Rare 1947 Jackie Robinson Bond Bread cards attracting impressive bids on eBay

The year was 1947, and Jackie Robinson took the giant step of integrating Major League Baseball. The same year, the General Baking Co. showed its support by creating a series of Robinson cards to be packaged in bags of Bond Bread.

There were 13 different Robinson cards within the series. One of them features a striking close-up portrait of Jackie holding his well-worn first-baseman’s mitt in front of him. In early June, an ungraded example of that card turned up on eBay and sold for $15,000, despite creases and age spots evident in the listing photo.

Also See: Jackie Robinson cards tell story of one of baseball's most iconic players 

In recent months on eBay, other specimens of the same card for prices of:
• $5,200 (grade: PSA 2)

• $2,423 (PSA 1)

• $2,136 (also PSA 1).

Among the other 12 different Bond Bread cards of Robinson, one of them shows a full-body fielding pose where Jackie is stretching to take a throw at first base. On eBay recently, a PSA 3.5-graded version of that card sold for $7,677 on 60 bids.

Also See: Topps launches MLB Rickwood Field College as part of Negro Leagues celebration 

Another variation captures Jackie turning a double play at second base, jumping in the air with ball in hand and arm cocked. An example of this one—also graded PSA 3.5—sold on eBay for $5,375 on 43 bids.

Robinson proved from the beginning that he belonged. He batted .297 in 1947, stealing 29 bases and hitting 12 homers. Just like that, he was on his way to a Hall of Fame career.

PS: Baseball’s recent merging of statistics from pre-integration Negro leagues into all-time MLB stats affected Robinson. Thanks to his .375 season in 1945, when he played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League, Jackie’s overall career average jumped from .311 to .313 and his stolen-base total rose to an even 200. 

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