The 1956 Topps baseball card set was the fifth series of baseball cards produced by Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. It marked several milestones for the relatively young collecting hobby. With 596 total cards issued, it was the largest set yet produced by Topps and helped fuel the growing popularity of collecting baseball cards among American children and adults alike.
The 1956 set is particularly notable for featuring the rookie cards of soon-to-be Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente, Bill White, Ken Boyer, and Don Drysdale. Clemente’s classic action pose on his rookie card became one of the most valuable and iconic in the entire hobby. The 1956 set also included the final cards for legends like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Duke Snider and many other star players of the era as the postwar Baby Boom generation came of age.
In a break from previous years, Topps decided to include manager and coach cards for the first time in 1956. A total of 25 manager/coach cards were issued. This included managers Casey Stengel, Al Lopez, Bobby Bragan and coaches like Eddie Stanky, Ray Berres and Leo Durocher. The inclusion of non-players helped depict a more complete picture of each major league franchise and added to the set’s appeal for young collectors.
Topps released the 1956 set in wax wrapper packs that sold for a dime each. Like most early Topps issues, the card stock was quite thin and prone todamage. Each pack contained 5 cards with no gum included. The cards measured 2.5×3.5 inches in size, slightly larger than competitors Bowman and Topps’ own previous releases. The iconic yellow-and-blue bordered design featured team logo/name at the top with player photo and stats on the front. Simple black text on the back provided career stats and brief bios.
Collectors at the time gave the 1956 Topps set mixed reviews for design and production quality compared to later golden era releases from the late 50s/early 60s. Things like centering, image quality and production consistency varied greatly card to card. The thin paper stock also led to significant deterioration over the years for many examples. The impact and history behind certain rookie cards in the set have made 1956 Topps a legendary issue prized by today’s most avid collectors and investors.
A key factor that increased 1956 Topps’ desirability over the decades was the rise of superstar players like Clemente, Drysdale and White during the latter parts of their careers in the 1950s and 1960s. Demand for vintage cards boomed in the 1980s fueled by the collectibles craze, renewed nostalgia and popularity of the hobby. This drove values for coveted 1956 rookies to new heights among enthusiasts and fueled interest in completing the entire landmark set from childhood.
Speaking of values, the 1956 Topps set today contains some of the most expensive and sought-after vintage cards despite quality control issues over 60 years ago. The Clemente rookie, regarded as one of the “holy grails” of the hobby, has sold for over $350,000 in Near Mint condition at goldinauctions.com. Even well-centered examples in lower grades can command five figures. The Drysdale and Boyer rookies also consistently sell for thousands. Other key stars like Mantle, Snider, Bob Gibson and Carl Yastrzemski also possess significant value depending on grade.
For the relatively modest original cost of one dime per pack or around $6 for a complete set originally, the lasting appeal and profit potential of 1956 Topps is remarkable. Its blend of rookie greats, set size records and inclusion of managers cemented it as a true milestone release. While print runs were larger than Bowman of the time, supply has decreased substantially after six decades of collecting, playing and deterioration. As such, unopened wax packs still surface rarely and command premium price tags whenever offered today. Obtaining high grade examples of each key card remains a challenge and serious investment undertaking for dedicated vintage enthusiasts and investors. The 1956 Topps baseball card set stands tall as one of the most important and valuable issues in the entire hobby’s proud history.
