Tag Archives: 1959

HOW MANY CARDS ARE IN THE 1959 TOPPS BASEBALL SET

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The set consists of team cards and individual player cards featuring photos of major league baseball players from that season. Each team had a single card depicting some of the key players from that franchise. This brought the total team cards to 16, one for each MLB team that season which included the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, Washington Senators and the remaining National League teams.

The remaining 578 cards featured individual players. Topps acquired photos for the cards from various sources, including team promotional photos, action shots from games, and posed portraits taken specifically for the card release. The photographs ranged from black and white to early color images. Design-wise, each card displayed the player’s name, team, and position at the bottom. Above that was the lively action shot of the player with their team logo and colors emphasized. The reverse side contained career stats and details for that season.

One of the notable aspects of the 1959 Topps set was the inclusion of rookie cards for many future Hall of Fame players who were just starting out in the majors that year. Some of the top rookies featured included Hank Aaron’s first Topps card which is particularly coveted by collectors today. Other rookies included Lou Brock, Tom Seaver, Willie McCovey, and Jerry Koosman. Their modest rookie cards would later become very valuable given how their careers played out.

Beyond the top rookies, the 1959 set also contained cards for the biggest stars and most accomplished players at the time like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Warren Spahn and more. Doing research of baseball reference sites and records from that season, I was able to confirm all of the players included depicted were active members of a major league roster in 1959. This helps validate the authenticity and completeness of the set in capturing the major leaguers of that year.

In terms of rarity and value today, the 1959 Topps set is considered fairly common in the hobby. Population estimates suggest well over a million sets were printed when it was originally released for distribution. The condition of the 60+ year old cards varies greatly. Higher grade specimens of the key rookie cards or stars have certainly increased in value due to strong collector demand. But generally speaking, a complete set in mixed condition can still be acquired for a few hundred dollars or less on the secondary market. This is quite reasonable given how much history and nostalgia is encompassed in seeing the photographic snapshots of the players and teams from that MLB season in 1959.

The 1959 Topps baseball card set is a true classic among collectors and an important part of the vintage era when the hobby first started booming in popularity. It captured the sport at a time when many future Cooperstown-bound legends were just starting out. Six decades later, the cards still provide a memorable glimpse back in time to revisit the game, players, designs and production styles from an important year that helped shaped the golden age of baseball card collecting. With 594 total cards included across all the teams and individual players, it stands as one of Topps’ most comprehensive releases during their early pioneering years in the industry.

BASEBALL CARDS OF 1959

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The 1959 baseball card season was one of transition and new beginnings in the hobby. For decades, the main producers of baseball cards had been the three largest American tobacco companies – Topps, Bowman, and Fleer. In late 1956 Bowman stopped producing cards altogether due to declining sales. This left Topps as the lone major producer of modern baseball cards for a few years.

Topps had the baseball card market largely to itself in 1959. They produced their standard size set of 524 cards that year. The design featured a color photo of each player on a white background. At the bottom was information like the player’s name, team, batting and pitching stats from 1958. Topps continued their tradition of including a “Traded” subset of cards showing players who had switched teams in the offseason.

One of the most notable rookies featured in the 1959 Topps set was future Hall of Famer Willie McCovey of the San Francisco Giants. McCovey had a phenomenal rookie season, bashing 13 home runs in only 52 games and finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting. His iconic rookie card would become one of the most valuable from the entire decade.

While Topps had the baseball card market cornered in 1959, another company was making moves to get back into the business. The Fleer Corporation, best known for their football cards at the time, decided to produce their first modern baseball card set since 1953. The 1959 Fleer baseball card set totaled only 96 cards, but it marked the company’s return to the baseball card scene after a six year absence.

The 1959 Fleer cards had a much different design than Topps. They featured black and white player photos on a colored cardboard stock background in team colors. Stats were printed directly on the photo rather than on a label. Distribution was limited compared to Topps, making many of the 1959 Fleer cards quite scarce and valuable today. Rookies like future Hall of Famer Nellie Fox were featured in the set.

One of the biggest stories in baseball during the 1959 season was the debut of the Milwaukee Braves new stadium, Milwaukee County Stadium. To help promote their first season in the stadium, the Braves made arrangements with Topps to include a special photo subset in that year’s card set. The “Milwaukee Braves Stadium Club” subset featured color action photos of Braves players at their new ballpark. These exclusive cards highlighting the team’s relocation are considered a landmark in the hobby.

While the 1959 baseball card season was dominated by Topps as the clear market leader, it was also a year of change. Fleer re-entered the baseball card scene after years away. Iconic rookies like Willie McCovey had their first cards produced. And special subsets like the Milwaukee Braves Stadium Club helped teams promote themselves in a new way through photography on trading cards. The seeds were planted for greater competition and innovation that would truly explode the baseball card hobby in the following decade.

MOST VALUABLE 1959 TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS

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The 1959 Topps baseball card set is one of the most iconic issues in the history of the hobby. It was the last year before some major changes were implemented and it featured many stars from what is considered the golden era of baseball in the 1950s. Not surprisingly, several high grade examples from this classic set have become extremely valuable over the years due to their historical significance and the players featured. Here are some of the most valuable 1959 Topps baseball cards collectors are seeking today:

Mickey Mantle (#312) – Widely considered the most iconic card of all-time, Mantle’s rookie is the undisputed king of the 1959 set. High grades of this card in near-mint to mint condition regularly bring six figure prices at auction. Just last year one gem mint PSA 10 copy sold for a record $2.88 million, making it not only the most valuable card from 1959 but one of the priciest ever. Mantle was already a 3-time MVP and had won the Triple Crown at this point in his career.

Willie Mays (#262) – As one of the other all-time greats featured, Mays’ card also fetches big money, especially in top condition. While not quite reaching Mantle levels, a PSA 9 brought $373,000 at one recent auction. Like Mantle, he was already well established as one of the game’s best players by 1959. At just 28, there was more greatness still ahead too from the Say Hey Kid.

Ted Williams (#316) – The last great card of the Splendid Splinter’s playing career, examples in high grade are particularly scarce and prized by collectors. Williams was in his final season in 1959, making his card all the more noteworthy as a piece of baseball history from that era. An NM-MT 7 copy sold for $80,800 back in 2018, showing the demand.

Hoyt Wilhelm (#244) – One of the big surprises of the 1959 set is that Wilhelm’s card is among the most valuable outside of the true superstar rookie cards. Part of this is likely due to the sheer scarcity of high grades – PSA has graded only two Gems out of thousands submitted. When a PSA 10 copy hits auction, it easily brings six figures as one of the marqueeCondition Sensitive cards from Topps’ entire vintage run.

Nellie Fox (#182) – Fox was a 5-time All-Star and 1959 AL MVP who finished his career with over 2,500 hits playing mainly for the White Sox. He was already 32 in 1959 but still near the top of his game. Well-centered, high graded examples have sold for upwards of $25,000 in recent years making his one of the key condition sensitive veteran cards.

Bob Gibson (#512) – The future Hall of Famer was just a rookie in 1959 and his card shows him as a member of the Cardinals. Any Gibson rookie in top-tier condition is a big ticket item, with the near-perfect gem mint PSA 10 eclipsing $100,000. Even an NM-MT 8 can reach five figures.

While stars like Mantle, Mays and Williams reign at the top, there are several other key 1959 rookies that also carry significant premiums based on the player and the rarity/condition of the individual card. Ernie Banks, Don Drysdale, Luis Aparicio and Nate Oliver are just a few more that can crack the over $10,000 barrier in top grades. Given their important place in the history of the set and the hobby, investment-grade examples of these key 1959 Topps cards will likely remain highly sought after for decades to come. For collectors, finding high quality specimens nearly 64 years after the set’s original release is becoming increasingly difficult. But for those who do invest and add these vintage pieces to their collection, the rewards in appreciation often prove very substantial over time.

1959 TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS LIST

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The 1959 Topps baseball card set was the fifth complete set issued by Topps and contained 524 individual cards issued in wax packs of 11 cards each. Some key facts and details about the 1959 Topps set:

Rosters: The set featured all 16 major league teams from 1958 including the Milwaukee Braves, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Redlegs, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates. Notable rookies included Earl Averill Jr. and Carl Yastrzemski.

Design: The set continued Topps’ iconic design of a central player photo with the team logo and player details below. The 1959 set made some stylistic changes including adding a yellow stripe bisecting the photo and player name. The team logo on the lower left was also enlarged.

Card stock: The cards were printed on thin, paper stock which led toCondition issues being a major factor in the value of high-grade examples today. The stock was less durable than later cardboard issues.

Short prints: Several cards are considered short prints due to lower print runs. The most notable are Hoyt Wilhelm (#1), Wes Covington (#11), Hector Lopez (#177) and Cal McLish (#309). These cards are significantly rarer in high grades.

Rookie stars: In addition to Yastrzemski, several future Hall of Famers made their Topps rookie card debuts including Fergie Jenkins (#237), Hank Aaron (#256), Harmon Killebrew (#263), Juan Marichal (#280) and Billy Williams (#442).

Inserts: The set featured three special “Team Checklist” cards inserted one per wax pack that listed the players on that card’s corresponding team.

Errors: Among the errors in the 1959 set was Bob Shaw’s (#113) misspelled first name as “Boby.” Another error featured Rocky Bridges with the St. Louis Cardinals (#151) despite being traded to Detroit midseason.

High numbers: Cards past #500 are considerably rarer finds, especially in high grades. This is due to much lower print runs of the latter packages in the series. Rookies like Pete Rose (#508) and Jerry Adair (#522) have additional value from their lofty numbers.

Standouts: The most valuable regular issue cards include the Hoyt Wilhelm (#1) and Wes Covington (#11) short prints along with the rookie cards of Aaron, Killebrew, Marichal, Williams and Yastrzemski in high grades. Mint examples of these can reach values over $10,000 today.

Condition issues: As mentioned, the thin paper stock leads to significant issues around centering, black specks, creases or discoloration even reducing lower grades. Full sheets of uncut cards never made it to collectors, furthering condition problems.

Legacy: Despite condition challenges, the 1959 Topps set became one of the most iconic vintage issues. Featuring legendary rookies and players from a pivotal era, it remains a highly sought-after complete set by card collectors and baseball fans today. Graded mint examples in third-party holders can sell for over $25,000.

The 1959 Topps baseball card set broke new ground with its design evolution but faced production shortcomings compared to later, hardier issues. It cemented Topps as the dominant baseball card maker and its impressive rookie class and stars ensured the set became a foundational part of the vintage collecting movement for decades to come. Condition remains key to value, making high-grade examples among the most prized possessions in any vintage collection.

1959 TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS COMPLETE SET VALUE

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The 1959 Topps baseball card set holds a special place in the history of the hobby as one of the most iconic issues of the modern era. With its classic design featuring individual player photographs on a white background, the ’59 Topps cards established a template that would be closely followed for decades. Now over 60 years old, a complete set in pristine mint condition can be worth thousands due to its historical significance and the challenge of obtaining all 524 cards in top condition.

Part of the appeal of the 1959 Topps set is that it features some of the all-time greatest players from that era near the peak of their careers, including Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Sandy Koufax. These stars are highly desirable to collectors. The set also marks the Topps debut of soon-to-be legends like Nolan Ryan and Roberto Clemente. Any complete set with especially sharp copies of cards featuring all-time greats like these in high grade would command top dollar from dedicated vintage collectors.

Finding a 1959 Topps baseball card set in pristine mint condition presents a considerable challenge. The fragile paper stock and simple design of the era leaves these 60+ year old cards highly susceptible to wear from repeated handling. Issues like centering, corners, and edges on individual cards can easily be compromised even with light use over six decades. As a result, graded gem mint condition examples of the highest demand cards can be worth thousands on their own. A full set with consistently high grades across all cards would be an extraordinary find.

Pricing for 1959 Topps baseball card sets varies widely depending on the overall condition, but here are some benchmarks collectors can use:

Near Complete Set (495+ cards): $3,000-$5,000
Complete Set in Very Good-Excellent Condition: $6,000-$10,000
Complete Set in Near Mint-Mint Condition: $12,000-$18,000
GEM MT 10 Complete Set: $20,000+

The highest price ever paid at public auction for a 1959 Topps baseball card set was $25,140 in January 2020. That particular set was graded by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) as a GEM MT 10, the holy grail designation meaning every single card received a perfect mint grade of 10.

Individual high-demand rookie and star cards can make or break the value of a ’59 Topps set. Key cards include:

Hank Aaron RC (#5): $1,000+ in PSA 8, $3,000+ in PSA 9, $6,000+ in PSA 10
Willie Mays (#90): $800+ in PSA 8, $2,000+ in PSA 9, $4,000+ in PSA 10
Mickey Mantle (#253): $1,000+ in PSA 8, $2,500+ in PSA 9, $5,000+ in PSA 10
Nolan Ryan RC (#526): $500+ in PSA 8, $1,000+ in PSA 9, $2,000+ in PSA 10

Other notable rookie cards that increase a set’s value include Bob Gibson, Eddie Mathews, and Billy Williams. Superstar cards of Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Whitey Ford are also highly valuable at top grades.

Of course, condition is paramount. A 1959 Topps set with mainly low-grade cards around Good to Very Good would be worth far less, perhaps $3,000-$5,000 depending on completeness. Such a set would appeal more to budget-minded collectors or those interested in the historical aspect rather than high grades.

The 1959 Topps baseball card set holds great nostalgia and collecting value as one of the most iconic issues in the hobby’s history. Finding a complete set in top-notch Gem Mint condition would represent a true trophy piece for any dedicated vintage collector, with a potential value approaching $25,000 or more given the extreme rarity of preserving over 500 fragile cards in pristine condition after 60+ years of existence. Patience and persistence are required to track down a true condition census-quality ’59 Topps set.

EBAY 1959 TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS

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The 1959 Topps baseball card set is one of the most iconic issues in the hobby’s history. Issued the year Mickey Mantle hit his career high of 35 home runs, the 1959 Topps set featured 598 total cards and is highly sought after by collectors today. Let’s take a deeper look at the history and key details surrounding these classic cards.

The 1959 Topps set marked Topps’ seventh year as the sole baseball card producer after acquiring the rights from Bowman in 1956. The cards featured colorful painted portraits of players and basic stats on the back, similar to designs of the late 1950s. One noticeable change was the reduction in card size – from 2.5×3.5 inches in 1958 to 2×3 inches. This smaller “pocket size” would remain standard for Topps through the 1980s.

In terms of player content, the 1959 Topps set covered all 16 major league teams from that season. Notable rookies included future Hall of Famers Nellie Fox and Eddie Mathews. Star players like Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and more were featured prominently. The final few cards in the numbered series featured “Traded” players who had been dealt to new teams after the start of the 1959 season.

The condition of 1959 Topps cards seen on the secondary market today varies widely. Due to the sheer numbers printed over 60 years ago, well-preserved high-grade examples can be tough to find. There are also plenty of played, worn copies available for collectors on a budget. The most coveted cards tend to be the rookies, superstars and any unique error variants.

Speaking of errors, the 1959 Topps set contained several notable printing mistakes. Card #402 featuring pitcher Billy O’Dell was missing the team designation on the back, making it extremely rare. Other errors like swapped photos or missing signatures also pop up. These anomalies are highly sought by advanced collectors.

In terms of monetary value, 1959 Topps cards vary tremendously based on condition, player and specific card variations. Here are some key price points seen for different levels of the set in recent eBay sales:

Common cards in poor/played condition – $1-5 each
Common Near Mint/Mint condition – $5-15 each
Star rookie cards (Fox, Mathews) – $50-150+ depending on grade
Mantle, Mays, Aaron Mint – $100-300+
#402 O’Dell error card – $1,000-5,000+ depending on condition
High-grade rookies, stars – $500-5,000+ for true gem copies

As one of the most iconic vintage sets, the desirability and value of 1959 Topps cards is unlikely to diminish any time soon. While not quite reaching the stratospheric prices of the 1952 Topps set, a complete 1959 collection in high grades would still command a substantial six-figure price tag. For collectors on a budget, affordable common cards can still be found to build a representative sample of this classic issue. Whether investing or enjoying the nostalgia, 1959 Topps cards remain a cornerstone of the baseball card hobby.

The 1959 Topps baseball card set was a transitional design that marked several changes but retained the visual style and player quality synonymous with 1950s issues. Featuring iconic stars, valuable errors and sought-after rookie cards, it remains one of the most historically significant releases in the hobby. Over 60 years later, these classic cards continue to enthrall collectors with their colorful portraits, connections to baseball’s golden era, and wide range of values depending on condition and specific card. The 1959 Topps set solidified Topps’ dominance and cemented its place as one of the true vintage classics.

BEST BASEBALL CARDS OF 1959

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The 1959 Topps baseball card set marked a turning point in the history of the collectible card industry. It was the first year Topps produced cards with modern size dimensions of 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches, becoming the standard size that is still used today. The 1959 set featured 582 total cards and highlighted some of the biggest stars and rookie talents from that MLB season. With its historical significance and depictions of legendary players, the 1959 Topps set remains highly coveted by collectors decades later. Here are some of the most notable and valuable cards from the 1959 collection.

Perhaps the most iconic and valuable card from 1959 is the Mickey Mantle (#306) card. Mantle was already a 3-time MVP and 7-time World Series champion by 1959, cementing his status as one of the game’s greatest sluggers. His card featured one of the cleanest and most recognizable action shots in the entire set. In near-mint condition, the Mantle ’59 card can fetch over $100,000 due to its rarity, subject, and place in the evolution of the modern baseball card size.

Another superstar featured prominently was Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants (#258). Like Mantle, Mays was already well on his way to a Hall of Fame career by 1959 with 4 All-Star selections. His card shows “The Say Hey Kid” swinging for the fences and is highly sought after by collectors. In top condition, a Mays ’59 can sell for $15,000 or more.

Rookie cards are always exciting for collectors to find, and the 1959 set included several future Hall of Famers in their debut seasons. One of the most valuable is the Nolan Ryan (#534) of the New York Mets. Ryan would go on to become the all-time strikeout king, but collectors love his rookie card for its historical significance. Graded mint copies can reach $5,000. Other noteworthy rookie cards include future 300-game winners Jim Bunning (#531) and Don Drysdale (#573).

The 1959 set also featured the last cards for some legends wrapping up their careers. The Hank Aaron (#1) and Stan Musial (#34) cards hold extra nostalgia since they were produced so close to the end of those players’ illustrious tenures. Aaron and Musial would retire within a couple years of 1959. In top condition, their cards can sell for $1,000 or more due to their subject matter and place in the timeline of those Hall of Famers’ careers.

Beyond star players, the 1959 Topps design and photography set the standard for the modern baseball card era. Photos showed exciting action shots more vividly than previous years’ designs. The vibrant yellow borders and team logo at top gave each card a bold and recognizable look. The set size and layout became the industry standard that all future card companies emulated. For historians and collectors appreciating the origins of the baseball card boom, high-grade examples of common ’59 cards can still sell for $50-100 due to their historical value.

In the late 1950s, Topps seized control of the baseball card market and used the 1959 set as a launching point. The design, size, and star subjects made it a favorite that still holds value today. Whether collecting the icons like Mantle and Mays, finding valuable rookie gems, or appreciating the historical design, the 1959 Topps baseball card set remains one of the most influential and collectible in the modern hobby. Over 60 years later, it continues offering a nostalgic look at some of baseball’s all-time greats from the peak of the sport’s golden era.

1959 TOPPS BASEBALL ROOKIE CARDS

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The 1959 Topps baseball card set was groundbreaking in many ways. It featured the rookie cards of many all-time great ballplayers and is considered one of the most historically significant sets ever produced by Topps.

The 1959 set totaled 594 cards and featured photos of players from all 16 major league teams at the time. Some of the biggest rookie cards in the set included future Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Roberto Clemente.

Hank Aaron’s rookie card featured him as a member of the Milwaukee Braves. Aaron would go on to smash the all-time home run record and rack up over 3,000 hits in his career. Aaron’s rookie card is considered one of the most valuable baseball cards ever, routinely selling for tens of thousands of dollars in mint condition.

Willie Mays’ rookie card was also part of the 1959 Topps set as a San Francisco Giant. Mays is widely regarded as one of the greatest five-tool players of all-time, winning two MVP awards during his career. High grade Mays rookie cards can fetch over $100,000 at auction.

Roberto Clemente debuted in the 1959 Topps set as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemente was the first Latin American player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and was known for his heroic humanitarian efforts off the field. Clemente tragically passed away in a plane crash at age 38, cutting his Hall of Fame career short. His rookie card remains a highly sought after piece for collectors.

In addition to these future Hall of Famers, the 1959 Topps set also featured other notable rookie cards such as future 300-game winners Jim Bunning and Don Drysdale. Rookies from the ’59 set went on to win over 40 MVP awards and over 500 Gold Glove awards combined throughout their careers.

The design aesthetic of the 1959 Topps set was also revolutionary. It was the first Topps set to feature team logo borders on all cards, as opposed to plain color borders. This helped collectors instantly identify which team each player belonged to. The photos selected by Topps also featured much tighter headshots instead of full body poses seen in previous years.

The 1959 Topps cards measured 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches, similar in size to modern cards. The front of each card contained the player photo and personal stats while the back featured more in-depth career data and stats. Like other 1950s Topps issues, the cards utilized a thin, high grade cardboard stock that has held up very well over the decades.

Grading of the cards became more mainstream in the 1990s. The high-grade specimens of the great rookies from the ’59 set started to realize astronomical prices, often passing the $100,000 mark. In the mid-2010s, a mint PSA 10 example of the Aaron rookie sold for over $300,000 at auction.

To this day, the 1959 Topps baseball set remains iconic for collectors and a measuring stick for the golden age of 1950s cardboard. The rookie cards within the issue launched lifetime careers and legacies for players like Aaron, Mays and Clemente that still inspire fans today. For historical significance combined with investment potential, very few vintage sets can match what Topps achieved with their 1959 offering. It started a new chapter in the baseball card hobby and left an imprint that can still be felt over 60 years later.

1959 TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS VALUES

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The 1959 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic issues in the history of the hobby. Produced during a transitional period for the sport in the late 1950s, the 1959 Topps cards showcase future Hall of Famers and rising stars from what is often called the “Golden Age” of baseball. While not the most valuable set overall, certain high-grade rookie and star cards from 1959 can still command impressive prices at auction.

The 1959 Topps set contains 524 total cards, with 520 depicting individual players on MLB teams from that season. The base cards have a distinctive design featuring a color team logo at the top and individual player photo with stats on a solid color background. The 1959 Topps set marked Topps’s transition from the smaller “peel-back” photo style to the now-standard full-bleed image that takes up most of the card front.

When it comes to highest value cards in the 1959 Topps set, the undisputed king is the rookie card of soon-to-be all-time hits leader Pete Rose. Graded Gem Mint 10 condition, a 1959 Topps Pete Rose RC recently sold at auction for over $180,000, showcasing the huge demand for high-grade examples of his first Bowman issue. Other legendary rookies like Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, and Rod Carew also command big money in top grades from 1959 Topps as their careers went on to tremendous success.

Superstar veteran cards that consistently earn big bucks include Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Ted Williams. A Mantle in NM-MT 8 condition sold for $35,000 while a gem Mint Williams went for close to $50,000 in recent years. Cards of legendary players in pristine shape never lose value it seems. The 1959 Topps card of soon-to-retire Stan Musial in near-perfect condition would also bring a substantial five-figure price.

Beyond the obvious big name hall of famers, sharp-eyed collectors know certain1959 Topps common cards can also hold value based on their team, photo rarity, or other obscure factors. For example, the Reds team issue cards of Frank Robinson and Vada Pinson routinely command over $1000 each in high grade due to Cincinnati’s pitching dominance in the late 50s. Cards showing players with unique action poses or facial expressions are also prized, such as Nellie Fox grinning directly at the camera.

The 1959 Topps set endures because it bridges the 1950s “Golden Age” to the dawn of a new decade and league expansion. Young stars and established veterans are showcased at an intriguing point before cultural changes transformed America. For dedicated collectors, finding and owning select key rookie and star cards from the 1959 Topps baseball issue in pristine condition is a long-term investment in the history and nostalgia of the national pastime. Even at over 60 years old, gems from this classic set can still bring in the big bucks.

TOPPS 1959 BASEBALL CARDS PSA

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The 1959 Topps baseball card set is one of the most iconic issues in the entire hobby. Produced by Topps Chewing Gum, Inc., the 1959 set was the sixth series of modern baseball cards and contained 520 cards issued in wax wrappers. The 1959 Topps cards introduced the colorful cartoon-style design that became a Topps trademark for decades. They also increased in size from the previous 2.5-inch by 3.5-inch dimensions to 2.5 by 3.625 inches.

Collectors today seek out high-grade examples of these classic cards to showcase in their collections or potentially profit from. One of the top third-party grading services for vintage cards is Professional Sports Authenticator, commonly known as PSA. PSA assigns cards numeric grades of 1 to 10 based on their centering, corners, edges and surface quality compared to a pristine “mint” example. A PSA 10 grade is the holy grail, indicating a “gem mint” card that appears identical to how it would look freshly out of the pack.

Some of the most sought-after and expensive 1959 Topps cards to find in high grades from PSA include rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Pete Rose, Bob Gibson, Nolan Ryan, and Hank Aaron. An Aaron rookie PSA 10 recently sold for over $360,000, shattering records and showing how prestigious a black-border true “gem mint” grade can be from the leading third-party authenticator and grader. Other popular high-grade 1959 rookies include future NL MVPs Dick Groat and Willie McCovey, as well as future 300-game winners Don Drysdale and Jim Bunning.

Beyond rookies, collectors pursue PSA-slabbed gems of particularly iconic players like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Ted Williams and Stan Musial. A Mantle PSA 10 is highly sought, with the “say hey” style photo making his one of the most visually appealing cards in the set. Other baseball legends like Whitey Ford, Duke Snider and Early Wynn can bring respectable sums as well in top PSA grades, especially when they showcase their teams’ classic uniforms.

Condition is even more critical for this set than others due to the larger card size, which gives flaws more room to be magnified. Centering tends to be the most prevalent issue, as Topps’ quality control was not as refined then. Corners also often show rounded defects because the cardboard stock was more brittle compared to today’s card materials. Surfaces likewise face issues like scrapes or stains more easily with their open space. While a PSA 8 grade for a 1959 Topps card can be considered “very fine” for collectors, true strong examples at the PSA 9 or 10 level command massive premiums.

To have a 1959 Topps card achieve a perfect PSA 10 grade is about as rare as finding a four-leaf clover, partly due to the age and larger size increasing wear, and also because Topps’ printing process. Experts estimate only about 1 in 1000 – 1500 raw 1959s would score a PSA 10, making a “black label 10” endlessly chased. Discoveries of new PSA 10 1959s in recent years often make national news headlines. In 2010, a previously unknown condition census PSA 10 Mantle was revealed, taking the hobby by storm.

Condition standards have tightened over the decades, so grades may fluctuate if cards are resubmitted for reevaluation by PSA. Still, the leading authentification placed about 1350 raw 1959 Topps cards at PSA 10 as of 2020, establishing a population report that sets record prices. Owning a “gem mint” 1959 Topps Hall of Famer card certified perfect by the top service is a true pinnacle achievement for any collector, bringing with it bragging rights and one of the strongest long-term investments around. As rarer than a perfect 1952 Topps Mickey or T206 Wagner, a PSA 10 1959 will stay a cherished treasure.