The 1956 Topps baseball card set was the fifth series of baseball card issues produced by Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. Following their hugely successful rookie year in 1951, Topps continued to grow their baseball card offerings by adding more players and teams with each subsequent release. The 1956 set would be their biggest yet with photos of 616 total players spanning all 18 Major League teams of the era.
Some key things to know about the 1956 Topps baseball card set:
Size and Production: Like the prior few years of Topps issues, the 1956 cards were standard size trading cards measuring approximately 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. They were produced via the same photo offset lithograph process that enabled Topps to mass produce cards affordably and at high volumes. It’s estimated over 60 million+ 1956 Topps cards were printed, making them relatively common in the hobby even today.
Design Elements: The cards featured mostly simple solid color backgrounds with a uniform design layout. Each card displayed the player’s photo on the front along with their name, team, position, and player ID number. The backs contained more personal stats and career info along with the Topps product logo and copyright information. Gum was still included with each pack.
Player Photos: Topps photographers traveled around spring training camps and exhibition games to capture photos of every player they could. As such, the photo quality and poses vary greatly across the set. Some show action shots while others are more posed portrait styles. A few stars like Mickey Mantle had multiple cards as Topps sought more popular players.
Rosters: For the first time, Topps was able to photograph and include cards for almost every single player on a Major League roster in 1956. Only a handful of minor role players or late season callups were omitted. This gave collectors a virtually complete snapshot of the players of that season.
Rookie Stars: Some of the game’s all-time greats like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Frank Robinson made their Topps rookie card debuts in this set as they broke into the Majors that year. While common for their time, these rookies are now among the most valuable cards in the set to collectors.
Topps Errors: As with any mass produced product, a small number of errors crept into the 1956 set. There are approximately a dozen or so cards featuring incorrect photos, player stats, or even wrong names. These errata cards have become highly sought after by specialized collectors.
Team Distribution: Not surprisingly, the iconic Bronx Bombers of the New York Yankees dominated the set with over 75 cards of their star-studded roster. The St. Louis Cardinals were also well-represented with over 50 players featured. The original Washington Senators, who would soon relocate, only had about 25 cards due to their dismal last place finish.
In the following decades, the 1956 Topps baseball card set would become one of the most iconic in the hobby. Its massive rookie class alone assured the set of maintaining relevance among collectors and serving as a valuable historic snapshot of 1950’s baseball. Factors like the vast number printed and adequate photo quality also helped the 1956’s retain accessibility and affordability compared to some other classic issues.
While far from the most expensive set to collect in mint condition today, finding high grade examples of the valuable rookie cards within1956 Topps still demands handsome premiums. Getting a fully completed master set with all 616 cards also remains an achievement prized by Topps collectors. Over 65 years later, the allure, affordability, and nostalgia associated with this Topps set still ensures its 1956 cards remain a fundamental cornerstone for the baseball card collecting community.
The 1956 Topps baseball card release was truly monumental in scope for its time and showed Topps’ growing dominance in the field. By photographing and distributing cards of virtually every Major League player that season, it amounted to an unparalleled snapshot of 1950’s baseball that still fascinates and educates today. Loaded with now legendary rookie stars and accessible despite high initial print runs, the 1956 Topps set enduringly sits amongst the most recognizable in the entire hobby.
