Nineteenth-Century Baseball Cards: N28, N29, N162, N300 and N526

N28: Allen & Ginter World’s Champions

Allen & Ginter’s N28 is a multisport issue with a baseball group inside it. Its color portraits, athlete names and tobacco-company identification distinguish it from a modern Allen & Ginter tribute. PSA’s current CardFacts catalog titles the issue 1888; collectors will also encounter 1887 dating on established labels and listings. Preserve the actual catalog designation when documenting an example instead of treating a year alone as a sufficient identifier.

For a baseball-focused collection, first decide whether you want the baseball subjects or all sports. The checklist printed on the reverse is useful evidence of the original issue’s broader scope. A trimmed photograph showing only the portrait loses both the physical borders and much of the information needed to compare copies.

N29: the distinct Allen & Ginter follow-up

N29 is a separate World’s Champions release, not a back variation of N28. PSA identifies a 50-card multisport set with six baseball subjects. Its front omits the manufacturer’s name found on N28 and uses athlete identification beneath the image. The reverse again provides a checklist.

A practical two-set project is to obtain one baseball example from each issue and compare the captions and reverse checklists. Do not use a familiar portrait style as proof of issue: record N28 or N29 explicitly in a want list, especially when an auction title shortens both to Allen & Ginter.

N162: Goodwin Champions

Goodwin’s 1888 Champions is another multisport production, with eight baseball players in PSA’s set description. Its vivid color artwork and Old Judge or Gypsy Queen branding differ from the monochrome photographic cards that collectors may associate with other Goodwin issues. A listing described only as an Old Judge card needs a closer look.

When comparing examples, inspect the colored background, registration around the face and the white perimeter separately. Attractive color can coexist with a crease, thinning or a disturbed back. Choose which of those tradeoffs you can accept before paying extra for an especially striking front.

N300: 1895 Mayo’s Cut Plug

Mayo’s Cut Plug changes the visual vocabulary: black borders and black backs surround photographic portraits. PSA catalogs 48 unnumbered baseball cards. The darkness that makes the issue distinctive also makes pale edge wear easy to see, so a front scan against a dark background is not enough to assess the perimeter.

Ask for photographs that show all four edges clearly. Compare the wording and player identification with a recognized catalog image, and retain the exact variant attribution if the grading label includes one. A small surface improvement may matter less to a portrait collector than an undamaged face or a readable caption.

N526: Number 7 and Diamond S Cigars

The 1889 N526 family features line-drawn Boston team portraits on tall cards. REA’s firsthand auction description identifies Number 7 Cigars and Diamond S advertising backs, with C.S. White & Co. stamped examples also known. This is a different collecting problem from the small multisport cigarette inserts above: back advertising is central to identification.

The REA example used as a research reference also documents a label attribution that disagreed with the visible back. That is a useful reminder to compare the object with the label. Save both sides and describe any discrepancy plainly; a certification number should help organize evidence, not replace it.

Build a reference collection before pursuing completion

One correctly identified baseball card from each family provides a substantial visual history without requiring a complete run. Keep separate fields for catalog code, printed name, player’s modern spelling, back advertisement and the wording on the holder. This prevents a historic spelling from being mistaken for an unrelated player.

For purchases, prioritize readable front-and-back images and a clear description of trimming, restoration, paper loss or an Authentic designation. A low numerical grade can still preserve an attractive portrait; an unexplained alteration is a different issue. Store the photographs with the receipt so a future owner can trace the same identification decisions.

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