1888 · Pre-war tobacco · Tobacco card
1888 Baines & Company Football Shields
Source-linked vintage soccer set record
Early British football tobacco issue; issuer, club treatment, reverse advertising, and dimensions are central evidence.
Condition evidence to document
Capture the full front and reverse, including all edges and corners, under neutral light. Record visible evidence before storage, sale, trade, grading, or a physical service inquiry.
Apex service-prep boundary
Apex may review collector-presentation, imaging, preservation, or submission-support options based on the individual card and your stated goal. Any cleaning, conditioning, recovery, or pressing question must be assessed card by card and can involve grading or alteration risk. No database entry promises a physical result, grade improvement, value outcome, or acceptance by a grading company.
Research sources