Art Deco on the Diamond: 1934-1936 Diamond Stars

Card Specs: 2.38" × 2.88" | 108 cards | Color | Classification: Gum | R327

Produced by the National Chicle Gum Company from 1934 to 1936, the Diamond Stars set is one of the most visually-striking issues of the prewar era. While it shared the 1930s candy counters with the legendary 1933 Goudey set, Diamond Stars are unique in their bold, Art Deco aesthetic. Unlike many sets of the era that were released all at once, Diamond Stars was issued in series over a three-year span creating multiple variations for some players. Because of these rolling updates, a "Master Set" of actually consists of approximately 170 variations, though the base checklist is only 108 cards.

1935 Diamond Stars Hank Greenberg & Ernie Lombardi error cards

While the set famously lacks Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, it does include 25 Hall of Famers, anchored by Jimmie Foxx (#64), Mel Ott (#50), Lefty Grove (#1), Rogers Hornsby (#44), and Hank Greenberg (#54). A small print run of cards for Greenberg and Ernie Lombardi contain misspellings, and are among the most well-known error cards of the decade.

Portraits of the Era: Diamond Stars Card Design

The hallmark of the set is its use of vibrant colored art renderings of player photographs. These illustrations are set against geometric, stylized backgrounds often featuring stadium architecture or abstract shapes, perfectly capturing the design movement of the 1930s.

1935 Diamond Stars Mel Ott front & back

The back of Diamond Stars cards are dense with information, including player biographies, physical specs, and detailed statistics. There is a trademark line for National Chicle, its subtlety a departure from a typically more spacious advertisement on most prewar offerings. Printings from 1934-1935 typically featured green ink on the card backs, while later issues switched to blue ink and often included updated 1935 statistics and a 1936 copyright date.

Diamond Stars Card Distribution

Diamond Stars cards were packaged with National Chicle’s Diamond Stars Gum and sold nationwide. Consistent with other gum cards from this era, they were intended as promotional inserts to help sell more product. Collectors could also redeem Diamond Kings wrappers for premium photographs issued by National Chicle. These larger-format items are cataloged as part of the R311 premium series.

1935 Diamond Stars Lefty Grove & Carl Hubbell

Like many 1930s gum cards, Diamond Stars cards are prone to centering issues and corner wear. Because of their colorful designs, surface wear and printing imperfections tend to show up more prominently than other releases.

Recent Diamond Stars Card REA Auction Sales

1935 Diamond Stars Jimmie Foxx PSA 9 - $18,000 - 2025 Spring Auction

1935 Diamond Stars Rogers Hornsby PSA 9 - $15,000 - 2025 Spring Auction

1935 Diamond Stars Lefty Grove PSA 7 - $9,000 - 2025 Spring Auction

1935 Diamond Stars Hank Greenberg PSA 8.5 - $7,200 - 2025 Spring Auction

1935 Diamond Stars Mel Ott PSA 9 - $6,600 - 2025 Spring Auction

1934-1936 Diamond Stars Near Set (92/108) - $4,200 - 2025 Spring Auction

Selling 1934-1936 Diamond Stars Cards

Diamond Stars cards are highly desirable among prewar baseball card collectors, and our auctions regularly include everything from single graded cards, near complete sets, to collections of commons. We're happy to help our consignors with grading and authentication of raw examples. If you'd learn more about getting your cards into our auction, reach out today to connect with a specialist for a free consultation.