The 1959 Topps baseball card set was the fifth complete set issued by Topps and contained 524 individual cards issued in wax packs of 11 cards each. Some key facts and details about the 1959 Topps set:
Rosters: The set featured all 16 major league teams from 1958 including the Milwaukee Braves, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Redlegs, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates. Notable rookies included Earl Averill Jr. and Carl Yastrzemski.
Design: The set continued Topps’ iconic design of a central player photo with the team logo and player details below. The 1959 set made some stylistic changes including adding a yellow stripe bisecting the photo and player name. The team logo on the lower left was also enlarged.
Card stock: The cards were printed on thin, paper stock which led toCondition issues being a major factor in the value of high-grade examples today. The stock was less durable than later cardboard issues.
Short prints: Several cards are considered short prints due to lower print runs. The most notable are Hoyt Wilhelm (#1), Wes Covington (#11), Hector Lopez (#177) and Cal McLish (#309). These cards are significantly rarer in high grades.
Rookie stars: In addition to Yastrzemski, several future Hall of Famers made their Topps rookie card debuts including Fergie Jenkins (#237), Hank Aaron (#256), Harmon Killebrew (#263), Juan Marichal (#280) and Billy Williams (#442).
Inserts: The set featured three special “Team Checklist” cards inserted one per wax pack that listed the players on that card’s corresponding team.
Errors: Among the errors in the 1959 set was Bob Shaw’s (#113) misspelled first name as “Boby.” Another error featured Rocky Bridges with the St. Louis Cardinals (#151) despite being traded to Detroit midseason.
High numbers: Cards past #500 are considerably rarer finds, especially in high grades. This is due to much lower print runs of the latter packages in the series. Rookies like Pete Rose (#508) and Jerry Adair (#522) have additional value from their lofty numbers.
Standouts: The most valuable regular issue cards include the Hoyt Wilhelm (#1) and Wes Covington (#11) short prints along with the rookie cards of Aaron, Killebrew, Marichal, Williams and Yastrzemski in high grades. Mint examples of these can reach values over $10,000 today.
Condition issues: As mentioned, the thin paper stock leads to significant issues around centering, black specks, creases or discoloration even reducing lower grades. Full sheets of uncut cards never made it to collectors, furthering condition problems.
Legacy: Despite condition challenges, the 1959 Topps set became one of the most iconic vintage issues. Featuring legendary rookies and players from a pivotal era, it remains a highly sought-after complete set by card collectors and baseball fans today. Graded mint examples in third-party holders can sell for over $25,000.
The 1959 Topps baseball card set broke new ground with its design evolution but faced production shortcomings compared to later, hardier issues. It cemented Topps as the dominant baseball card maker and its impressive rookie class and stars ensured the set became a foundational part of the vintage collecting movement for decades to come. Condition remains key to value, making high-grade examples among the most prized possessions in any vintage collection.
