The 1955 Topps Double Header baseball card set was unique in Topps’ early history as it featured two players per card. Released in 1955 as Topps’ third baseball card series, the Double Header set contained 132 cards and featured 264 individual player photos. The dual player format allowed Topps to effectively double the number of players included in their set compared to previous years.
Topps had produced baseball cards since 1951 but their early sets only included a single player photo per standard size card. In 1954, their set totaled only 132 cards. For 1955, Topps sought to expand their player coverage and introduce more variety to collectors. The Double Header concept proved an innovative solution. By pairing two current major league players together on each card, Topps was able to showcase over 250 players in a single 132 card product.
The 1955 Topps Double Header cards featured a vertical split design with one player photo above the other. Each photo was approximately 1 3/8 inches tall by 1 1/8 inches wide. Below the photos was a white space for the players’ names, positions, and team affiliations. The reverse side of each card contained no additional stats or images – just a blue border. The cards measured approximately 2 5/8 inches by 3 5/8 inches, slightly larger than modern standard size cards to accommodate the dual player layout.
In selecting player pairings for the 1955 Topps Double Header set, there was no discernible pattern or logic to the combinations. Players from all teams were mixed together randomly with no regard for position, statistics, or other similarities. For example, card #1 paired Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe with Cleveland Indians outfielder Larry Doby while card #2 combined Boston Red Sox first baseman Walt Dropo and Washington Senators pitcher Camilo Pascual. The seemingly random pairings added an element of surprise for collectors as they had no way of predicting which two players would be shown on the next card pulled from a pack.
The 1955 Topps Double Header set is notable not just for its innovative dual player design but also because it features some of the biggest stars from that era. The likes of Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Stan Musial all received standard sized solo cards in previous Topps issues but were included in paired format in the 1955 Double Header set. Other notable Hall of Famers present included Robin Roberts, Duke Snider, Richie Ashburn, and Roy Campanella among many others. In total, over 40 players from the 1955 set would eventually be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
While production values were still relatively basic compared to modern standards, the 1955 Topps Double Header cards represented a leap forward both in terms of the number of players included and the visual presentation compared to Topps’ first two sets from 1951-1954. The paired player format proved popular with collectors and Topps would continue to issue Double Header style sets, with slight variations, through the late 1950s. Condition is always a concern for 70 year old cardboard but high grade examples of the 1955 Topps Double Header cards remain popular with vintage baseball card collectors today due to the historic players featured and the set’s place as a unique and transitional release in the early development of Topps.
The 1955 Topps Double Header set marked both an innovative design change and an expansion of player coverage for Topps compared to previous issues. By pairing two players on each standard sized card, Topps was able to showcase over 250 major leaguers, nearly doubling the count from their 1954 set. While production values were still basic, the 1955 Double Headers featured many of the era’s biggest stars and over 40 would later earn enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The random dual player combinations added an element of surprise for collectors as they had no way to predict which players would be paired on the next card pulled from a pack. Condition remains a concern for 70 year old cardboard but high grade examples of the pioneering 1955 Topps Double Header set remain prized by vintage baseball card collectors today.
