Shoeless Joe Jackson – 1909 American Caramel
Joseph Walker Jackson (1885-1922), nicknamed “Shoeless Joe,” debuted in the major leagues with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1908. Shoeless Joe had 54 homers over his thirteen-year career in baseball. He was nominated for MVP a few times, but he never received enough support to win the award.
The card was created to increase sales of cigarettes. The popularity of this particular card might be attributed to Jackson’s checkered past. He is said to have been a member of the 1919 Chicago Black Sox betting scandal, which resulted in him being banned from baseball. A mint condition 1909 Jackson sells for $660,000 today.