Vintage Vault | Early George Washington Cards

America’s First President’s History in Cards

The Vintage Vault spotlight is on George Washington, our nation’s first president and a pivotal leader of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

As one of history’s most iconic figures, Washington has long been celebrated in the world of non-sports cards. He has been featured in card sets dating back to the 1860s, with cards issued in over 20 countries around the world.

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1869 L. Prang & Co.

This is technically classified as a CDV (Carte De Visite), but is treated as a card. On paper, they were first classified by Jefferson Burdick as a CDV set called “Presidents & Wives,” but newer beliefs in the non-sports space state that it should be classified as part of the larger set of L. Prang & Co. Prominent Characters, “Men of Times.” The reasoning is that very few presidents and their wives were part of this “set.” Only Washington, Lincoln, Johnson, and Grant. 

As of 2025, this is the earliest George Washington card that can be graded, since CDVs are not currently being accepted at major grading companies. That said, it is more than likely Washington has earlier issues.

1888 Allen and Ginter N15 and Great Generals

George Washington has two different Allen & Ginter cards issued in the late 1800s. One was part of the Great Generals set, and the other was part of the N51 Presidents Set. While the N51 is significantly rarer, for this article I decided to go with the N15, as in my opinion, it offers a significantly better design.

1888 Duke N112 Great Americans

In terms of non-sports trios, this has to be up there. George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John Hancock each played pivotal roles in securing America’s independence. The N112 set celebrates this legacy with a triple design, combining individual figures from the N76 Great Americans series into trio cards. 

While N76 cards can occasionally be challenging to find, they generally appear on the market once or twice a year. In contrast, N112 cards are far rarer, often boasting graded populations in the single digits. As such, even lower-condition cards can hold notable value.

Between the Acts & Bravo Presidents (N346)

Although not among the most expensive Washington cards, the Between the Acts & Bravo Presidents set has gained considerable traction over the past few years. Notably, this manufacturer also created the first tobacco card featuring an African-American athlete, Frank Hart, in 1880.

A recent trimmed copy sold for close to $288 on Fanatics Collect in December 2024. 

1890 N80 Duke Holidays

Before the 1980s, Presidents’ Day was known as Washington’s Birthday. While tobacco cards celebrating holidays are quite rare, Duke produced a unique set in 1890 featuring various holidays celebrated around the world.

1902 Ogden Guinea Gold C Series

This is the first George Washington card ever issued by a company from the United Kingdom. Ogden’s Guinea Gold cards share some similarities with Old Judge cards, featuring an extensive checklist and a wide variety of variants. The “C” sub-series in particular includes other notable figures, such as President Ulysses S. Grant and Napoleon.

1908 Colombos Cigarettes Royalty & Celebrities

Issued in Malta, a small island nation south of Italy, this set features an eclectic mix of historical figures, including Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Edison. The set’s checklist is divided into categories showcasing royalty, musicians, painters, writers, and inventors.

1911 T68 Heroes of History / Men of History

This iconic image of Washington crossing the Delaware can be found with a variety of different card backs. In this set, the rarer backs often command a premium. The backs include Royal Bengals, Miners Extra, Natural Leaf Scrap, and Pan Handle Soap.

1915 Susini

Susini was a prominent manufacturer of Cuban trading cards in the early 1900s. While the company primarily focused on non-sports cards, they also produced sports cards featuring iconic athletes such as Tris Speaker and George Hackenschmidt.

1932 Caramels

The ’32 Caramels set is a classic non-sports presidential series showcasing U.S. presidents from George Washington to Franklin D. Roosevelt. One of the standout cards in the set is the McKinley short print, regarded as one of the most valuable non-sports cards in the hobby.

The Washington card, like most others in the set (excluding McKinley), is available in three distinct color variants: red, blue, and orange. Out of the three colors, the blue is the toughest to source.

1952 Topps Look ‘N See

George Washington’s first card from Topps debuted in the 1952 Look ‘N See set. This set is a fascinating mix of historical figures, featuring everyone from Babe Ruth to Queen Elizabeth.

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