While there are plenty of trading cards of famous actor and minor league baseball team owner Fatty Arbuckle, few picture him with baseball equipment. Here's one in today's mail picturing him with a glove and ball from the 1920s Beagles Cinema Star Postcard series. #Cardsky

There's something about the blue background on Tris Speaker's T206 card that makes it a great match for the fantastic photo. #Cardsky

I was well familiar with the 1930s R72 "I'm Going to Be" set from Schutter Johnson Candy featuring occupations. But I had few of the cards until recently when I purchased a large lot. I've now got 20 of the 24 cards (25 if you count the rare strongman that is virtually unseen). #Cardsky

You might know of Art Whitney's famous N172 Old Judge card picturing the baseball player with a dog. But when I found this N402 Yum Yum Tobacco actress card with a dog, I had to have it as well. Extremely rare series and I wouldn't be surprised if none were ever graded. #Cardsky

Pre-war cards ... most of the time #Cardsky

My goodness, what a gorgeous card. Oversized (about 4" x 6") c1880s-90s trade card for Tulip Soap in today's mail. #Cardsky

Most people PC folks like Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, and Paul Skenes. Me? I PC contortionists from the 19th century because I'm a freaking weirdo. This rare N664 Old Fashion Fine Cut Tobacco is the latest card of one of the people I collect, Ena Bertoldi. #Cardsky

Nice upgrade for my T205 baseball card set in today's mail -- Hall of Famer Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown. #Cardsky

Bissman Coffee issued many trade cards inside coffee packages in the 19th century. While I've seen several others featuring generic subjects, my Statue of Liberty is still the only one I've come across - which is surprising given the recent popularity of Statue of Liberty cards. #Cardsky

Sunsets and sweaters, man. #Cardsky

Gonna be that kind of day, huh? #Cardsky

Interesting trade card in the mail advertising back braces. While I've seen this art on newer postcards, I had not seen a truly vintage trade card of it before. Notably, it features the brace being worn in sports, including tennis, cycling, gymnastics, and pole vaulting. #Cardsky

The Nathaniel Orr Reward of Merit cards include one of the earlier depictions of baseball or a bat/ball game being played. I would love to find some more conclusive dating on this card, which is part of a set. It has been cited as an issue from the 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, & 1880s. #Cardsky

The HD2A trade cards featuring U.S. presidents were printed around 1889. The popular set, like other presidential series', is headlined by Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. The SGC 5 card of Lincoln in my complete set is among the highest graded by either SGC or PSA. #Cardsky

The 1910 Colonial Art 'Sports and Romance' postcards are wild. #Cardsky

One of the bigger pickups of 2025 for me -- a gorgeous 1888 N162 Goodwin card of Hall of Famer, John Sullivan. Slow progress on this set but Sullivan has me up to 32 of the 50 cards. This now makes 170 of the 200 19th Century Champions cards (Allen & Ginter, Kimball, Goodwin). #cardsky

Big congrats to @prewarcards.bsky.social on winning SABR’s 2025 Burdick Award! Collector. Research beast. Writing machine. I’m inspired to make PostWarCards.com better, even if I still remain mildly bitter towards my dad. #cardsky

Don't adjust your vision. These hand cut scraps are part of parallel sets - 1938 Teofani Transport Past & Present / 1940 BAT Then and Now. These mistakenly got both backs printed on them. Printers hand cut them and they would not have been issued. Survived 85 years to get to me. #cardsky