Strip & Exhibit (W-Cards)

Jefferson Burdick, the creator of the American Card Catalog, classified both Strip Cards and Exhibit Cards under the ‘W’ designation, which he referred to as ‘Album Cards’. 

Strip cards (cataloged in the W500s) were typically issued in uncut strips and sold at various penny candy or convenience-type stores throughout the 1920s and ’30s. The cards were cut from the strip and handed to customers. 

Thus, strip cards typically have rough border cuts. Grading companies will give any strip cards that don’t have the regular borders intact an ‘Authentic’ grade. 

Also included in the ‘Album’ or W category are exhibit cards (cataloged in the W400s). These oversized postcard-like issues were sold in vending machines at vending machines in arcades and amusement parks.

Both strip cards and Exhibit cards tend to sell at a discount versus other more popular tobacco, gum, or candy issues and thus represent a more affordable way for collectors to pick up names of big-name players for less. 

Here, we list some of the more popular Strip and Exhibit issues. The profiles on each set have not been completed, but we are continually working to complete these.

Featured Resources:

A Collector’s Guide To Prewar Strip Cards

Exhibit Cards: A Comprehensive Guide

Strip Card Baseball Sets

Exhibit and Other W-Card Baseball Sets