Collecting baseball cards is about as normal as you can get. Because if life gets hectic, it’s nice knowing at the end of the day you can sit down with a pack of baseball cards and have a quiet moment thumbing through its contents. The simple act of ripping into a fresh pack can be a welcome retreat from the noise of everyday life. Some find comfort in the nostalgia. Some are chasing the rush of unearthing a rare pull. The Topps Allen & Ginter series pushes the boundaries of traditional baseball trading cards, and it pushes in a good way. 

Allen and Ginter 1880.

Topps SnapdragonAllen & Ginter was a tobacco manufacturing company based in Richmond Virginia in the 1880s.  It was formed by the namesakes John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter. This company was the first to create and market the very first “Cigarette cards” for collecting and trading. These cards were initially used to stiffen cigarette packs, but they also documented the pop culture of the time. The cards typically featured athletes like baseball players and boxers, but also actors, actresses, costumes, and national flags as well.  In 2006 the American card company Topps revived the brand with a new perennial card line titled “Topps Allen & Ginter.” 

Magic feeling.

Allen & Ginters ExcaliburI remember the first Allen & Ginter pack I opened. I remember it because as I thumbed through the contents of MLB players, I was surprised to see a card of King Arthurs sword “Excalibur” sandwiched between Cardinals pitcher Jordan Hicks and the Astros Jeff Bagwell. This card is one of the “Incredible equipment” series in the unique line of cards. It has a brief description of the legendary weapon that was gifted to King Arthur by the great Wizard Merlin. This card is just one example of the unique cards that are available in the series. In addition, they created cards featuring birds, wild animals, Indian chiefs, flags from around the world, and more.

Something for everyone.

Topps Allen & Ginter EggThe non-baseball featured subjects play to the history of the cigarette cards, making the series all the more interesting. Among the curiosities, there is a card spotlighting a bale of hay, a fishing lure, and also a card featuring the “Worlds Champion” egg. That's right! A trading card featuring the egg that got more than 30 million likes on Instagram. The most valuable card of the set I could find featured a cup of coffee. That card is currently listed on eBay for $1,459.99! Because there is truly something for everyone,  the Topps Allen & Ginter's line of trading cards is awesome.

Allen & Ginter RiveraAside from the trading card curiosities in each pack, each Topps Allen & Ginter Hobby Box box offers the chance to score three hits. These “hits” can be in the form of relics, buybacks, autographs, or rip cards. Each Hobby box consists of 24 packs with 8 cards in each pack. Look for the 350 card 2021 Topps Allen & Ginter series to be released this summer on July 14th, 2021! Maybe you'll find the next big card!

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