First debuting in the late 1800s, baseball cards are a driving force in the hobby. The baseball card industry has since evolved into a booming trading card business, attracting many collectors, investors and speculators along the way.
While some of the earliest cards were simple advertisements for various consumer goods companies, especially cigarette brands, the cards transformed over the decades into the pack-fueled frenzy it is today.
Some of the earliest cards remain the most popular, including tobacco cards such as the T206 Honus Wagner. Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle are other baseball card icons that can see tremendous interest and value for their notable cards.
Headlined by rookies and superstars, modern baseball cards rely on a multitude of releases across the year. The driving force tends to be limited-edition cards, such as low-numbered parallels and autographed versions, which appear randomly in the sealed packs.
Topps is the main company for baseball card collectors and the exclusive holder of the MLB trading card license. This official licensing extends to Bowman, also owned by Topps.
Panini is another current card manufacturer for the sport, although the cards aren’t licensed. This means they cannot show league or team logos. Leaf and Onyx are other brands that produce unlicensed baseball cards.
The database below features baseball cards by the individual product, including checklists with parallels, rarity, pack odds, short print info, set details, expert analysis, release date, and more.