The Topps Company is one of the most iconic trading card brands in history, best known for their annual releases of baseball cards starting in the 1950s. What began as a small startup has evolved into one of the longest running and most collectible series in the sport. Here’s an in-depth look at Topps baseball cards year by year from the beginning up until today.
1952: The Beginning – In 1952, Topps released their pioneering baseball card set which helped kick off the modern baseball card collecting craze. The original set included all teams from that season and featured basic stats and black and white photographs on each card. This 132 card release established the foundation for Topps’s annual baseball sets that still continue today.
1953-1957: Expansion and Color – Topps grew their sets each of these years, expanding rosters and including more statistics per player. A major milestone came in 1952 with the introduction of color to cards. Color printing brought the players and teams to life like never before, greatly enhancing the collecting experience. The photographs remained smaller. Sets during this period ranged from 252 cards in 1953 up to 330 cards in 1957.
1958: Photos Grow and Teams Added – Topps made the bold decision to greatly increase the size of player photos on cards starting in 1958. Photos now took up almost the entire front of each card. The American League and National League were split into separate sets for the first time, with 144 cards each dedicated to individual league teams.
1959-1961: Experimentation and Innovation – Topps tested new ideas and concepts throughout the late 1950s. They issued special subsets highlighting rookies, all-stars and more prolific hitters. In 1960/1961, Topps combined the AL and NL back together but added bonus cards highlighting playoff teams. This set the stage for even more special subsets in future years as the brand evolved.
1962: Topps Baseball’s Most Iconic Design – Many consider the 1962 Topps design as the most classic and nostalgic in the hobby’s history. Featuring bold team logo colors accented by a light blue border surrounding enlarged photos, these remain top sellers to this day. The basic 132 card flagship set also included a coveted Hank Aaron autograph card that has become one of the key rookie cards in the industry.
1963-1966: Growth and New Artworks – The 1960s saw Topps sets balloon well past previous years, up to over 700 cards by 1966. More subsets recognizing leaders were added like the inaugural “All-Star” cards. Topps also experimented with different card artworks, varying between team logos, full bleed action shots and basic player portraits through the mid-60s.
1967: The Zenith of 1960s Design – Many argue the pinnacle of 1960s Topps card design arrived in 1967 with their dynamic full color action shots and psychedelic tribal patterns accenting each card. Cards featured brighter colors and bigger images, capping off the decade of growth. The 792 card flagship set became one of the largest in baseball card history to date.
1968-1970: A New Age of Photography – Topps transitioned to a new era of photography in the late 1960s/early 70s with rich color action images zooming past basic portraits. For the first time, entire card fronts were dominated by up-close headshots with minimal borders or statistics. This would be the new visual standard that Topps stuck with through the mid-70s. Set sizes ranged from 592 to 660 cards.
1971-1975: Peak Popularity but Challenges Loom – Topps baseball cards reached the height of their popularity during this period, with tens of millions of cards produced each year. Competition was growing as rivals like Fleer threatened Topps’ monopoly on MLB licenses. Card sizes also shrunk substantially starting in 1974 in an effort to cut costs.
1976-1980: New Challengers Emerge – After losing exclusivity, Fleer debuted their inaugural baseball card set alongside Topps in 1981. For the first time, fans had a rival company producing cards alongside the iconic brand. While still king of the market, Topps’ dominance was no longer guaranteed. Their photography and designs became more basic through the late 70s but they remained committed to producing annual sets.
1981-1988: The Junk Wax Era – Mass production of cards reached new levels during the early to mid-1980s as Fleer and newer brands like Donruss flooded the market. Topps and others loaded sets with inserts, parallels and special subsets to chase but overproduction devalued the base cards. Stars like Cal Ripken Jr. emerged to keep interest high during the “Junk Wax” era.
1989-1992: A Return to Quality and Scarcity – Topps took steps to reduce skyrocketing production levels in the late 1980s, improving quality and moving away from gimmicks. Updates to photography and card designs were welcomed. In 1990, Upper Deck stunned the industry by outbidding Topps for the MLBPA player contract, ending Topps’ monopoly on licensed MLB cards.
1993-1997: Competition Rules – Led by Upper Deck and newcomer Score, competition against Topps was fiercer than ever during the 1990s with each company attracting exclusive star player and team contracts. Annual set designs fluctuated between classic looks and wild experiments. In 1997, Topps debuted autograph and memorabilia “Relic” cards that became a new collector favorite insert.
1998-2002: New Partnerships and Innovations – Facing surging rivals like Playoff and Donruss Elite, Topps adopted more innovative strategies to stay ahead. Starting in 2002, they partnered with MLB for specialty sets celebrating milestones and classics. Insert sets flourished with parallels, patches and autographs. Their flagship set designs also modernized.
2003-2007: Focus on Fun and Flash – With Upper Deck and Playoff exiting baseball cards, Topps no longer had serious competition during the mid-2000s. They unleashed a barrage of flashy insert sets alongside their annual flagship release. Glossy photos and super short prints characterized this flashy period alongside sets dedicated to uniforms, stars and retro parallels.
2008-2013: High-End Partnerships and Challenges Return – After closing their own card factory in 2007, Topps outsourced production overseas which hurt quality. They aimed high-ends sets at adult collectors through limited licenses with MLB and individual teams/players. Meanwhile, production giants like Panini began releasing MLB-licensed sets targeting the mainstream scene.
2014-Today – A New Golden Age? – Topps re-focused on their flagship baseball set with better photography and designs suited for all collector levels. Panini’s competitive sets using MLBPA player names offered an alternative. Relics/autos proliferated industry-wide. Topps remains king of the mountain while staying on top of trends, frequently collaborating with MLB to span the spectrum of collector interests young and old.
In over 70 years, Topps Baseball Cards have evolved from humble beginnings to become a multi-billion dollar industry icon. While competition and trends have come and gone, Topps’ annual flagship baseball set remains a constant collectible staple for card fans new and old. Their commitment to innovation as well as nostalgia will likely keep the brand on top for many years to come.
