A clear cut hockey card is a vintage hockey card that has been cut away from the obverse (the back) to reveal the entire front of the card. Some people also refer to these cards as “window” cards or “pop-up” cards. They usually have an edge that pops up when the card is closed, making it easy for the recipient to read the contents without bending over or leaning in close to the card. Thus, they are often used for advertising or for humorous purposes. They are a very collectable item, and because they are so hard to find in good condition, the value tends to increase over time.
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History
These cards have been around for a very long time, and there are records of them being used as early as the 1920s. However, they did not become popular until the 1950s and 1960s, when cut-away cards started becoming prominent on sports teams’ paraphernalia, especially hockey cards. The cutting away of the card to expose the front has become a sort of emblematic trademark for older cards. If you take a look at the history of cutaway cards, you will find that manufacturers started experimenting with this type of design around 1920, shortly after the sport became organized in its current form. This was a way to gain more space on the cards, as more people were putting collections of hockey cards on the shelves. As a result, the window cards you will see today were born.
Varieties
There are several varieties of clear cut hockey cards, each with its own unique look. Some of the more common ones are:
- 1929 Topps Football
- Topps 1941-1945 World Football
- Topps 1952-1957 Basketball
- Gemini Sports Cards
- Topps 1952-1957 Baseball
- McFarlane Canadian Football
- Topps 1952-1957 Hockey
- Terrace Park Sports
- Lambert & Co. Football
- Terrace Park Baseball
- AC/DC Football
Conditions
When talking about vintage hockey cards, especially those from the 1950s and 1960s, it is important to mention the fact that they are quite common for various collectors to pay more for them simply because they are vintage. This is usually the case with cards from that era because they were mass-produced and there are a lot of them out there. Thus, the value tends to increase as the years go by because there are fewer of them in good condition. It is also quite common for cards to deteriorate due to age, water damage, or even just normal wear and tear. This is why it is so important to always buy old, but otherwise good-condition cards whenever you can. This will make a massive difference in the value that you will receive when you decide to sell them in the future.
Appearance
As I mentioned, these cards are quite common and there are a lot of them out there, so it is quite easy for you to find examples from any era. They usually measure about an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half in height, with the edge being the same size. Although there are no specific dimensions that define a clear cut card, as a general rule of thumb, try to look for taller cards with a longer edge. This will make a massive difference in terms of how it looks when the card is popped up. Typically, the longer the edge, the more room there is for writing and/or putting a logo on the card. In terms of shape, most of them are rectangular in shape, though there are a couple of variations of this theme, including:
- Ralphin American Football
- Gemini 1952-1957 Football
- Lambert & Co. 1952-1957 Football
- AC/DC Football
- Topps 1952-1957 Basketball
- Terrace Park Sports
- Terrace Park Baseball
- Lambert & Co. Football
Value
This is quite difficult to quantify, but if you want to go by how much these cards sold for in the past, then it is quite easy to do. If you look at eBay, for example, you will be able to see how much a particular card, or group of them, sold for simply because they are vintage. As a general rule of thumb, try to look for cards that were issued between the 1920s and 1950s, preferably before the 1960s because after that time, it became quite difficult to find a deck that does not have a hologram on the face of a sports figure. This is because that was when they started using them prominently on cards and other sports paraphernalia as a way to make the card more authentic and add more value to it. In simpler terms, try to look for cards that were issued between the 1920s and 1950s, preferably before the 1960s because after that time, it became quite difficult to find a deck that does not have a hologram on the face of a sports figure. This is because that was when they started using them prominently on cards and other sports paraphernalia as a way to make the card more authentic and add more value to it.
Who Should Buy Them?
These cards are quite easy to find and there is a wide audience of people who could benefit from them. Due to their general popularity and ease of accessibility, many beginners could find themselves collecting them simply because they are vintage, yet there are also some more experienced collectors who buy them for a specific reason. Usually, these reasons have to do with the unique stories that some of these cards tell. Some of the more common ones are: