1933 Goudey Sport Kings Set Overview

Card Specs: 2.38" x 2.88"  |  48 cards  |  Color  |  Classification: Candy/Gum  |  R338

The 1933 Goudey Sport Kings series is one of the most celebrated multi-sport cards set ever produced. Released the same year as Goudey’s iconic baseball set, Sport Kings expanded beyond the diamond to showcase icons from a variety of sports. 

Diversity of Athletes in 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Set

The 48-card checklist includes many of the most recognizable athletes of the era - from baseball icons Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb to golf greats Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen, boxing legends Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney, and pioneering Olympians Babe Didrikson-Zaharias and Helene Madison.  The set also includes some of the earliest basketball cards in existence.

Goudey Sport Kings Design and Composition

Each card measures 2⅜” x 2⅞”, matching Goudey’s baseball cards in size and paper quality. The front artwork features rich color with a “Sport Kings Gum” banner across the top, with a sport-specific silhouette above the athlete's name on the bottom.

Sport Kings Ty Cobb, Front and Back

The cards’ reverse side is similar to the 1933 at first glance, but differs in its reference to the athlete’s sport, instead of team, and also “SPORT KINGS” advertising portion vs the baseball set’s “BIG LEAGUE CHEWING GUM”.  The colorful artwork often exhibits surface wear or fading, and centering varies considerably from card to card, making high-grade examples scarce and extremely desirable among today’s collectors. 

Goudey Sport Kings Distribution

Similar to the 1933 Goudey baseball card set, Sport Kings cards were distributed in packs of gum sold for a penny in corner stores and newsstands.  It was a different product line (Sport Kings Gum), so collectors could target the set specifically.  Printed in smaller quantities than Goudey’s 1933 baseball cards, Sport Kings were distributed nationally but at a much lower rate, contributing to today's scarcity.

Goudey Baseball vs Goudey Sport Kings Wrapper

Goudey Sport Kings Card Value

Sport Kings card value is heavily impacted by condition, as well as the magnitude of the featured athlete.  Raw or low-grade common cards can sell from $10-$80 each.   High-grade commons or low-grade stars can reach four-figures, and key cards like Cobb or Thorpe routinely hit five figures at mid-grade.  A high-grade Babe Ruth will command a six-figure price at auction.

Recent REA Auction Sport Kings Sales

1933 Goudey Sport Kings Babe Ruth PSA 8 - $120,000 - 2024 Summer Auction

1933 Goudey Sport Kings #6 Jim Thorpe PSA 8— $51,600 - 2022 Summer Auction

1933 Goudey Sport Kings Ty Cobb SGC 8.5 - $21,600 - 2025 Spring Auction

FOR MORE AUCTION RESULTS, SEARCH "SPORT KINGS" IN OUR AUCTION ARCHIVE.

Consign Your 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Cards

If you’re considering selling cards from the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings set, REA is the trusted leader in vintage sports card and memorabilia auctions. Reach out today to connect with a specialist to learn more about our consignment process.