Christy Mathewson – 1914 Cracker Jack
This isn’t the most costly card on our list, but it is one of the rarest. Christy Mathewson, widely known as “The Big Six,” “The Christian Gentleman,” “Matty,” and “The Gentleman’s Hurler,” spent seventeen seasons with the New York Giants as a right-handed pitcher.
The 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack sets were just different enough to be considered distinct, but they shared more than half of their cards. The 1915 set was typically found in better condition (since the precious cards didn’t have any caramel stains on them). However, while the majority of images were comparable between the two sets, Mathewson’s picture was altered – making this card extremely unusual.