Long regarded as one of the most difficult sets to collect, the 1914 Cracker Jack cards are as stunning as they are scarce. The set’s name comes from the fact that in 1914, original baseball cards were included in every Cracker Jack package. However, unlike the second iteration of the set in 1915 – which had a redemption plan – the only way to find 1914 Cracker Jacks was in the boxes.
According to a description of the 1914 Cracker Jack set on PSA’s website: “Each card that found its way into the Cracker Jack boxes was subjected to a host of condition obstacles. The cards bounced around inside the box, covered by an avalanche of candied corn and peanuts. As the temperature rose, the contents became stickier and more hazardous to the trading cards enclosed with the sweet and gooey treats. As a result, the 1914 Cracker Jack issue is terribly difficult to find in high-grade today.”
Many of the 1914 Cracker Jack cards are difficult to find in any grade today, and the #103 Joe Jackson offered here is no exception. Just 43 examples of the card are found in PSA’s entire population, putting Shoeless Joe’s Cracker Jack right up there with the T206 Honus Wagner when it comes to scarcity. The Jackson Cracker Jack also stands out due to its eye-popping design, featuring the infamous slugger in a strong batting pose against a vivid red backdrop. The smile on Jackson’s face speaks to a more innocent time prior to the Black Sox scandal.
The card offered here was freshly graded a Fair 1.5 by PSA just a couple of months ago, making this particular example new to the hobby. The opportunity to procure a PSA-graded 1914 Cracker Jack Jackson does not come around often, so this lot is sure to be a welcome sight for all vintage card collectors.