The 1959 Topps baseball card set was issued by Topps in 1959 and is the seventh complete set issued by Topps after re-entering the baseball card market in 1950. Like previous Topps sets, it contains cards of players from the American and National Leagues. Some key facts and details about the 1959 Topps baseball card set:
The 1959 set contains 520 baseball cards issued in wax paper packs. The cards are standard size for Topps baseball cards of the era, measuring approximately 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. The card fronts feature a color action photo of each player along with their name, team, and other info, while the backs contain career stats and biographical information. The photo size and style is consistent with other 1950s Topps sets.
Rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente, Richie Ashburn, Billy Pierce, and Nellie Fox are found in the 1959 set. Other notable rookies included future 20-game winners Dick Ellsworth and Carl Warwick. Veteran stars featured include Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Warren Spahn, and Stan Musial. The set also contains the final cards for players like Ralph Kiner, Don Newcombe, and Mickey Vernon who retired after the 1959 season.
The 1959 Topps set is considered one of the most plentiful issues from the 1950s, ranking high in terms of mint condition survival rates compared to other Topps sets from the decade. This is likely due to the large original print run to satisfy collector demand. While not as scarce or valuable as some older Topps flagship sets, finding high grade examples today can still be challenging for discerning collectors.
The checklist is unique among 1950s Topps sets in that it does not list players alphabetically by last name as was the standard practice. Instead, the 1959 issue utilizes a novel “facial furniture” concept where players are ordered based on their cap or helmet style, haircut, and facial hair arrangement. For example, players with masks or bareheaded photos appear at the front of the set followed by those with various styles of caps or hairdos grouped together. This produced a visually aesthetic and interesting organization method novelty for its time.
The design features a primarily red color scheme with a stylized “TOPPS” logo featuring depicted as buildings in the nighttime city skyline across the top. The set is sometimes referred to as the “Red Chevron” issue due to the prominent red stripes featured on the borders. The uniformly sized player photos look modern by 1950s standards but the drab hues and textures signify the set predated the vivid color photography of 1960s cards. Nevertheless, the clean design remains easy to read and attractive despite its age.
Among the most valuable and desired cards are the rookie cards of Hall of Famers Clemente and Ashburn, which typicallygrade high. Other cards that often command premiums include multi-time batting champions Hank Aaron and Stan Musial, pitching stalwarts Robin Roberts and Warren Spahn, and perennial All-Stars Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, and Eddie Mathews. Short print cards and those of players who passed away earlier increase demand as well.
The 1959 Topps set endures as a classic mid-century baseball issue prized by collectors both for its historical significance and plentiful surviving high grade specimens available to building complete registries. While never reaching the astronomical values of the T206 or ’52 Topps sets, condition sensitive examples of stars and key rookie cards continue finding buyers in the vintage sports card market when offered at auction or through private sale channels. Its novel visual design scheme and status as a bookend to the 1950s card boom era cements the 1959 Topps set as an iconic baseball cultural artifact.
