The 1964 Topps baseball card set was the third series of Topps’ highly successful modern baseball card era. Following the debut of modern design cards in 1957, Topps had established itself as the dominant baseball card producer. By 1964 they had gained the exclusive rights to produce cards featuring photos of Major League Baseball players. The 1964 set would build on their previous successes and help further popularize the hobby of baseball card collecting.

The 1964 Topps set includes 660 total cards and features photos and stats for players from the American and National Leagues. Some key details and highlights about the 1964 Topps set include:

Design: The cards continued Topps’ established design from previous years of a solid color background with a white border on the front. Statistics and career highlights were on the back. The iconic red-white-and-blue Topps logo was prominently displayed.

Photos: Black-and-white photos dominated the set. Action shots showed players in action on the field. A few cards featured posed studio portrait-style images as well.

Rookies: Notable rookies included Dick Allen, Bill Singer, and Joe Torre. Torre’s card is among the most valuable from the set today.

Superstars: The set included cards of active Hall of Famers like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, and Roberto Clemente. Stars like Mickey Mantle and Willie McCovey also highlighted the collection.

Inserts: Topps included “Traded” cards within the numbering to reflect players who had been traded to new teams that season. There were also manager cards and all-star cards inserted.

Short Prints: Certain cards were printed in lower numbers, making them rarer and now highly valuable. Examples include the final card (#660, Jim Bouton) and high-numbered cards.

Design variations: A small number of cards had minor design differences like missing statistics on the back. These variations can increase a card’s value.

Condition: Due to the fragile paper stock used, many 1964 Topps cards surviving today are in well-worn condition. High grades attract serious collector interest.

Upon its release, the 1964 Topps set was sold in wax paper packs for 12 cents each. While not quite as iconic or valuable on average as some other 1950s and 1960s Topps sets today, it remains a highly collectible part of the vintage baseball card era. Here are some additional details on production and highlights:

Production: It’s estimated Topps printed over 18.5 million series 1 packs to meet demand in 1964. Distribution was nationwide through drug and hobby stores.

Short Prints: The final card #660 of Jim Bouton is one of the rarest, with estimates of only 10-20 surviving copies in gem mint condition.

Rookie Cards: In addition to Torre, Dick Allen’s rookie is also quite valuable today. His action photo shows him batting left-handed.

Variations: A small handful of cards like #11 Ken Boyer were printed with blank backs missing stats. These variations can sell for thousands.

Errors: A few cards like #108 Jim Bunning were printed with the wrong photo, showing a different player by mistake. These errors excite collectors.

Promos: Topps inserted promotional cards throughout wax packs to entice collectors. Examples advertised other Topps products or contests.

Design Tweaks: Very minor changes were made to the logo size and placement from the 1963 design.

Condition Issues: As with any mid-1960s set, the fragile paper stock means high-grade copies above a PSA 7 are extremely difficult to find.

In the decades since its release, the 1964 Topps set has grown in popularity with collectors and remains one of the iconic vintage issues from the “golden age” of baseball cards in the 1950s and 1960s. While rarer variations and star rookies can sell for thousands in top grades, more common cards can still be collected on a budget as well. The 1964 set captures a memorable season in baseball history and the evolution of the modern baseball card design.Here is an 18,000 character article on 64 Topps baseball cards:

The 1964 Topps baseball card set was a pivotal year in the history of baseball cards. Issued annually by Topps Chewing Gum, Inc., the 1964 set featured 660 total cards and was the first Topps set to feature player photos on the front of all cards. Prior to 1964, Topps had featured team or action photos on many cards. The shift to individual player portraits helped collectors and fans better identify players and sparked a new era of baseball card collecting.

Some key things to know about the iconic 1964 Topps baseball card set:

Roster: The set included all active major and minor league players in 1964, as well as managers and coaches. Notable rookies included Dick Allen, Bill Singer, and Joe Torre. Hall of Famers included in the set were Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and many others.

Design: For the first time, all cards featured a full-color individual head shot of the player on the front. The team name and player stats were listed below the photo. The backs featured career stats and a write-up about the player.

Size: Standard size for Topps cards of the time at 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. This size would remain consistent for Topps baseball cards through 1981.

Photo Variations: Due to the volume of photos needed, several players have noticeable photo variations between card numbers. For example, Willie Mays has at least 3 distinct photos used in the set.

Short Prints: Certain players have cards that are considered short prints, or more rare to find in factory-sealed wax packs. Examples include Dick Allen and Bill Singer, who have ratios around 1:24 packs.

Rarity: The 1964 Topps set overall is not considered as rare as some prior years, but high-grade examples of stars and short prints still command premium prices today. PSA 10 Gem Mint examples can sell for thousands.

Design Evolution: The 1964 set marked the beginning of the modern baseball card era, with individual player photos and stats on the front that would become the standard blueprint for decades to come.

Parallels: In the late 1980s, Topps produced limited parallel sets like the 1964 Photographs issue, which featured different action photos on many cards compared to the originals.

Notable Rookies: As mentioned, 1964 was the rookie card year for future Hall of Famers like Dick Allen and Joe Torre. Dick Allen’s rookie card in particular is one of the most valuable from the entire set.

Prominent Players: Superstar cards that remain popular with collectors today include Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Sandy Koufax, and Mickey Mantle. High grades of these cards can sell for five figures.

Checklist: The 1964 Topps checklist included 660 total cards, running from 1-660 without any variations. The set is considered completed upon obtaining all 660 different cards in any condition.

Production: It’s estimated that around 75 million 1964 Topps packs were produced and sold that year. With 11 cards per pack on average, that’s over 800 million total cards.

Legacy: The 1964 Topps set helped cement baseball cards as a mainstream hobby. Its transition to individual player photos kicked off the modern era and made cards more identifiable and collectible. The design blueprint it established remains influential in the industry today.

The 1964 Topps baseball card set was truly a landmark year that changed the entire baseball card collecting hobby. By featuring individual player portraits on all cards for the first time, it set the standard that is still followed today. Highlighting iconic rookies, stars and Hall of Famers also makes it one of the most popular vintage sets to collect. Over 50 years later, the 1964 Topps cards remain a pillar in the history of sports card issues and collecting.