Hi everyone - I'm a longtime vintage sports collector with an interest in starting a significant vintage non-sports card collection. Clearly, T206, T3, Cracker Jack and Goodwin Champions are some key names in the vintage baseball card space. Here's my question - what are some of the key cards/sets/issues in the vintage non-sports world? This info will help get me oriented and started! Thanks for your help, and Happy New Year.

First thing is to pick an era. It's hard enough to work on one, splitting your efforts will bankrupt and frustrate you. You can compare the baseball sets to help decide. N-cards have the lithography and old-time photos of the Allen & Ginter and Old Judges. The T-cards are similar to T206 and such. Cards like Goudey and Sport Kings are similar to the gum cards of the 30's and 40's. The 50's and 60's are more modern like Topps and Bowman baseball.

unless you've got unlimited funds. TAKE A LOOK AT THE GALLERY LINK ON THE HOME PAGE. After finding an era and a style - get a guide - look on feeBay - jump in. Not all NS cards are expensive - while if you're into it some are - lots of room in every era. I'm partial to 19th century lithographs and not photographic CARDS (I do collect larger photographic advertising) because they are more representative of my tobacco as art theme. "N" cards can offer aesthetic beauty - historical significance - and sets that contain athletes AND their endeavors. Some of the early NS cards actually offer both - beauties and sports . Find sumptin you like - become an expert - buy the cards..... OR just buy the cards you like....

. . . I'd recommend you take a special look at the R cards from the 1930s, which combine attractiveness and collectibility . . . and in particular, have a close look at the obvious 'crossover' sets for sportcard collectors.  These allow you to build upon a base of knowledge you already have, and work on something a bit familiar but still different:

- R137 National Chicle Sky Birds

- R73 Goudey Indian Gum

- R114 US Caramel Presidents ( 'American Heroes Caramels' )

I love the Skybirds and Indians. But I have to admit that the Caramel Presidents are perhaps the most plain and unattractive set from all the 1930's, outside of strip cards.

I am curious as to what is meant by "significant" in the original posting. It seems to me that the best focus area(s) would depend on that.

from 80% Baseball, 20% Nonsports to a complete reverse, I'd agree with EVERYONE's sentiment above. My baseball collection was primarily pre-war into heavily 19th century. At first, I added Allen/Ginter non-sports issues like government buildings, editors, and a few others to the baseball and that quickly grew to about 20 of the A&G Sets. Then I branched over to Duke's and Kinney Horses and it grew from there. Once I started this forum, I saw the fantastic artwork of the 1930's sets and really began to love them as well. SO.....like Eric B said.....pick an era and start there. The gallery of sets that Dan has worked TIRELESSLY on along with a lot of editorial contributors and picture contributors is a fantastic way to look at a set and see what you might like to collect. If you like a certain topic like presidents, then there are dozens of sets to collect from all eras. Military sets are another good one. Animals, etc......lots of possibilities. I know other people are type collectors. Maybe a single example from the 'N' sets or 'R' sets would be a great way to get into it. I know people in the Baseball realm collect that way as well. Another good thing is to hit a big show and just look at and feel a bunch of stuff to see what hits you.