The 1959 Topps baseball card set was the seventh series of post-war Topps baseball cards. Of special note, it was the first complete set to feature all Major League teams with players representing the new Houston Colt .45’s and Los Angeles Dodgers franchises. 1959 also marked Babe Ruth’s final appearance in a base set before his death the following year at age 53.
The 1959 Topps set contains 504 total cards, which was a significant increase from the previous year’s 520-card checklist. Topps opted for a change in the card layout for 1959, switching to a classic vertical format still used today versus the horizontal one used in previous years. The cards measured 2.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches tall. Most featured a color team photo on the front with the player’s name and stats below, while the back contained a brief write-up about the player as well as a large “T” Topps logo.
Standout rookies included future Hall of Famer Hank Aaron of the Milwaukee Braves, Don Drysdale of the Dodgers, and Nellie Fox of the Chicago White Sox. Aaron’s rookie card in particular is one of the most sought-after of all time. Future stars making their Topps debut included Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, and Roberto Clemente. Legends like Mickey Mantle, Warren Spahn, and Ted Williams also appeared in the set in the prime of their careers.
With the addition of two expansion teams, Topps added 26 players from Houston and Los Angeles to complete its first inter-league release. Notable cards included L.A.’s Don Drysdale and Maury Wills and Houston’s Bob Aspromonte and Rely Jablonski. Topps also included managers Walter Alston of the Dodgers and Harry Craft of the Colt .45’s.
The most valuable and rare cards in the 1959 set are unsurprisingly the rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Aaron (#332) and Koufax (#238). Both commands thousands in top grades due to their significance and the limited surviving population. Other key cards include Mantle (#112), Mays (#120), and Clemente’s only card without a team logo on the front (#349).
On the rare side, Dodgers shortstop Maury Wills’ card (#276) is one of the set’s true keys due to an error involving his first name misspelling it as “Muary”. Only a handful are believed to exist with the typo. Backup catcher Russ Nixon of the Dodgers is also an error as his last name is incorrectly written as “Nizcon” on card #277. These scarce misprint varieties can cost collectors well into the five figures.
Condition is essential when collecting the 1959 issue due to its relatively fragile paper stock susceptible to damage over six decades. High-grade specimens fetch premiums with many key rookies only affordable in lower graded states. Top centers and sharp corners are ideal, while common defects include creases, rubs, and edge-wear that ding a card’s rating quickly.
Beyond its intrinsic collecting attributes, the 1959 Topps baseball set also carries nostalgia and history. It captures a transition period as the game evolved with westward expansion while still featuring stars of the 1950s golden era. Overall it is one of the most iconic mid-century cardboard releases that remains a fundamental building block for dedicated vintage collectors today. With its intriguing rookies, expanding league size, design evolution, and error variants, the 1959 Topps set richly rewards those willing to invest the time and effort to compile its 505 cardboard stars.
