The Topps Company, Inc. is an American manufacturer and distributor of chewing gum and novelty confectionery best known as the chief competitor of the Bowman Gum Company in the baseball card market from the mid-1950s through the 1980s. Topps broke into the baseball card industry in 1951 with the introduction of their “Magic Photos” series. This first set featured 84 different cards that featured photos of current major league players and could be peeled off wax paper wrappings. The cards themselves were thinner than previous card issues and featured bubble gum inside the wrapper that the user would receive as an added bonus. While initially experimenting with several non-sport related sets in the early 1950s, Topps focused solely on the lucrative baseball card market beginning in 1952 after securing exclusive licensing deals with MLB teams and players union.
Topps’ decision to include bubble gum with each baseball card purchase was a strategic move that helped distinguish their product from competitors and encouraged repeated purchases from kids. Providing this added novelty item helped make Topps’ cards immediately popular and collectible. Sales skyrocketed, netting Topps control of over 90% of the baseball card market share by the mid-1950s. The inclusion of gum also helped Topps cards earn informal classification as a “confectionery” product, allowing them to be sold in venues where baseball cards had previously been banned such as candy stores and grocery markets. Topps’ innovative business model and packaging were highly influential on all subsequent sports and non-sports card issues going forward.
Some of the most notable and valuable early Topps issues include the 1952, 1953, and 1954 sets. The 1952 set is notable as Topps’ first true baseball card series that included all teams. Highlights of the 103 card ’52 Topps set include the first cards featuring all-time greats like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and a very rare Mickey Mantle commons card that has sold for over $100,000. The 1953 Topps set increased to 126 cards and is especially exciting for collectors as it includes the debut cards of Hall of Famers like Roy Campanella, Don Drysdale, Eddie Mathews and Al Kaline. Perhaps the most iconic of the early-’50s sets is the 1954 Topps issue. Featuring an innovative painted photographic design on a brighter yellow stock, the high-quality 110 card ’54 Topps set is widely considered one of the most visually appealing vintage baseball card sets ever produced.
Topps expanded upon the success of their annual baseball card series throughout the 1950s and 60s, finding new ways to improve the formula and attract young collectors. 1957 Topps introduced the first modern player statistics listing on the rear of cards. 1959 Topps debuted multi-photo cards showing players in action, helping to further popularize the hobby. Topps’ innovative 1963 and 1965 sets introduced “Action Packs,” small booklets that folded out multiple cards in an easier-to-collect format. But the most popular design change came in 1969 when the entire card stock transitioned to a cardboard-backed large format size that remains the industry standard today. Other breakthroughs included Topps’ first trading card insert set in 1978, checklists cards in 1987, and traded player variant cards beginning in 1981 that helped collectors track players changing teams.
Topps ruled the baseball card market in a virtual monopoly for decades, producing the only annual card sets from the 1950s through the late 1970s. Legendary retired players like Mickey Mantle made fortunes via endorsement deals and personal appearance packages arranged by Topps. However, Topps faced new competition in the 1980s from smaller brands like Fleer and Donruss looking to gain market share. The antitrust scrutiny that followed saw Topps lose its license exclusivity, though they remained the dominant force. Some of the rarest and highest value vintage issues originate from Topps’ mid-80s run as they explored new premium parallel and inserts sets before succumbing to the increased competition.
Today, Topps modern issues from the late-’80s onward remain very popular with collectors and provide affordable insight for nostalgic baby boomers and kids alike into their baseball card collecting pastime roots. Whether seeking iconic vintage players like Ted Williams from the 1950s, legendary stars of the 1960s like Hank Aaron, or following today’s top players, Topps’ 70+ years of producing innovative, high-quality baseball cards helped define and shape multiple generations of the modern hobby. While no longer the sole annual producer, Topps remains a leader in the licensed trading card industry and hugely influential on today’s sport collecting landscape. Their new digital offerings also aim to introduce new generations to the thrill of the bubble gum-style chase that started it all.
In summary, Topps’ introduction of baseball cards with bubble gum in the early 1950s was truly revolutionary. Not only did it help earn their cards mass appeal among children, but it pioneered the modern sports and non-sports licensed trading card model to follow. Through nearly continuous annual baseball card sets, creative designs, and licensing deals with MLB, Topps shaped and dominated the post-war baseball card boom for decades. Some of the rarest and most desirable vintage issues come from Topps’ early pioneering runs that defined collectors’ roots and interest in the hobby for life. Topps’ 70 year legacy continues to entertain and excite collectors of all backgrounds, demonstrating bubble gum cards’ enduring cultural impact.
