CSG Certifies Stunning Group of Extremely Rare 1910 Baseball Cards

Recently, Certified Sports Guaranty® (CSG®) had the pleasure of certifying 26 rarities from the pre-war baseball card era. Originally inserted into caramel candies in the early 1900s, the stunning group of 1910 E98 Set of 30 cards are remarkable not only for their advanced age, but also their scarcity, quantity and quality.

The cards include a Ty Cobb with a Red Background graded CSG 9.5 that embodies the quality of the group. The card of one of baseball’s most legendary players is arguably the most desirable of this set. Examples in similar condition have sold for tens of thousands of dollars.

1910 E98 Set of 30 Ty Cobb Red graded CSG 9.5. Click images to enlarge.

The 1910 E98 Set of 30 consists of cards of popular baseball players from the early 20th century, including 17 Hall of Famers. Names like Connie Mack, Hans Wagner (known to most as Honus Wagner), Hal Chase and many more are found within the 30-card set. Every card comes with the same reverse image, which lists all 30 players in the set along with the city where they played and whether they were in the American or National League.

1910 E98 Set of 30 Hans Wagner Red graded CSG 8. Click images to enlarge.

The group includes two Wagner cards, one with a Red Background graded CSG 8 and one with a Green Background graded CSG 8.5. Cards in the set also came with orange and blue backgrounds, but nearly all of the ones in the group graded by CSG have red backgrounds. The cards are small at only 2 ¾ by 1 ½ inches, but the colors and simple design make these old caramel cards eye-catching despite their diminutive size.

1910 E98 Set of 30 Hans Wagner Green graded CSG 8.5. Click images to enlarge.

To this day, the cards are a bit of a mystery, which adds to the allure of the set. Indeed, they are also known as the “Anonymous Set of 30” since the manufacturer is still unknown. Interest in the 1910 E98 Set of 30 peaked in 2012 when a family in the Midwest came across their grandfather’s huge collection tucked away in his attic. It was one of the most important finds in the history of sports card collecting.

TOP LEFT: 1910 E98 Set of 30 Chief Bender Red graded CSG 9.5. TOP RIGHT: 1910 E98 Set of 30 Chief Meyers Red graded CSG 9.5. BOTTOM LEFT: 1910 E98 Set of 30 Hal Chase Red graded CSG 9. BOTTOM RIGHT: 1910 E98 Set of 30 Connie Mack Red graded CSG 7. Click images to enlarge.

With the addition of this group, the CSG Population Report now contains 29 cards from the 1910 E98 set. The 26 new additions are each graded at least CSG 4.5. However, 20 out of the 26 are graded at least CSG 7 or higher, with an astounding 10 cards receiving a grade of CSG 9 or higher.

The 26 1910 E98 Baseball Cards recently certified by CSG are:

• Al Bridwell (Red) graded CSG 4.5
• Bill Dahlen (Green) graded CSG 5
• Chief Bender (Red) graded CSG 9.5
• Chief Meyers (Red) graded CSG 9.5
• Connie Mack (Red) graded CSG 7
• Cy Young (Red) graded CSG 6.5
• Eddie Collins (Red) graded CSG 8
• Frank Chance (Red) graded CSG 9
• Fred Clarke (Red) graded CSG 9
• Fred Tenny (Red) graded CSG 8.5
• George Mullin (Red) graded CSG 7
• Hal Chase (Red) graded CSG 9
• Hans Wagner (Red) graded CSG 8
• Hans Wagner (Green) graded CSG 8.5
• Harry Davis (Red) graded CSG 4.5
• Hippo Vaughn (Red) graded CSG 9
• Jack Coombs (Red) graded CSG 9
• John McGraw (Red) graded CSG 6.5
• Johnny Evers (Red) graded CSG 8.5
• Johnny Kling (Red) graded CSG 9
• Larry McLean (Red) graded CSG 8
• Miner Brown (Red) graded CSG 7
• Red Dooin (Red) graded CSG 7.5
• Roger Bresnahan (Red) graded CSG 9
• Russ Ford (Red) graded CSG 7
• Ty Cobb (Red) graded CSG 9.5