1968 Topps Posters (R414-50-C)

Basic Features

Topps unveiled a distinctive series comprising 24 player posters, which were distributed solely through wax packs. These posters displayed dimensions of 9 3/4" x 18 1/8", and their folded format resulted in numerous visible crease marks across the surface. Unfortunately, it somewhat diminished the poster's appeal and didn't enhance its collectibility. The design featured one player representing each team. the number of the poster is on the bottom left.

Chicago Cubs 1968 Topps Posters Checklist

Number	Player
Cubs
21	Ron Santo
Sox
13	Gary Peters

1976 Motorola Old Timers

Number of Cards

Motorola Old Timers Cards has 11 baseball cards which there are 2 Chicago Cubs players and 1 Sox

Size of Cards

The size of the cards measures: 2 1/2″ by 3 1/2″

Basic Features

Mike Cramer began his career by launching several releases featuring baseball legends. He was hired by Motorola to created this distinctive set, drawing photographs from his personal archive that were bundled with gum and handed out during the 1976 Motorola Convention. Crafted from parchment cardstock, these cards have a notably fragile construction.

Each card's front showcases a warm sepia-toned photograph of the player positioned within a centered oval frame. Surrounding this oval is a white border displaying the player's name and a memorable career achievement. A promotional message occupies a white section at the card's base. On the reverse side, you'll find Motorola product details, with each card highlighting unique offerings. For instance, Card 5 featuring Mordecai Brown advertises a complimentary Data Book set, while Card 6 showcasing Ray Schalk promotes a free Motorola CMOS Data Book. (Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor)

Chicago Cubs 1976 Motorola Old Timers Checklist

Number	Player
Cubs
5	Mordecai Brown
11	Frank Chance
Sox
6	Ray Schalk

The primary reason I included this unconventional set on my blog is that it showcases several Hall of Fame players from a bygone era.

1969–71 Fleer Quiz Cards Inserts

Issued over a nine-year period from 1969 to 1977, the Fleer Baseball Cloth Patches were packaged each year with a card that served as a stiffener, although the packs do not acknowledge the cards. Remarkably, the stiffeners may hold more collectible value than the patches themselves.

Number of Cards

1969–71 Fleer Quiz Cards has 21 cards in 1969 Pennants and Stamps and 28 in 1970-71, which includes 3 total Cubs cards 1 for each year.

Size of Cards

The size measure 2" x 4"

Basic Features

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Fleer baseball card packs included cloth team patches. Because these patches could easily become bent or damaged inside the wax packs, Fleer added a cardboard insert to help protect them.

While the basic concept remained the same each year—a team logo paired with baseball trivia—the designs and layouts changed slightly from year to year. As a result, collectors distinguish between the 1969, 1970, and 1971 versions when assembling complete Fleer patch and insert collections.

1969 wax pack that included Quiz Card Insert:

Chicago Cubs 1969–71 Fleer Quiz Cards Inserts Checklist

Player

1969- three questions and a Cubs logo with a small "UBS"

1970- only two questions and "UBS" was larger

1971- three questions same logo as 70

1973 Sports Scoop National Baseball HOF Nominee (M-unc)

Number of Cards

1973 Sports Scoop set consists of 16 cards, featuring 1 players from the Cubs and Sox.

Size of Cards

The cards are approximately 3 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Basic Features

*Sports Scoop* was an avocational publication devoted to celebrating baseball history and advocating for deserving players whose Hall of Fame cases had been overlooked or undervalued. The present collection showcases a selection of these distinguished players. George Burke of Chicago, a photographer who documented baseball players spanning from the early 1900s through the 1940s, served as the official photographer for the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and the National Football League's Chicago Bears. Studio photographer Jim Rowe subsequently utilized these negatives to create this collection.

1973 Sports Scoop National HOF Nominee Chicago Cubs + Sox Checklist

Player

Fred Lindstrom VAR - Chicago Cubs

Joe Jackson - Chicago White Sox

Fred Lindstrom is represented by three distinct variations within this collection. This assemblage potentially played a role in facilitating his path toward Hall of Fame induction in 1976.




This photograph does not represent Shoeless Joe at his finest. The fact that he has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame constitutes a genuine travesty.

1921-22 Clark’s Bread (D381-2)

Collectible sets from this historical period largely do not align with contemporary Topps collecting standards, which emphasize parallels, short prints, and insert cards. Consequently, most collectors show minimal interest in cards exceeding one hundred years in age. Notable exceptions exist within tobacco card sets, which maintain considerable popularity, along with select gum card releases. Nevertheless, these posts featuring vintage cards serve an important purpose for emerging and aspiring enthusiasts, offering comprehensive insight into the diverse history of baseball's most iconic franchise and stadium. As time progresses and circumstances evolve, the longevity of these archival blogs remains uncertain.

Number of Cards

The 1921-22 Clark’s Bread set consists of 80 cards, featuring 13 players from the Cubs including variations.

Size of Cards

The cards are approximately 2″ x 3 1/4″

Basic Features

The W575-1 family genre showcases another distinctive variant featuring a striking black-and-white portrait of the athlete, with their name, position, and team affiliation displayed prominently at the bottom. Collectors remain divided on its origins, with some dating it to 1921 while others argue for 1922—though 1921 appears more likely. The reverse side displays a prominent Clark's Bread advertisement that invites enthusiasts to explore all three varieties of Clark's Bread offerings: Family Bread, American Maid, and Kleen Maid. The campaign concludes with the memorable slogan, "Pure, Clean and Wholesome."

1921-22 Clark’s Bread (D381-2) Chicago Cubs Checklist

Player

Grover C. Alexander Arms Above Head

Grover Alexander Right Arm Forward

Charles Deal Dark Uniform

Charles Deal Light Uniform

Johnny Evers Manager

Johnny Evers Mgr.

Charles Hollacher

Bill Killefer Corrected

Bill Killifer Misspelled

Zeb Terry

George Tyler

Jim Vaughn Dark Hat

Jim Vaughn White Hat

Killefer's reputation as a defensive force was particularly pronounced during the distinctive Deadball Era, a period when his exceptional skills truly shone through. The American Baseball Research organization's comprehensive analysis crowned Killefer as the most dominant and authoritative fielding catcher to ever take the field in major league baseball

Misspelled - Corrected:

1966 Bazooka + Panels (R414-43)

This marks the conclusion of the final installment in this chapter of the Bazooka collection. Throughout my collecting journey, food-associated merchandise has remained my primary focus, encompassing everything from breakfast cereals to candy and chewing gum products. The majority of these items are available at very accessible price points. I trust this will inspire numerous aspiring collectors to begin their own pursuit of these pieces.

Number of Cards

1966 Bazooka has 48 cards with 2 Cub players.

Size of Cards

The size of the hand cut cards measure approximately 1-9/16" by 2-1/2" panels each measure 2-3/4" by 5-1/2""



To ensure you don't purchase a counterfeit piece of history, always obtain a professionally graded card from a trusted seller. Graded cards are expected to appreciate significantly in value over time.

Basic Features

The 1966 Bazooka set features blank-backed, numbered cards that were released in panels of three on the reverse side of Bazooka bubble gum boxes. This set can be identified from earlier editions by the inscription "48 card set" located at the bottom of each card. Complete panels or entire boxes are likely to fetch a higher price than the standard rates.

Chicago Cubs 1966 Bazooka Checklist

Number	Player
39	Ron Santo
48	Billy Williams
1966 Bazooka Panel
37/38/39	Jim Grant / Pete Rose / Ron Santo
46/47/48	Al Kaline / Eddie Fisher / Billy Williams

1973-74 Linnett Portraits (W-unc)

Number of Cards

Linnett Portraits Cards has 179 baseball cards which there are 10 Chicago Cubs

Size of Cards

The size of the cards measures 8 1/2" by 11"

Basic Features

Charles Linnett’s charcoal portrait series captures celebrated players in a striking, expressive style. Each drawing features a detailed facial portrait, accompanied by the player’s replica autograph in the lower-right corner. The reverse of every portrait is blank.

The portraits were originally packaged in clear plastic packets, with each packet containing three players from the same team.

Chicago Cubs 1973-74 Linnett Portraits Checklist

Patch

Bill Bonham No Name

Bill Bonham Name Printed on front

Jose Cardenal

Don Kessinger

Bob Locker

Rick Monday

Ron Santo

Steve Stone

Billy Williams No Name

Billy Williams Name Printed on front

1888 Base Ball Playing Cards (Wg-1)

Number of Cards

1888 Base Ball Playing Cards has 72 baseball cards which there are 9 Chicago White Stockings players

Size of Cards

The size of the cards measures 2 1/2" by 3 1/2"

Basic Features

The front of each card features a colorful illustration of the player, along with his name, position, and the result of the game linked to that specific card. The backs of the cards are uniform, displaying a blue geometric graphic design. There is no existing documentation on the gameplay itself.

Chicago Cubs 1888 Base Ball Playing Cards Checklist

Player

Cap Anson

Tom Burns

Silver Flint

Bob Pettit

Fred Pfeffer

Jimmy Ryan

Marty Sullivan

George Van Haltren

Ned Williamson

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1970 Fleer Iron-Ons+Major League Patches (R418-unc)

Issued over a nine-year period from 1969 to 1977, the Fleer Baseball Cloth Patches were packaged each year with a card that served as a stiffener, although the packs do not acknowledge the cards. Remarkably, the stiffeners may hold more collectible value than the patches themselves.

Number of Cards

1970 Fleer MLB Patches has 50 patches, which there are 2 Cubs logos.

Size of Cards

The size measure 2 1/2" x 3 1/4"

Basic Features

Distributed by Fleer, these patches come with a square decal featuring the team logo, alongside a rectangular decal that includes the team's name as it appears on their uniform, applicable to each of the 24 MLB teams. These decals are somewhat challenging to find. Moreover, an insert titled 1970 Fleer Official Major League Patches - Quiz Cards is included in every package as a stabilize.

Chicago Cubs 1970 Fleer Iron-Ons+Major League Patches Checklist

Number of Cards

1970 Fleer Iron-Ons has 16 differant team Iron-Ons , including the Cubs.

Size of Cards

The size measure 2" x 4"

Basic Features

Each pack was priced at 5 cents and included 3 iron-ons, a card with application instructions, and a stick of gum. Iron-Ons were a popular collectible among children, offering them a way to enjoy themselves and unleash their creativity. Therefore, some of these items might be difficult to find again, but that’s what makes collecting exciting. Most team logos were altered from the 1969 version, but the Cubs' logo appears to be almost identical.

Patch

square logo patch

rectangular monogram patch

Quiz Cards

Cubs

1970 Fleer Iron-Ons

Chicago Cubs Logo

Chicago Cubs Script

1889 E R.Williams Card Game (Wg-Unc)

Number of Cards

1889 Egerton & Williams has 19 baseball cards which there are 4 Chicago White Stockings players

Size of Cards

The size of the cards measures 2-7/16" by 3-1/2"

Basic Features

This collection consists of 52 playing cards, showcasing colorful illustrations of players—one depicted at the top and another at the bottom—divided by a crossed bat. The "non-player" cards serve as straightforward game cards that indicate a specific move. Backs picture a generic player printed in green ink.

Shout out to Chicken Wolf:

This collection highlights a player referred to as Chicken Wolf. One must truly value the traditional nicknames from earlier times! Furthermore, I acknowledge that there is a player on the present San Diego team who deserves that nickname, although I will refrain from mentioning any names.

Chicago Cubs 1889 Egerton & Williams Checklist

Number	Player
4	John Tener
11	Fred Pfeffer / Chicken Wolf
15	Cap Anson
17	Ned Williamson

1895 Mayo's Cut Plug (N300)

To improve clarity, particularly for younger audiences, this article discusses the various names associated with the Cubs franchise, specifically focusing on the Chicago Colts (1890–1897). During this time, tobacco products were widely used. The 1895 Mayo's Cut Plug Baseball Cards (N300) contained 48 different players, including 3 from the Chicago Colts. The cards are sized at 2 7/8" x 1 5/8" and are unnumbered. They feature a sepia-toned portrait of the player, surrounded by a distinctive black border. The player's name is displayed at the top of the frame, while an advertisement stating "For Chewing and Smoking" appears at the bottom of the card. All N300 cards have blank black backs.

• Chicago Cubs (1903–present)
• Chicago Orphans (1898–1902)
• Chicago Colts (1890–1897)
• Chicago White Stockings (1871–1889)

Due to the scarcity of sets in this timeframe, Colts cards tend to be quite costly.

To ensure you don't purchase a counterfeit piece of history, always obtain a professionally graded card from a trusted seller. Graded cards are expected to appreciate significantly in value over time.

Inside the large metal "lunchpail" tins of Mayo's Cut Plug Tobacco, a card and the tobacco were packaged together. The tobacco is bitten to form a plug, allowing the user to let the cured tobacco gradually dissolve in their mouth, which seems rather unappealing. Alternatively, it could be cut for pipe smoking, but during baseball games, it was often chewed and spat all over the field.

Chicago Cubs 1895 Mayo's Cut Plug Checklist

Player

Cap Anson

William Dahlen

Jimmy Ryan