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1886 Old Judge N167 Baseball

8 April 2007
Written by: admin Posted under Baseball, History, 1886

1886 Old Judge Baseball Card - N167 Buck EwingAlthough the 1869 Peck & Snyder Cincinnati Red Stockings card is recognized as the first tru baseball card, the first pure domestic baseball card set was issued by Old Judge in 1886.  This was a time when Mike "King" Kelly, Adrian "Cap" Anson and Charlie Comiskey ruled the early diamond.

Classified as the N167 set, the 1886 Old Judge baseball set was issued regionally by the Goodwin and Company, a senior establishment of Old Judge of New York City.  Included are cards of 12 New York National League baseball players.  These unnumbered cards measure 1-1/2" by 2-1/2".  The card fronts depict a green and sepia-toned print derived from a woodcut (a wooden block engraved with a design).  In this case, the picture of the baseball player is pasted to a slender piece of cardboard.

The player is portrayed in an upper body pose surrounded by a thick white border.  Shown at the top of the card front are the words, "Old Judge".  Printed at the bottom of the card fronts on the lower border are the plaer’s position, name, and the letters, "N.Y’s".  The card backs can be found with either Old English or normal print.  The backs read, "OLD JUDGE CIGARETTES.  GOODWIN & CO. NEW YORK.  COPIED FROM PHOTO BY J. WOOD, 208 BOWERY, N.Y."

1886 Old Judge Buck Ewing - Back of Ewing's Card from the N167 set.There are 5 Hall of Fame players in the N167 set:  Monte Ward, Mickey Welch, Buck Ewing, Roger Conner, and Tim Keefe.  Other players included are Mike Dorgan, Joe Gerhardt, Pete Gilespie, Jim O’Rourke, Larry Corcoran, Dude Esterbrook, and a rookie card of Danny Richardson.  A complete N167 set in excellent condition will fetch more than $100,000.


One Response to ' 1886 Old Judge N167 Baseball '

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  1. Bjack said,

    on September 25th, 2007 at 12:51 pm

    I have twoGold Coin Chewing Tobacco baseball cards one says Ewing 2nd base N.Y. the othersay White 3rd base Detroit. Pictures are in good shape but the back was stuck with glue on paper and some backing was removed . Any value

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