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Allen & Ginter

Allen & Ginter is the Richmond tobacco firm whose 1880s World’s Champions cards are among the most collected pre-war issues.

1875–1890 United States Richmond, Virginia, USA
Sports cardsEntertainment & non-sportBaseball
Image gallery (8) Pre-grade a card
1888 Allen & Ginter San Francisco City Flags TOBACCO Card Cigarettes RARE
1888 Allen & Ginter San Francisco City Flags TOBACCO Card Cigarettes RARE

Allen & Ginter at a glance

Allen & Ginter is the Richmond tobacco firm whose 1880s World’s Champions cards are among the most collected pre-war issues.

Full history, sources and grading notes below. Last verified · Published · Confidence: Medium

Company history

Tobacco-era cards[1][2]

Allen & Ginter was a Richmond tobacco manufacturer that inserted advertising cards into cigarette packs. Its World’s Champions series covered baseball, boxing, wrestling and other sports alongside non-sport subjects. The cards are small, beautifully lithographed and highly condition-sensitive.

The Topps revival[2][3]

Topps revived Allen & Ginter in 2006 as a modern set built around the original brand identity. The modern product mixes baseball with non-sport subjects, mini parallels and framed autographs, but the original 1880s cards remain the benchmark for collectors of the name.

Timeline

Dated milestones with a source for each event. Hover a marker for the short label; the list below carries the detail.

Allen & Ginter timeline
Allen & Ginter timelineDated milestones in the history of Allen & Ginter.1875: Company foundedCompany founded18751887: World’s ChampionsWorld’s Champions18871888: N28 baseballN28 baseball18881890: Original production endsOriginal production…18902006: Topps revivalTopps revival2006
View timeline events
YearEventDetail
1875Company foundedAllen & Ginter begins producing tobacco advertising cards.
1887World’s ChampionsThe World’s Champions series becomes one of the era’s defining card issues.
1888N28 baseballAllen & Ginter issues one of the first dedicated baseball card sets.
1890Original production endsThe original tobacco-card era closes.
2006Topps revivalTopps reintroduces Allen & Ginter as a modern brand.
  1. 1875
    Company founded[1]

    Allen & Ginter begins producing tobacco advertising cards.

  2. 1887
    World’s Champions[2]

    The World’s Champions series becomes one of the era’s defining card issues.

  3. 1888
    N28 baseball[2]

    Allen & Ginter issues one of the first dedicated baseball card sets.

  4. 1890
    Original production ends[1]

    The original tobacco-card era closes.

  5. 2006
    Topps revival[3]

    Topps reintroduces Allen & Ginter as a modern brand.

Brand identity

Image archive

Local, provenance-recorded images. Captions and source credits are part of the record; a missing section is shown as an explicit gap rather than filled with a placeholder.

Card fronts & backs

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1888 Allen & Ginter San Francisco City Flags TOBACCO Card Cigarettes RARE
Card fronts · 18881888 Allen & Ginter San Francisco City Flags TOBACCO Card Cigarettes RAREeBay listing image
2023 Allen & Ginter Mini A&G Back 308 Vladimir Guerrero Expos Baseball Card
Card backs · 20232023 Allen & Ginter Mini A&G Back 308 Vladimir Guerrero Expos Baseball CardeBay listing image
1887 ALLEN & GINTER N28, THE WORLD'S CHAMPIONS, 1ST SERIES THEO BAUER (RARE NMT) — reverse.
Card backs · 18871887 ALLEN & GINTER N28, THE WORLD'S CHAMPIONS, 1ST SERIES THEO BAUER (RARE NMT) — reverse.eBay listing image
Carlton Fisk 2026 Topps Allen & Ginter 5 Card Mini Lot Black Border A&G Back #18
Card backs · 2026Carlton Fisk 2026 Topps Allen & Ginter 5 Card Mini Lot Black Border A&G Back #18eBay listing image
1888 N2 TOBACCO CARD Allen & Ginter American Indian Chiefs CLAM FISH warm spring
Card fronts · 18881888 N2 TOBACCO CARD Allen & Ginter American Indian Chiefs CLAM FISH warm springeBay listing image
1888 N2 TOBACCO CARD Allen & Ginter American Indian Chiefs GREAT BEAR delaware
Card fronts · 18881888 N2 TOBACCO CARD Allen & Ginter American Indian Chiefs GREAT BEAR delawareeBay listing image

Advertising & ephemera

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Allen & Ginter — lead image from Wikipedia (Allen_ginter_smoker_figure.png).
Ads & ephemeraAllen & Ginter — lead image from Wikipedia (Allen_ginter_smoker_figure.png).Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons

Notable sets

Notable sets
YearSetWhy it mattersSource
18871887 Allen & Ginter World’s ChampionsA landmark multi-sport tobacco-card series.[2]
18881888 N28 Allen & GinterOne of the earliest dedicated baseball card sets.[2]

Grading notes

How this manufacturer's stock, cutting and production method affect the four grading pillars.

Fragile stock[2]

Tobacco-era cards are thin and brittle; creases, edge tears and back damage are common and heavily penalised.

Centring[1]

Nineteenth-century cutting was imprecise. Centring is judged on the printed frame, and skewed cuts are normal.

How to identify Allen & Ginter cards

1880s[1]

The Allen & Ginter name and Richmond address appear on the back; the small card size and lithographic finish are distinctive.

Modern[1]

Modern Allen & Ginter cards carry the Topps logo and a modern copyright line, with mini parallels and framed autographs.

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Frequently asked questions

When did Allen & Ginter start making cards?

Allen & Ginter began issuing cards in 1875.

Who owns Allen & Ginter now?

Allen & Ginter is defunct; its brand assets have changed hands over time.

What is Allen & Ginter known for?

Allen & Ginter is the Richmond tobacco firm whose 1880s World’s Champions cards are among the most collected pre-war issues.

Sources & methodology

Every factual claim in the profile is tied to the numbered sources below. Translated sources are tagged with their original language. Media provenance is recorded per image; images are stored locally and credited to their source.

  1. Wikipedia: Allen & Ginter (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)
  2. PSA CardFacts: 1888 Allen & Ginter (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)
  3. Topps: Allen & Ginter (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)

Unverified or incomplete

  • Text-first draft; media, design evolution and people/place sections are pending.

Cite this profile

PreGradeCards Research. “Allen & Ginter.” Card Manufacturers Directory. Last verified 2026-11-07. https://pregradecards.com/manufacturers/allen-and-ginter

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