As the popularity of football became more than a regional phenomenon, the Mayo Tobacco Works of Richmond Virginia issued a 35 subject football card set in 1894 that featured football players from Harvard, Yale and Princeton. The rarest football set ever distributed, as well as the 19th century's only football set, the Mayo’s Cut Plug Set (N302) is one of the most difficult football sets to ever complete.
This set is printed on a thick cardboard stock and measuring 1 5/8" x 2 7/8". This is extremely fragile set is frequently graded only authentic, since most were trimmed and glued into albums. The brittle black borders and solid black back show any and all wear or damage. The sepia player photo shows distinct imagery. Below the photo is the player's last name, school, an advertisement for P.H. Mayo tobacco and the slogan, "For Chewing and Smoking." This is quite simply the rarest vintage football set in existence. This set has not been offered this complete, online, in the internet age.