1965 Topps #555 Jack Baldschun SHORT PRINT (Phillies)

1955 Topps Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values

1955 Topps was the first of 2 years of horizontal card designs. As with 1952, 1953 & 1954, cards were again a tad larger than today's standard. A nice feature, facsimile autographs, again appeared on the cards. The set came in 2 series, #1-160 and scarcer "High Numbers" #161-210.

Due to the contract battles between Topps & Bowman, Cards #175,186,203 & 209 were never issued. Topps eventually won the war, buying Bowman making 1955 the last year for Bowman cards. But the damage was done as Topps had to leave out many stars including Mickey Mantle & Stan Musial.

There were a total of (15) Hall of Famers in the 1955 set !!!
Top ROOKIEs: Roberto Clemente, Sandy Koufax & Harmon Killebrew
Top Stars: Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Al Kaline, Ernie Banks, Warren Spahn, Jackie Robinson, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra & Duke Snider.

"The Golden Greek" Harry Agganis, a popular 1955 Topps card, is a tragic story, Agganis, a rising young star, died after his first card was issued. A football star at Boston U., he turned down an offer from the Cleveland Browns and became the starting first baseman. Shortly after he came down with pneumonia and died of a Pulmonary Embolism.

1955 Topps Baseball card checklist, values and prices.

1957 Topps Football Cards
Checklist & Values

In 1957 Topps created the modern day card by reducing the size of cards to current standard 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches. Topps also increased the set to 154 players and dramatically changed card format to a horizontal split-card. Player selection was awesome with (31) future Hall-of-Famers. 1957's top rookies were Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas & Paul Hornung. The only variation is card #58 Willard Sherman.

1957 Topps Football card values and prices

1967 Topps WHO AM I ?
Checklist & Values

Easy to see why the 1967 Topps "Who Am I ?" set is a favorite of both sports and non-sport collectors. 44 cards featuring history's important figures PLUS (4) of baseball's top stars: Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Sandy Koufax & Willie Mays !!! Do you recognize them ?

Player on front covered with scratch-off disguise with silly, hair, moustaches, hats, noses... and a clue to help kids guess. More clues on back. NO disguise coating then NOT MUCH VALUE.
Shakespear, Abe Lincoln, George Washington, Einstein, Queen Elizabeth, Joan of Arc, Julius Caesar, Columbus, Jackie Kennedy & more...

1967 Topps Who Am I?
Checklist & Prices

Baseball card collecting terms (part G)

Grade/Condition Centering, corner wear, photo clarity, edges, creases, print flaws ... all combine to determine a card's condition or grade. Along with rarity/scarcity it is the major factor in a card's value.

Graded Card As values increased the condition of cards and the determination of fakes and alterations became increasingly more important. Various companies became "graders" of your cards. For a fee they would grade your card (usually on a 1 to 10 scale) and then placed in a sealed plastic holder with labelling of the vital information.

From past experiences, most people are NOT HAPPY with the grades they receive. To keep values up, graders can be extremely picky. Things you don't see, they do so don't be surprized when the NEAR MINT card you send in ends up with an EX or EX/MINT grade.

There are TOO many grading companies - if you do, do choose carefully. PSA / SGC / GAI / BGS are some of the many companies. It is good to know that getting a card graded by a company that people do not recognize or respect will usually just cost you time and money and not help you in any way.

1965 Topps #555 Jack Baldschun SHORT PRINT (Phillies)

1955 Topps Baseball Cards Checklist & Values

1957 Topps Football Cards Checklist & Values

1967 Topps WHO AM I ? Checklist & Values

1955 Topps Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values

1957 Topps Football Cards
Checklist & Values

1967 Topps WHO AM I ?
Checklist & Values