Redskins Matchbook Covers

The Redskins matchbook covers are an area every vintage Redskins football card collector should look into.  There is a 13-year gap between the 1935 National Chicle issue and the 1948 Bowman issue.  These matchbooks help fill the gap.  I have just started collecting them so what I am presenting here is one example from each year the matchbooks were issued.  Most of the examples are of Sammy Baugh and most them pre-date his official rookie card.

What is fascinating is that each of the matchbooks have a story.  Many of these are Depression era items. The stories of the people who owned them must be fascinating.  The average Redskins team set is 20 matchbooks.  I am looking forward to putting together complete sets.

The matchbooks were issued in the following years:

1933:  Diamond Matchbooks (Boston Redskins – Ray Flaherty “rookie” card is the example)

1934:  Diamond Matchbooks (Boston Redskins – Lone Star Dietz (coach) is the example)

1939:  Ross Jewelry Matchbooks (Sammy Baugh)

1940:  Ross Jewelry Matchbooks (Sammy Baugh)

1941:  Home Laundry Matchbooks (Sammy Baugh)

1942:  Home Laundry Matchbooks (Sammy Baugh)

1951-52:  Arcade Pontiac Matchbooks (Sammy Baugh)

1958-59:  Arcade Pontiac Matchbooks (Sammy Baugh)

1960-61:  First Federal Matchbooks (Charlie Justice)