Office Hours | The Evolution of Baseball Card Technology

How Our Cards Have Changed

When the famous T206 baseball cards were printed in 1909, horse-drawn carriages were still the dominant mode of transportation in American cities, and radio was not yet widely available. In the 115 years since, technological innovation has remade the world multiple times over, and as a result, every person who reaches middle age feels that their own childhood occurred in a different, perhaps simpler, time. L.P. Hartley’s famous line continues to resonate: “The past is a foreign country.”

Although the accelerating rate of technological progress has met some resistance, as it did even when Henry David Thoreau lamented the laying of the rails, those who embrace changes as opportunities have typically thrived. Remarkably, Topps and other trading card companies have consistently incorporated new technologies into their product lines, discovering the perfect balance between innovation and a healthy reverence for the past.

As the latest technology to impact The Hobby, it’s worth looking back at the 20^th century to see how various advancements in photography, printing, and packaging have changed the way fans and collectors know the game and the players they admire.

Advances in Photography

Trading cards featuring photographs of baseball players date back to the second half of the 19^th century, but the most striking and memorable cards have combined the best of photography with artistic touches and design genius. The T206 set from 1909-1911, as well as standout sets like Bowman’s, in 1950 took a photograph as the structure of the card, then added color “by hand.”

In 1952, Topps began with black and white photographs of the players, and then, using an innovative flexichrome process, produced what the wax packaging called “full color photographs.” The makers of the inaugural Topps set added some generic backgrounds for style and used a bit of airbrushing to edit. The result was an early masterpiece — and a popular success.

Still, it wasn’t until 1957 that color photography became reliable enough for Topps to use it in its unaltered state. In fact, Topps’ sophomore set is beloved by many collectors because it turned up the dial on the artistic rendering. The images were printed directly from paintings, but how the unique, lifelike renderings were made remains something of a mystery.

The truth is, from the very beginning, Topps was combining multiple cutting edge technological and artistic processes to produce cards, and a significant part of the excitement surrounding the release of a new set was in examining the new features in the latest design.

Card Stock and Packaging Upgrades

From the 1950s through the early 1990s, wax packaging was the norm for Topps cards. Then, in 1992, Topps made a couple of important changes. First, the stick of gum was removed, and instead of wax packaging, plastic was introduced. The gum was reintroduced one time, in 2007, but it’s mostly a memory of the past. By the late 1990s, foil wrappers became the standard, and a fully sealed package, as opposed to folded packs, is now the norm.

Card stock refers to the type of material used to produce cards, and Topps has been adjusting and experimenting with its stock since the 1950s. The first notable instance came in 1956, when Topps produced two versions — a white back, and a gray back — for many of the players in the set. In general, the gray versions are thought to be rarer and are therefore slightly more valued by collectors. Similar stock variants were used in 1959 and 1966 Topps sets. Topps has also experimented with size and shape, with its parallel “mini” 1975 set being the standout example.

Major advances in card stock quality have occurred since the 1990s. The introduction of glossy sets and the use of Chromium paper made striking new printing techniques possible. Thicker and more durable card stock have produced a sturdiness that has allowed relic cards to serve as a reliable “frame” for the cherished authentic articles.

Printing Innovations and Other Changes

High quality photography became the norm for baseball cards in the 1960s, and things only got more interesting with the later introduction of lenticular printing techniques, which made the appearance of “depth” in card photography possible. This opened opened new avenues for design, with more high-tech printing innovation on the way.

In 1993, Topps’ “Baseball’s Finest” set was introduced as the first Refractor series. These cards are printed with a special technology that makes them reflect a prismatic light when held at the right angle, and they’re often printed in multiple variations that emphasize one color or another. The rarity and special quality of Refractor cards quickly made them a favorite of serious hobbyists. The introduction of 1-of-1 Superfractors in the 2010s added another dimension of desirability.

In 2012, Topps introduced its first digital line of cards with the Topps BUNT app. In the years since, these digital cards have become more interactive and dynamic. While printed cards are static, the digital format allows statistics to update in real-time, and traditional limitations on parallels and variants are removed. Various sports-themed NFT products have also entered the market, and the future looks bright for digital cards.

Technology, Cards, and Culture

If the impact of technology on card collecting could be summed up in one word, that word might be proliferation. Having mastered the new printing techniques and perfected its card stock, Topps continues to lead The Hobby. The introduction of variants, parallel sets, autos, platinum cards, and other innovative designs leave every collector wanting more. At the same time, hobbyists know they can look forward to a new Series 1 release every year.

Collecting cards began as an American hobby, but it is now a worldwide phenomenon. In terms of design, style, and presentation, almost every element has changed and been improved. Still, the essence of The Hobby remains the same: People enjoy chasing, and acquiring, the likenesses of their favorite athletes. Despite all of the upgrades in technology over the years, some things don’t need changing.

---

More Topps Office Hours

---