Baseball cards have a long and storied history dating back over a century. While many companies have produced baseball cards over the years, Topps is widely considered the dominant force in the industry with some of the most iconic and valuable trading cards ever issued. Let’s take a look at some of Topps’ best and most coveted baseball cards from the 1950s to 1980s.
Topps began making baseball cards in 1951 and dominated the industry for decades. One of their earliest and most sought after designs is the iconic 1952 Topps baseball card set. Highlights of the 52 set include the Mickey Mantle rookie card, which is one of the most valuable sports cards ever printed. In near mint condition, the Mantle rookie can fetch over $2 million at auction. Other notables from ’52 include rookie cards for Willie Mays, Whitey Ford, and Hank Aaron. The design featured a vertical format with one player per card.
Just one year later in 1953, Topps issued one of the most famous sets of all-time – the 1953 Topps card set. This was the year Topps made the switch to the now standard horizontal card design still used today. Iconic photos of Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, and Ted Williams were featured on large color portraits. The ’53 set also contained the rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Eddie Mathews and Al Kaline. In top grades, complete ’53 Topps sets have sold at auction for over $1 million.
During the late 1950s, Topps released several classic designs that are still fan favorites today. The 1956 Topps cards stand out for their simple white borders and team logo at the top. Rookies in the set included future all-time greats like Felipe Alou and Don Drysdale. In 1957, Topps went with a horizontally oriented team logo and white borders. Notable rookies included future 300-game winners Jim Bunning and Early Wynn. 1958 was highlighted by the Mickey Mantle chase card, where collectors could try to obtain all seven poses of the star slugger.
The early 1960s saw Topps issue some of their most iconic designs. In 1961, they switched to the now-standard yellow border design with team logos on the bottom. It was also the final year that cards included bubblegum, a Topps tradition since their start. The 1960 and 1962 Topps sets are also considered classics of the era. Arguably the most famous design of all came in 1964 with the classic red, white and blue border cards. Notable rookies included future Hall of Famers like Dick Allen and Bill Freehan.
Topps really hit their stride in the late 1960s issuing popular designs like 1967, 1968 and 1969. The glorious full color photographs on a white background became collector favorites. The rookies of Reggie Jackson, Carlton Fisk, and Joe Morgan also added to the appeal. Arguably the most popular set of the entire decade came in 1969 featuring the “ball in glove” design. This included the famous Willie Mays card striking an iconic pose. In great condition, complete 1960s sets can sell for over $10,000.
The 1970s saw Topps keep producing must-have designs for collectors. In 1970, they introduced quadramesh photo borders that had an instant nostalgic appeal. Sets from 1971 to 1973 also featured innovations like gold borders and team logo designs. 1974 really stood out with its embossed look still sought after today. Arguably the most valuable cards of the entire decade came from 1975. That year featured the rookie cards of George Brett and Robin Yount, two cards that have sold for over $100,000 individually in mint condition.
The late 1970s maintained Topps dominance with innovative designs. In 1976, they switched to a clean white and team color border look. 1977 saw Topps go beyond borders and embrace full bleed photography instead. While clean and exciting, 1978 and 1979 reintroduced borders with a new modernized feel. Among the many star rookies included Eddie Murray, Don Mattingly, and Cal Ripken Jr. Complete 1970s Topps sets today remain some of the most popular and valuable in the hobby.
From the early 1950s through the 1970s, Topps released countless iconic baseball card designs that captured the excitement of the national pastime. Featuring the greatest players of all-time on innovative and visually appealing cards, sets from this era have become incredibly collectible and valuable today. Topps set the standard that all other sport card companies aspire to, releasing annually what are considered some of the true “best baseball cards” by collectors worldwide. Their dominance over 7 decades helped make baseball cards a beloved tradition for fans of all ages.
