The 1959 baseball card season marked a transition period in the hobby. While the biggest card manufacturers of the time like Topps, Fleer, and Bowman were still producing sets, the cards started reflecting broader changes in American culture and the sport itself.
Topps dominated the baseball card market in the late 1950s. For 1959, they produced their standard pink backed design with over 500 cards in the set. Some of the biggest stars to grace the ’59 Topps cards included Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, and Ted Williams in his final MLB season. The cards featured vibrant color portraits of the players against a solid pink background. Fun facts, stats, and career highlights were included on the back of each card.
Topps continued their run of innovation in 1959 with the introduction of the first “Traded” subset. These cards highlighted players who were traded or dealt during the previous season. Topps would take existing portrait photos from prior years and add text noting the trade. Traded cards became a staple of future Topps sets. The ’59 Traded cards featured players like Nellie Fox, Early Wynn, and Harvey Kuenn.
While still producing a full baseball card set, 1959 marked the end of the Fleer company’s short run issuing cards. Founded in 1881, Fleer produced baseball cards for only 3 seasons from 1956-1958. Fleer cards are highly collectible today due to their short print run. The ’59 Fleer cards featured many of the same players as Topps but with a unique design using a light blue backdrop. The Fleer company would later re-enter the baseball card market in 1981.
Bowman also issued a smaller 110 card set in 1959 before discontinuing baseball cards. Their designs were similar to Topps with pink borders but featured more action shots of players. Bowman focused on capturing iconic photos that showed the players in action during games. Future Hall of Famers like Willie Mays and Hank Aaron could be found in the ’59 Bowman set.
Beyond the big three manufacturers, smaller regional companies produced baseball cards during this period as well. Mars/Franklin Mint issued a 75 card Chicago Cubs team set. Card companies like Leaf and Post also had short print runs. These obscure issues have become highly valuable to collectors today.
The late 1950s saw the continued rise of baseball as America’s national pastime. With television bringing the game into living rooms, stars like Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Hank Aaron were becoming household names. The 1959 cards reflected this newfound popularity and focus on individual players. Full color photos helped turn cards into baseball memorabilia prized by both kids and adults.
Culturally, 1959 was also a transitional year. The civil rights movement was gaining momentum as Rosa Parks refusal to give up her bus seat sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. Four years later, the National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its first African American player – Jackie Robinson. The 1959 cards featured more Black ballplayers than ever before as the color barrier in the sport continued falling. Pioneers like Ernie Banks and Curt Flood had prominent cards that year.
While the 1950s cards focused more on stats and highlights on the back, the late 50s also started seeing the first “action shot” reverse designs. Topps led this trend, capturing iconic photos of players swinging, fielding, or running the bases. This helped turn cards into true baseball memorabilia instead of just stats. 1959 Topps had early examples like Roy Face’s pitching card that showed him mid-windup or Nellie Fox stealing second base.
The 1959 season also saw major rule changes come to MLB. The mound was moved back significantly, from 50 feet to 60’6″, in an effort to increase offense. New batting and pitching records would soon follow. The cards reflected these changes coming to America’s pastime. Future Hall of Famers like Koufax, Aaron, and Mays dominated the late 50s – their ’59 rookies are especially valuable today.
The 1959 baseball card season marked both a transition period for the hobby and the sport itself. While iconic manufacturers left the field after short runs, Topps solidified its dominance with its standard pink bordered design. The cards started showcasing more action photography and star power. Cultural changes within MLB and America at large also began being reflected on the cardboard. The 1959 issues laid important groundwork for the upcoming golden era of 1960s cards that have become hugely popular with collectors today.
