DID YOU KNOW #4 - Mayo Cut Plug - "N172"

Mayo Cut Plug Baseball Cards - The True Pioneers of the Hobby

An original Mayo Cut Plug baseball card, 1887

Before Topps, Bowman, or Upper Deck, there was Mayo Cut Plug. Produced in 1894 by the Mayo Tobacco Company, these early trading cards featured actual professional baseball players and were distributed as premiums in tobacco packs. They’re officially cataloged as the N300 set.

Each card measured approximately 2.5 x 3.75 inches and came in black-and-white portrait style, with the player's name and team printed in white across the front. The backs were typically blank or had simple Mayo branding, subtle, but now iconic.

Though often confused with the earlier N172 Old Judge set (which used sepia tones and came in 1887), Mayo Cut Plug is among the first to feature sharp, bold designs that feel like modern cards. And unlike the N172s, the Mayo cards focused on star power, including legends like Cap Anson, Amos Rusie, and John Ward.

Due to their age, fragile construction, and low survival rate, these cards are now incredibly rare. High-grade examples have sold for well over $100,000. Even lower-grade copies fetch thousands, especially if they feature Hall of Famers.

The Mayo Tobacco Company, based in Richmond, Virginia, was one of the most respected tobacco firms of its time. The cards they left behind have become far more valuable than the tobacco they once advertised.

In today’s collecting world, Mayo Cut Plug cards are the crown jewels for vintage baseball enthusiasts. They’re not just cardboard, they’re genuine artifacts of American sports history.

🧐 Ever seen one in person? Would you collect pre-war cards like this or stick to post-war icons?