The 1964 Topps New York Mets card set holds an important place in baseball card history as it commemorated the inaugural season of the new National League expansion franchise, the New York Mets. After the success of the other NL expansion team, the Houston Colt .45s (now the Astros), who began play in 1962, Major League Baseball awarded an expansion franchise to New York real estate magnate Joan Payson in 1960. The new New York NL franchise, named the Mets after a name-the-team contest, began play in 1962 at the iconic Polo Grounds stadium, before moving to brand new Shea Stadium in 1964.
For Topps, the 1964 Mets card set was a big opportunity to capitalize on the excitement surrounding the new New York team playing in their first season in spacious Shea Stadium. Topps produced 591 total cards for the 1964 set, including 164 cards depicting Mets players, coaches, and managers. Some of the key rookies featured on their 1964 Topps rookie cards included pitcher Al Jackson, outfielder Tommie Agee, and third baseman Richie Allen. While the team struggled mightily in the win-loss column, going 51-111, their cards retain value as one of the earliest representations of the eventual World Series championship Mets teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
In addition to player cards, the 1964 Topps Mets set included unique subset cards not found in other teams’ sets that year. For example, there were 22 cards dedicated to showing action shots and stats from various Mets home games at Shea Stadium. These cards served as a visual memento for young collectors of attending actual Mets games that season. There were also cards honoring the Mets coaches, managers (Casey Stengel and Eddie Stanky), and even team ownership (Joan Payson). While basic stylistically compared to modern card designs, these subsets helped add novelty and documentation of the inaugural Mets season that collectors found appealing.
Individually, some of the marquee rookie cards in the 1964 Topps Mets set that fetch high prices today include Tommie Agee’s rookie card (#544), which has a current PSA 10 pop report of only 10 certified gem mint copies. His iconic rookie card captivates collectors due to Agee going on to have a successful career with the Mets that included being named World Series MVP in 1969. Richie Allen’s rookie card (#544) also garners big money nowadays, with a PSA 10 sometimes selling for over $10,000. Other sought-after rookie cards include Al Jackson (#539) and Ed Kranepool (#546).
While many of the players featured did not have long or prolific careers, their 1964 Topps cards remain popular to collectors due to the small print runs of the initial Mets issues. For example, pitcher Billy Cowan’s card (#560) is valued not necessarily because he had great stats, but simply because so few of his rookie card were produced compared to star players on large market teams. This collector scarcity makes ungraded 1964 Mets commons trade for $20-50 even today. Higher graded examples can bring hundreds to even over $1,000 for the finest gem mint specimens.
In addition to the player cards, the action/checklist subset cards have also grown in value recognition over the decades. The very first card in the set (#521) displaying the Mets action at Shea Stadium leads off the set and is a key piece for any Mets or 1964 Topps collection. Short print cards like Ron Hunt in action (#545) or Casey Stengel during a team meeting (#552) command premiums compared to common action shots. And the team photo card (#560) serves as a historical memento of that inaugural 1964 season.
When assessing condition, the 1964 Topps set poses unique challenges for graders versus more modern card issues. The paper stock used was not as durable as later years and hinges/corners can be more fragile. Still, top grades are highly rewarded. For example, a PSA Gem Mint 10 Tommie Agee rookie just sold on eBay for over $12,000 in May 2022. Pop reports for PSA 10s are also extremely low overall for the set, showing how difficult high grades are to achieve after 58 years of collector handling.
In the decades since their release in 1964, these early New York Mets cards have grown steadily in popularity and monetary value. No longer just regarded as commons from an expansion team’s losing season, collectors now admire them as one of the first visual histories of a franchise that would later experience glorious World Series championships. For both Mets fans and vintage baseball card investors, the original 1964 Topps issues remain a foundational piece of capturing that “Impossible Dream” season and the origins of this storied National League club. Whether admiring nostalgic action shots or coveted rookie cards of future stars, the historic significance and superior condition examples will likely continue appreciating over time.
