From Complex · · 2m
ESCO Trading Cards: 125 Years of Pop Culture Collectibles
ESCO, the brand that helped invent trading cards, returns with premium music sets from KATSEYE and LISA.
In brief
ESCO, the brand that helped invent trading cards, returns with premium music sets from KATSEYE and LISA. ESCO Trading Cards, founded in 1901, relaunched in 2026 with premium pop culture sets from KATSEYE and LISA. Originally reported by Complex.
ESCO's Origin
ESCO was founded in Chicago in 1901 as Exhibit Supply Company, credited with helping invent modern trading cards.
J. Frank Meyer's Role
J. Frank Meyer, a printer born in Peoria, Illinois, in 1881, joined ESCO in 1907 and ran it by 1910.
Early Arcade Machines
ESCO built arcade machines that sold postcards, horoscopes, and photos, with machines designed to take only ESCO's exact card size.
Exhibit Card Design
Exhibit cards were postcard-sized, printed on thick card stock in sepia, blue, pink, red, or green, with movie stars getting a greeting and name.
1921 Baseball Cards
ESCO printed its first baseball and boxing cards in 1921, including an early Babe Ruth as a Yankee.
1925 Lou Gehrig Card
The 1925 set featured Lou Gehrig's rookie card, now the most valuable ESCO card ever made, selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Beatles and Music Cards
ESCO printed Beatles exhibit cards in 1964 as Beatlemania hit America, featuring black-and-white images of the band.
ESCO's Decline
ESCO shifted to war production during WWII, then went dormant in 1979 after selling its machines and archives.
2026 Relaunch
ESCO returned in July 2026 as ESCO Trading Cards, focusing on premium music and pop culture collectibles.
KATSEYE Drop
The ESCO x KATSEYE 'WILD' set debuted in August 2026 with 50 card designs, nine trading cards per pack, and one numbered foil card.
LISA Drop
The ESCO x LISA 'PRESS PLAY' set launched in October 2026 with 50 card designs, nine trading cards per pack, and hand-signed autographs.
Future Plans
ESCO plans premium boxed sets with autographs and stage-worn relics from global artists, expanding retail reach across hobby and mass markets.
The Legacy
ESCO's 125-year history shows how collecting stars has evolved from penny arcades to modern pop culture collectibles.
What Happens Next
ESCO aims to turn music fandom into a collecting habit with its own rules, chases, and grails, just as Topps did for baseball.
The big picture
ESCO Trading Cards, founded in 1901, relaunched in 2026 with premium pop culture sets from KATSEYE and LISA.
