The 10 Most Valuable Shoeless Joe Jackson Baseball Cards

Born in 1887 and passing away in 1951, Shoeless Joe Jackson’s real name was Joseph Jefferson Jackson. He earned his nickname ‘Shoeless Joe’ after playing barefoot during a game in his youth due to a pair of shoes that hurt his feet. Jackson is regarded as one of the most talented yet controversial figures in baseball history.

Although his career was overshadowed by the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, he holds a unique place in the world of baseball cards due to his sporting legacy. Starting in 1909, he appeared in numerous card sets, especially during the golden age of caramel, gum, and promotional cards.

The value of trading cards depends on the condition of the card. The values listed may differ from an appraiser’s quote. All metrics were compiled by Collectibles.com.

10 1940 Play Ball #225 Shoeless Joe Jackson

The 1940 Play Ball set features baseball stars from the 1930s and early 1940s. Play Ball released several sets between 1939 and 1941, with the 1940 set being one of the most notable. This set includes 240 cards, each with a black-and-white photo of the player on the front and the player’s statistics and brief biography on the back.

Superstars like Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio are also included. While the design is simple, the cards are impactful, and finding a set in good condition is incredibly rare. By 1940, Joe Jackson had already become a cultural figure, despite the lingering shadow of the Black Sox scandal.

9 1917 Collins-McCarthy (E135) #82 Joe Jackson

This antique set is one of the most important pieces from the early era of American candy and card collecting, and it falls into the caramel card category. The 200-card E135 set features black-and-white photo cards of baseball players. It is extremely rare and highly valued by collectors.

Released during the World War I era and distributed mainly on the West Coast, its limited circulation makes it even more desirable. The year 1917 marks a time when Joe Jackson was still actively playing. It was also the season he won a championship with the Chicago White Sox. This card predates the Black Sox scandal and is considered a memento of his “clean” era.

8 1916 Sporting News (M101-4) #87 Joe Jackson

This set was published by The Sporting News and includes a total of 200 cards. Typically distributed as newspaper promotions or advertisements, the Joe Jackson card in this set features a black-and-white photo of him on the front. While the set’s most famous card is Babe Ruth’s rookie, the Joe Jackson card is also highly valuable.

Surviving for over a century, well-preserved examples are extremely rare, and even PSA 1 grades can command high prices. At the time, Jackson had just completed his first full season with the Chicago White Sox after transferring from the Cleveland Naps and was considered one of the era’s top hitters.

7 1911 Pinkerton Cabinets (T5) #616 Joe Jackson

This set is named after the promotional materials distributed by Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency. Printed in black and white, the set includes legendary players such as Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, and Nap Lajoie. It is generally considered a 120-card set and features oversized cabinet-style cards. Joe Jackson was playing for the Cleveland Naps during this period.

Prior to that, he had briefly signed with the Philadelphia Athletics before transferring to Cleveland. In 1911, Jackson posted an astonishing .408 batting average, establishing himself as one of the most feared hitters of the era. His card is among the most desirable in the set.

While the set is often cited as having around 120 cards, the exact number is unknown. Some estimates suggest there may be more than 300 unique subjects across various back variations and photo formats, making the complete checklist uncertain.

6 1917 Boston Store (H801-8) #82 Joe Jackson

This set was distributed by a department store chain known as Boston Store. Similar card designs were also printed by other regional retailers of the time, and these types of sets are often collectively referred to as the 1917 issue. The cards feature real black-and-white photographs, reflecting photographic print aesthetics rather than the artistic styles common in earlier sets.

The back of the card carries the Boston Store advertisement, classifying it as a regional promotional item. Due to limited distribution, these cards are quite rare, and high-grade examples are difficult to find. This particular Joe Jackson card shows him in his Chicago White Sox uniform during the 1917 championship season.

5 1916 Successful Farming #NNO Joe Jackson

This set is a rare and lesser-known baseball card series, named after a popular American farming magazine of the time. Unlike other commercial card sets of the era, these cards were distributed through a magazine publication. The cards typically feature black-and-white photographs and are presented in a simple format.

The 200-card set includes informative text on the back. Representing a unique intersection of popular culture and rural publishing in 1910s America, the Joe Jackson card from this set was issued during a time when he was still considered one of MLB’s most productive hitters. In 1916, Jackson continued to wear the Chicago White Sox uniform as one of the team’s most dependable stars.

4 1914 Boston Garter (H813-2) #6 Joe Jackson

This set was produced by the Boston Garter company, a manufacturer of garters, and was intended as a promotional item to be displayed in store windows. As such, these are more advertising pieces than traditional trading cards. The set contains a total of 12 cards and features outstanding color illustrations.

The back of the card lists all players included in the set. The year 1914 was still part of Joe Jackson’s tenure with the Cleveland Naps, as he would not join the Chicago White Sox until the 1915 season. His card depicts his graceful batting stance and technique, portraying him not only as an athlete but also as a figure of early American advertising aesthetics.

3 1909 American Caramel E90-1 #NNO Shoeless Joe Jackson

This set is one of the most iconic and important releases from the early 1900s, known as the caramel era of baseball card collecting. Produced by the American Caramel Company, the cards were distributed with candy products. The set includes 120 cards featuring legendary players such as Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Cy Young, and Christy Mathewson.

Many players received their first-ever cards in this set, giving it a strong rookie card reputation. Joe Jackson’s card is among his earliest known issues and is considered a rookie card. In 1909, he briefly played for the Philadelphia Athletics and had yet to make his mark in the major leagues.

This card is the earliest known card of Jackson, and therefore, it is considered his rookie card.

2 1914 Cracker Jack (E145) #103 Shoeless Joe Jackson

The cards in this set were inserted into boxes of Cracker Jack caramel popcorn. With 144 different cards, the set features images or portraits of baseball players placed against a vivid red background. The back of each card includes a short biography of the player.

Since they came directly from food packages, many of these cards show caramel stains or stickiness, making clean examples quite rare. The Shoeless Joe Jackson card is one of the most valuable and sought-after in the set. As a food promotion that appealed to both collectors and children, it left a lasting mark on American culture. Jackson batted .338 that season and was among the league’s top hitters.

The card features Joe Jackson with the ‘Cleveland Americans,’ a term that was occasionally used during the time, although the official team name in 1915 was Cleveland Indians. The ‘Cleveland Americans’ name appears on this particular card, reflecting how the team was sometimes referred to in informal contexts during that era.

1 1915 Cracker Jack (E145) #103 Shoeless Joe Jackson

This set is considered a continuation of the 1914 Cracker Jack release and ranks among the most iconic and beloved issues in baseball card collecting history. Included as a promotional item inside Cracker Jack’s caramel popcorn and peanut snacks, the set features 176 cards. Most cards depict players either on the field or in portrait format, against a vivid red background.

The reverse side contains biographical text about each player. Compared to the 1914 version, the 1915 cards are generally cleaner and better cut. The 1915 season was one of Joe Jackson’s successful years with the Cleveland Indians, where he was one of the American League’s top hitters.