The 1921 Exhibit cards were large photographic postcards dispensed from penny arcade vending machines made by Chicago’s Exhibit Supply Company. Featuring 64 players - including 20 Hall of Famers - the set represents one of the earliest standalone baseball card issues in the lull between the tobacco and gum eras and marks the beginning of the long-running Exhibit card line that remained part of the hobby for decades.
I picked up the Ruth a few years ago because I didn’t have any cards of the Babe at the time, and Exhibit cards seemed undervalued. Once I got that one though, I started looking into the rest of the set. It really is a striking issue, and some of the photos are absolutely gorgeous - to me they’re closer to photographic art than typical baseball cards.
I’m fortunate to already have most of the pricier cards, so now I’m thinking I might try to track down all of the Hall of Famers.
I can already hear my wife’s eye-roll: "Great… another set you want to complete."
