The 1964 Topps Giants baseball card set marked a significant change from prior years for the popular brand. Up to that point, Topps issued standard sized cards as they had for decades. In 1964 Topps wanted to do something new to grab collectors’ attention and boost sales. Their creative solution was to produce cards in an oversized format known as “Giant” size.
At roughly twice the dimensions of a normal baseball card, these 1964 Topps Giants stood out on store shelves and in card collections. Each card measured approximately 3 1/2 inches by 5 inches, dwarfing the usual 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch standard format Topps and other brands used. Despite the novelty of their larger size, the Giants set maintained the same overall design principles and attributes as regular Topps cards of the early 1960s.
On the front of each 1964 Topps Giant card was a colorful action photo of a Major League baseball player from the 1963 season. The team name and logo appeared at the top in team colors. Below the photo was the player’s name and that year’s statistics. On the reverse, in addition to more stats and career highlights, was the familiar pink colored “Giant” logo and descriptive text indicating it was an oversized special issue.
Topps produced 660 individual player cards in the 1964 Giants set, including all teams from both the American and National Leagues. Some of the biggest stars featured included Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Roberto Clemente. Rookies like Jim Bouton, Billy McCool, and Cesar Tovar also had Giant sized rookie cards issued. The set had no special parallel issues, manager/coach cards, or puzzles/promotions included like regular Topps offered some years.
While an undeniably cool collector item even today due to their massive size, the 1964 Topps Giants did have some drawbacks. Their bulky dimensions made them prone to damage from bending, creasing, or wear compared to regular issue cards. Storage and organization of the set also presented challenges beyond fitting in a standard baseball card album. Because the oversized cards stood out, they attracted increased scrutiny from parents and schools that criticized baseball cards as frivolous toys.
Despite these minor flaws, the Topps Giants were popular with kids upon release. Their size enhancement scratched the itch for new, unique collectors’ items in the mid-1960s heyday of the baseball card craze. While production numbers aren’t definitively known, the 1964 Giants are not considered amongst the most scarce Topps issues since well over 100 complete unopened original wax packs have been auctioned. Still, pristine high graded examples can reach four figure prices due to their historical novelty.
In the decades since, 1964 Topps Giants have become a favorite of set collectors seeking iconic classic cardboard. While pricey to acquire an intact masterpiece collection of all 660 giant size players, individual key rookie and star cards remain affordable for most hobbyists. Their exaggerated dimensions also remain a talking point and make the 1964 issue stand out boldly in collections focusing on the early 1960s Topps brands. As a one-year experiment, the 1964 Topps Giants succeeded in breathing new life into the traditional baseball card format and remaining a treasured piece of sports collecting history.
The 1964 Topps Giants set was a very creative and memorable deviation from the norm by the card industry pioneer. Their oversized physical presence grabbed attention on store shelves amidst the early 1960s cardboard boom. While an impractical long-term solution, the Giants captured collectors’ imaginations as a novelty item highlighting the biggest names in the game. Despite minor drawbacks, they earned a place as one of the most iconic single year issues in the hobby. Even after nearly sixty years, the 1964 Topps Giants continue wowing fans new and old with their enlarged portraits of baseball’s golden era.
