{"id":2081,"date":"2022-08-01T18:19:53","date_gmt":"2022-08-01T18:19:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsworldcards.com\/?p=2081"},"modified":"2022-08-01T18:19:55","modified_gmt":"2022-08-01T18:19:55","slug":"a-brief-history-of-allen-ginter-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsworldcards.com\/a-brief-history-of-allen-ginter-cards\/","title":{"rendered":"A Brief History of Allen & Ginter Cards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Thanks to their iconic retro stylings and seemingly random pick of inserts. Pretty much any collector with a foundational knowledge of trading cards can identify an Allen & Ginter card on sight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, Allen & Ginter cards are more than a callback to bygone days. By reviving the brand, Topps has been able to continue the legacy of the original trading card company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Allen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Today, Allen & Ginter may be best known for baseball cards but the company was initially founded to grow and sell tobacco. Then, starting in the late 19th century, it decided to design and sell promotional cards featuring Native American chieftains, birds, flags, and famous baseball players. These cards slowly transformed into the first baseball card sets, sparking one of the most beloved hobbies of all time.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, the full history of Allen & Ginter is a little more detailed than that. If you\u2019ve ever wondered about these strangely anachronistic cards, sit back and read up on a brief history of Allen & Ginter baseball cards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll explain the origins of the company, how it founded collectible trading cards, and how the business slowly changed before being revived again in 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Little Backstory into John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The story of Allen & Ginter cards begins with the story of the company\u2019s namesake founders\u2014John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, both men were successful titans of industry and philanthropists in Richmond, Virginia.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Allen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Allen had previously made a small fortune in the tobacco industry while Ginter had made a name for himself in the real estate industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By combining their expertise, the entrepreneurs went into business together to grow lighter, bright leaf tobacco that could rival darker Turkish brands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, it wasn\u2019t incredibly popular in the American South but they soon found a market across the pond in London. By the end of the 1880s, they had rebranded from John F. Allen & Company to Allen & Ginter and began to expand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Production of the World\u2019s First Baseball Cards<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It was during this period of expansion that Allen & Ginter began producing\u00a0promotional chromolithography cards. These cards featured images of traditional Americana, such as wild animals, birds, famous generals, and everyone\u2019s favorite baseball players. These cards were initially given away with tobacco products but, as the popularity of baseball increased, the cards slowly transformed into the first baseball card sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"N28<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first Allen & Ginter baseball card set was released in 1887 and featured 50 cards. 10 of which were National League and American Association players. These cards were so popular that the company decided to release\u00a0another two sets\u00a0in 1888, including a larger premium set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rear<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, by the end of that year, Allen & Ginter would merge with several other large tobacco brands to produce the\u00a0American Tobacco Company, putting an end to their popular branded cards. To meet demand in the market, several other companies began producing baseball cards and, as they say, the rest is history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the American Tobacco Company was found to be in violation of antitrust laws and was forced to break up in 1911, effectively wiping out any remainder of Allen & Ginter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"N28<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Rebirth of a Brand and the Continuation of a Legacy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After more than a century without another Allen & Ginter baseball card set, the trademark for the name eventually ran out, giving existing baseball card companies free rein to reinvent and revive the once iconic brand. In 2006, Topps Company did just that<\/a>, releasing the first Allen & Ginter set since the late 1800s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This new set was an instant success, with collectors eager to get their hands on cards that so perfectly blended the classic and modern. The set was filled with random inserts and minis, harkening back to the early days of tobacco cards while also feeling fresh and new. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the 2006 release, fans could find a mix of celebrities, historical figures, and athletes from a wide range of sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the years since, Topps has continued to release Allen & Ginter card sets annually, each one more popular than the last. The company has also expanded the brand to include other sports, such as football, basketball, and UFC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Allen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019ve even gone so far as to produce DNA Hair Relic cards with strands of hair<\/a> from high-profile historical figures, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n