When Did Baseball Cards First Appear?

Professional baseball teams in America appeared in 1869 — and by 1880, baseball cards were around already! The first baseball cards weren't for young people, though, because they were included in packs of cigarettes and tobacco.

In 1933, bubble-gum companies began to give out baseball cards with their products. For a while, there were many different companies making baseball cards. But today, almost all baseball cards are made by the Topps Company, which prints over 250 million cards each year!

Many people collect old or rare baseball cards. To some collectors, a single card may be worth more than $100!