The 1959 Topps baseball card set was the eighth series of cards produced by Topps and featured all current Major League Baseball players from that season. Some key details about the 1959 Topps baseball card checklist:
The 1959 Topps set includes 520 total cards with photos of players from both the American and National Leagues. The cards are numbered 1-520 with no player names or team logos on the fronts. Instead, each card has a colorful illustration in the upper-left corner with the player’s uniform number below. The back of each card features the player’s biography and career stats.
Some notable rookies featured in the 1959 Topps set include future Hall of Famers Hank Aaron (Card #1), Willie Mays (Card #12), and Roberto Clemente (Card #397). Other rookie cards included future All-Stars Frank Howard (Card #65), Don Drysdale (Card #140), Pete Rose (Card #233), and Bill Freehan (Card #457). Rose would go on to become the all-time MLB leader in hits.
The 1959 Topps set is most famous for including the rookie card of baseball legend Mickey Mantle (Card #253). Mantle had already established himself as one of the game’s great sluggers by 1959 but his rookie card is still one of the most sought-after in the hobby. In near-mint condition, Mantle’s 1959 Topps RC can fetch over $100,000.
Another notable rookie card in the 1959 set belongs to Nellie Fox (Card #189). Fox was already 32 years old in 1959 but was still in the early stages of his Hall of Fame career with the Chicago White Sox. His rookie card is quite scarce in high grades.
One of the more valuable commons in the 1959 Topps set is the card of Hank Aaron’s Milwaukee Braves teammate Eddie Mathews (Card #76). Mathews was a perennial All-Star and the 1957 NL MVP. His card tends to grade well and often sells for over $1,000 in top condition.
The 1959 Topps set also included the final cards of several legendary players who were in the twilight of their careers. Perhaps most famous is the card of Ted Williams (Card #397), who was entering his final season before retiring with a career batting average of .344. Other final cards included Stan Musial (Card #8), Roy Campanella (Card #32), and Early Wynn (Card #136).
Some key errors and variations that collectors look for in the 1959 Topps set include:
Card #1 – Hank Aaron’s uniform number is listed as “44” instead of “44”, a subtle difference.
Card #7 – Stan Musial’s last name is misspelled as “Muisial”.
Card #11 – Willie Mays is shown wearing a New York Giants uniform but was traded to the San Francisco Giants before the 1959 season began.
Card #79 – Jim Coates’ last name is misspelled as “Cotes”.
Card #158 – Wally Moon has no team listed on the back of his card, a notable omission.
Card #254 – The Mickey Mantle card was subject to a photo swap error where the front photo was replaced with a photo of Whitey Ford. This is one of the rarest errors in the hobby.
In terms of overall condition, the 1959 Topps set tends to grade slightly better than some of the earlier 1950s issues. This is due to lower production numbers and less circulation over the years. Still, high-grade examples above a PSA/BGS 9 are quite valuable, especially for the star rookies and commons. Graded samples above a Gem Mint 10 can reach tens of thousands of dollars.
The 1959 Topps baseball card set is a highly collectible vintage issue thanks to star rookies like Mantle and Aaron as well as the final cards of legends like Williams and Musial. Its mix of all-time greats in the early stages of their careers makes it a truly historic checklist for any sports card collector. Even in lower grades, 1959 Topps cards remain popular with vintage enthusiasts and are an accessible starting point for building a collection of the early Topps baseball issues.
