The 1951 Topps red back baseball card set was the first series of modern sized baseball cards produced by Topps Chewing Gum, Inc after they acquired the rights to produce gum-backed cards from Bowman Gum. The 1951 set marked Topps’ entrance into the baseball card market and established the standard design template they would use for decades to come.
The 1951 Topps set contained a total of 67 player cards as well as 11 manager cards. All cards in the set featured a thick outline border that used alternating shades of red in order to clearly define the edge of each card. Within this border was a white foreground that featured the primary photography and text elements. Photography consisted of headshots of each player that were studio portraits copyrighted by Topps. At the top left of each card was the players name printed in bold red caps while their team name appeared in a smaller red font below.
One of the most distinguishing design elements of the 1951 Topps set was the thick solid red color that covered the entire back of each card. This bold red rear panel made the cards instantly recognizable from the back while also providing an ideal backdrop for statistical and career information to be printed clearly in white. The back of each 1951 Topps card contained a write up about the player that included highlights of their career statistics and accomplishments to date.
Much of the photography and imagery used in the 1951 Topps set came directly from the existing photo archives that Topps had acquired the rights to from Bowman Gum. Some key differences in design between the Bowman and Topps sets include the addition of team logos on the Topps cards rather than just team names written out as well as the player’s full name now printed horizontally along the top border rather than vertically down the side of the card as was the Bowman style.
The roster of players featured in the 1951 Topps set read like a who’s who of baseball legends from that era including stars such as Willie Mays, Roy Campanella, Richie Ashburn, Warren Spahn and many more. Much like today’s rookies, the 1951 Topps set also included early career cards for players who would go on to have Hall of Fame careers like Roberto Clemente and Sal Maglie. While the photography and formatting of the cards set the standard for decades to come, the 1951 design is also notable for not including any player statistics directly on the front of the card.
Condition of the 1951 Topps red back baseball cards is often difficult to find in high grade due to the fragile nature of the thin cardboard stock and the use of hard gum as the adhesive on the reverse. Getting a 1951 Topps card graded by a reputable third party authenticator and grading company such as PSA or SGC in high aesthetic grade is quite challenging. For collectors who land even moderately played 1951 Topps cards, the connection to getting a piece of the very first Topps design in their collection makes it an exciting accomplishment regardless of condition.
While early Topps issues including the 1951 set did not command the massive price tags of vintage T206 tobacco cards or 1930 Goudey baseball cards, interest and prices for the inaugural Topps designs skyrocketed in the late 1980s and early 1990s during the boom of the collector’s market. Complete high grade sets of 1951 Topps have been known to sell at auction for over $100,000. Popular stars like Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle routinely fetch over $10,000 in PSA NM-MT 8 condition as individual cards. Even in lower grades the demand has pushed prices up dramatically from where they stood just 10 years ago.
The success and iconic look of the 1951 Topps baseball card set played a major role in not only establishing Topps as the dominant force in the sports card industry but also in defining many of the conventions in design, production values and statistical content that remain followed to this day by the modern card companies. Over 65 years later, the rich history and legendary roster of players captured in those original 67 red backed cards continue to captivate collectors of all ages and represent a true foundation of the hobby.
