1911-1938 E136-137 Zeenut PCL Card Overview

Card Specs: Varies (approx. 1¾" × up to 4") | 25 sets, 3,000+ cards | Black & White or Sepia Photos | Classification: Candy/Caramel | E136–E137

Beginning in 1911, Collins-McCarthy began inserting cards featuring Pacific Coast League (PCL) players inside Zee-Nut snack packages as promotional premiums, starting an extraordinary 28-year run of distribution.

Early Zeenut issues are most notable for producing the first card for an African-American player, Jimmy Claxton, and also believed to have produced the only individual card for Fred McMullin, a lesser-known conspirator from the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. However, Zeenut's most important cards came roughly 20 years later - the first known cards for baseball icon Joe DiMaggio (misspelled as DeMaggio).

Zeenut Jimmy Claxton & Fred McMullin

Beyond that, the card series stands as the most comprehensive visual record of the PCL's golden era, a league often viewed as the “third major league” for its level of talent and passionate regional following, during a time when the Major Leagues had yet to expand across the continent.

Zeenut Card Specs & Design

Across 25 distinct annual designs, Zeenut cards are around 1¾ inches wide and up to 4 inches tall, printed on thin candy-stock paper. Early issues were taller and sepia-toned while later cards used crisper black-and-white photography.

Zeenut card examples spanning the years

Fronts display player portraits or full-body images with their name, team, and the “Zee-Nut” year designation printed directly on the card, with blank backs. Early cards used simple, italicized type, while later sets (1931–1938) switched to regular or boxed lettering.  Nearly all Zeenuts originally included detachable coupons along the bottom, redeemable for prizes. Cards with intact coupons are extremely scarce and significantly more valuable than their counterparts with the coupons clipped away.

Zeenut cards with coupon intact

Recent Zeenut Card REA Auction Sales

1935 Zeenut Joe DiMaggio SGC 6.5 - $119,925 - 2025 Fall Auction

1934 Zeenut Joe DiMaggio SGC 5 - $116,850 - 2025 Fall Auction

1922 Zeenut Jim Thorpe SGC 6 - $36,600 - 2022 Spring Auction

1923 Zeenut Paul Waner SGC Authentic - $1,740 - 2024 Spring Auction

1912 Zeenut Dave Bancroft SGC 1 - $1,020 - 2025 February Auction

FOR MORE RECENT AUCTION SALES, SEARCH "ZEENUT" IN THE REA AUCTION ARCHIVE.

How to Sell Zeenut Cards

If you’re considering selling cards from the Zeenut sets, particularly Joe DiMaggio examples, our affluent audience of collectors is ready to bid. We can help with grading and authentication, and provide realistic value expectations to help you make an informed decision. Reach out today to connect with a specialist to discuss your collection and learn more about our process designed to ensure our consignors get top dollar returns.