1955 Topps Baseball Cards
Product Details
Featuring a new layout and some noteworthy rookie card options, 1955 Topps Baseball has aged well. In addition to a good amount of Hall of Fame subjects, the '55 Topps set is the place to find key rookie cards for Roberto Clemente and Sandy Koufax.
The 1955 Topps Baseball release consists of 206 cards, making it the second-smallest Topps baseball card set ever produced behind 1951 Topps. Measuring in at 3-3/4" by 2-5/8", 1955 Topps was the first horizontally-oriented sports design to be released by the card maker. The change was well received by collectors, as it was apparent that the orientation allowed for bigger player photos and the uncluttered inclusion of other key details.
1955 Topps Baseball cards feature both a player profile photo and an action shot of each player on the card's front. The dual image, first used the previous year, proved to be so popular that Topps went a stop further by colorizing the action photo as compared to the black-and-white version it utilized in 1954. Also taking up real estate on the card front is the team logo, facsimile signature and a colored bar across the bottom which highlights the player's name, position and team.
The card's reverse provides detailed biographical and statistical information about the player. One-panel cartoons returned in 1955 Topps Baseball, this time in the form of a trivia question related to the team or player. Finally, each card back includes a short paragraph regarding the player's contribution to the team the previous season.
What 1955 Topps Baseball lacks in overall checklist size, it makes up for in quality. The main attractions include rookie cards for Hall of Fame legends Sandy Koufax, Roberto Clemente and Harmon Killebrew. As was the case with the 1954 Topps set, Bowman's exclusive contracts with Mickey Mantle and Roy Campanella prevented their appearance in the 1955 release as well.
Fortunately enough, there are still plenty of big names in 1955 Topps Baseball, including Hank Aaron, Duke Snider, Yogi Berra, Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson and Eddie Mathews. It is important to note the four cards originally intended for inclusion were ultimately left out. The players later were revealed to be Stan Musial (#175), Whitey Ford (#186), Bob Feller (#203) and Herb Score (#209). This explains why there are gaps in the 210-card set, and, as a result, four cards were double printed.
1955 Topps Baseball is largely free of variations. Frank Sullivan (#103) can be found with and without a large red dot over dotting the "i" in his signature. Similarly, Wally Moon (#67) is also available with or without a dot over the "e" in his signature. Neither sees any added premium. While the variation count is low, there are quite a few uncorrected errors in the set, including the wrong birthday for Hank Aaron.
When it comes to scarcity, the 1955 Topps Baseball high numbers (#161-210) are by far the most challenging to find in high grade. Many vintage collectors and set registry participants say that of all the 1950's Topps releases, these cards are the most difficult to find in NM-MT condition. It should also be pointed out that cards #151-160 are considered near equally scarce, making cards for Willie Mays, Yogi Berra and Duke Snider generally more scarce than those of Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson or Hank Aaron.
Those in the market for the release should be aware that 1955 Topps set is prone to the doctoring of two key areas. The first uses a method to adjust the centering to the naked eye. By erasing the colored background at the edge of the white border, an unscrupulous dealer or collector can alter the presentation enough to significantly increase its value in raw condition. However, once submitted for grading and viewed under magnification the doctoring will be clearly evident.
Additionally, spooning of the card backs, a process where a standard metal spoon is used in an attempt to remove the creases is another standard doctoring tactic familiar to the 1955 Topps Baseball set. Once again, when viewed under bright light and magnification, it is usually clear the manipulation has faded the color printing in the same area.
Beyond the pack-issued cards, there are also rare panels issued as salesman samples. The three-card panels are found with advertising info for 1955 Topps Baseball or 1955 Topps Double Header.
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Key Cards
Key 1955 Topps Baseball Cards
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#164 Roberto Clemente RC
#123 Sandy Koufax RC
#210 Duke Snider
#2 Ted Williams
#124 Harmon Killebrew
#28 Ernie Banks
#194 Willie Mays
#50 Jackie Robinson
#198 Yogi Berra
#100 Monte Irvin
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Set Checklist
1955 Topps Baseball Set Checklist
2 Ted Williams - Boston Red Sox
3 Art Fowler - Cincinnati Reds RC
4 Al Kaline - Detroit Tigers
5 Jim Gilliam - Brooklyn Dodgers
6 Stan Hack - Chicago Cubs RC
7 Jim Hegan - Cleveland Indians
8 Hal Smith - Baltimore Orioles RC
9 Bob Miller - Detroit Tigers
10 Bob Keegan - Chicago White Sox
11 Ferris Fain - Detroit Tigers
12 Jake Thies - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
13 Fred Marsh - Baltimore Orioles
14 Jim Finigan - Kansas City Athletics RC
15 Jim Pendleton - Milwaukee Braves
16 Roy Sievers - Washington Senators
17 Bobby Hofman - New York Giants
18 Russ Kemmerer - Boston Red Sox RC
19 Billy Herman - Brooklyn Dodgers
20 Andy Carey - New York Yankees
21 Alex Grammas - St. Louis Cardinals
22 Bill Skowron - New York Yankees
23 Jack Parks - Milwaukee Braves RC
24 Hal Newhouser - Cleveland Indians
25 Johnny Podres - Brooklyn Dodgers
26 Dick Groat - Pittsburgh Pirates
27 Billy Gardner - New York Giants RC
28 Ernie Banks - Chicago Cubs
29 Herm Wehmeier - Philadelphia Phillies
30 Vic Power - Kansas City Athletics
31 Warren Spahn - Milwaukee Braves
32 Ed McGhee - Chicago White Sox
33 Tom Qualters - Philadelphia Phillies
34 Wayne Terwilliger - Washington Senators
35 Dave Jolly - Milwaukee Braves
36 Leo Kiely - Boston Red Sox
37 Joe Cunningham - St. Louis Cardinals RC
38 Bob Turley - New York Yankees
39 Bill Glynn - Cleveland Indians
40 Don Hoak - Brooklyn Dodgers
41 Chuck Stobbs - Washington Senators
42 Windy McCall - New York Giants RC
43 Harvey Haddix - St. Louis Cardinals
44 Corky Valentine - Cincinnati Reds RC
45 Hank Sauer - Chicago Cubs
46 Ted Kazanski - Philadelphia Phillies
47 Hank Aaron - Milwaukee Braves
48 Bob Kennedy - Baltimore Orioles
49 J.W. Porter - Detroit Tigers
50 Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn Dodgers
51 Jim Hughes - Brooklyn Dodgers
52 Bill Tremel - Chicago Cubs RC
53 Bill Taylor - New York Giants
54 Lou Limmer - Kansas City Athletics
55 Rip Repulski - St. Louis Cardinals
56 Ray Jablonski - Cincinnati Reds
57 Billy O'Dell - Baltimore Orioles RC
58 Jim Rivera - Chicago White Sox
59 Gair Allie - Pittsburgh Pirates
60 Dean Stone - Washington Senators
61 Spook Jacobs - Kansas City Athletics
62 Thornton Kipper - Philadelphia Phillies
63 Joe Collins - New York Yankees
64 Gus Triandos - Baltimore Orioles RC
65 Ray Boone - Detroit Tigers
66 Ron H. Jackson - Chicago White Sox RC
67 Wally Moon - St. Louis Cardinals
68 Jim Davis - Chicago Cubs RC
69 Ed Bailey - Cincinnati Reds
70 Al Rosen - Cleveland Indians
71 Ruben Gomez - New York Giants
72 Karl Olson - Boston Red Sox
73 Jack Shepard - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
74 Bob Borkowski - Cincinnati Reds
75 Sandy Amoros - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
76 Howie Pollet - Chicago Cubs
77 Arnie Portocarrero - Kansas City Athletics
78 Gordon Jones - St. Louis Cardinals RC
79 Danny Schell - Philadelphia Phillies RC
80 Bob Grim - New York Yankees RC
81 Gene Conley - Milwaukee Braves
82 Chuck Harmon - Cincinnati Reds
83 Tom Brewer - Boston Red Sox RC
84 Camilo Pascual - Washington Senators RC
85 Don Mossi - Cleveland Indians RC
86 Bill Wilson - Kansas City Athletics
87 Frank House - Detroit Tigers
88 Bob Skinner - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
89 Joe Frazier - St. Louis Cardinals RC
90 Karl Spooner - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
91 Milt Bolling - Boston Red Sox
92 Don Zimmer - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
93 Steve Bilko - Chicago Cubs
94 Reno Bertoia - Detroit Tigers
95 Preston Ward - Pittsburgh Pirates
96 Charlie Bishop - Kansas City Athletics
97 Carlos Paula - Washington Senators RC
98 Johnny Riddle - St. Louis Cardinals
99 Frank Leja - New York Yankees
100 Monte Irvin - New York Giants
101 Johnny Gray - Kansas City Athletics RC
102 Wally Westlake - Cleveland Indians
103 Charlie White - Milwaukee Braves RC
104 Jack Harshman - Chicago White Sox
105 Chuck Diering - Baltimore Orioles
107 Curt Roberts - Pittsburgh Pirates
108 Rube Walker - Brooklyn Dodgers
109 Ed Lopat - New York Yankees
110 Gus Zernial - Kansas City Athletics
111 Bob Milliken - Brooklyn Dodgers
112 Nelson King - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
113 Harry Brecheen - Baltimore Orioles
114 Lou Ortiz - Philadelphia Phillies RC
115 Ellis Kinder - Boston Red Sox
116 Tom Hurd - Boston Red Sox RC
117 Mel Roach - Milwaukee Braves
118 Bob Purkey - Pittsburgh Pirates
119 Bob Lennon - New York Giants RC
120 Ted Kluszewski - Cincinnati Reds
121 Bill Renna - Kansas City Athletics
122 Carl Sawatski - Chicago White Sox
123 Sandy Koufax - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
124 Harmon Killebrew - Washington Senators RC
125 Ken Boyer - St. Louis Cardinals RC
126 Dick Hall - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
127 Dale Long - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
128 Ted Lepcio - Boston Red Sox
129 Elvin Tappe - Chicago Cubs
130 Mayo Smith - Philadelphia Phillies RC
131 Grady Hatton - Boston Red Sox
132 Bob Trice - Kansas City Athletics
133 Dave Hoskins - Cleveland Indians
134 Joe Jay - Milwaukee Braves
135 Johnny O'Brien - Pittsburgh Pirates
136 Bunky Stewart - Washington Senators RC
137 Harry Elliott - St. Louis Cardinals RC
138 Ray Herbert - Detroit Tigers
139 Steve Kraly - New York Yankees RC
140 Mel Parnell - Boston Red Sox
141 Tom Wright - Washington Senators
142 Jerry Lynch - Pittsburgh Pirates
143 Dick Schofield - St. Louis Cardinals
144 Joe Amalfitano - New York Giants RC
145 Elmer Valo - Kansas City Athletics
146 Dick Donovan - Chicago White Sox RC
147 Laurin Pepper - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
148 Hal Brown - Boston Red Sox
149 Ray Crone - Milwaukee Braves
150 Mike Higgins - Boston Red Sox
151 Red Kress - Cleveland Indians
152 Harry Agganis - Boston Red Sox RC
153 Bud Podbielan - Cincinnati Reds
154 Willy Miranda - Baltimore Orioles
155 Eddie Mathews - Milwaukee Braves
156 Joe Black - Brooklyn Dodgers
157 Bob Miller - Philadelphia Phillies
158 Tommy Carroll - New York Yankees RC
159 Johnny Schmitz - Washington Senators
160 Ray Narleski - Cleveland Indians RC
161 Chuck Tanner - Milwaukee Braves RC
162 Joe Coleman - Baltimore Orioles
163 Faye Throneberry - Boston Red Sox
164 Roberto Clemente - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
165 Don Johnson - Baltimore Orioles
166 Hank Bauer - New York Yankees
167 Tom Casagrande - Philadelphia Phillies
168 Duane Pillette - Baltimore Orioles
169 Bob Oldis - Washington Senators
170 Jim Pearce - Cincinnati Reds RC DP
171 Dick Brodowski - Boston Red Sox
172 Frank Baumholtz - Chicago Cubs DP
173 Bob Kline - Washington Senators
174 Rudy Minarcin - Cincinnati Reds RC
175 Does Not Exist
176 Norm Zauchin - Boston Red Sox RC
177 Jim Robertson - Kansas City Athletics
178 Bobby Adams - Cincinnati Reds
179 Jim Bolger - Chicago Cubs RC
180 Clem Labine - Brooklyn Dodgers
181 Roy McMillan - Cincinnati Reds
182 Humberto Robinson - Milwaukee Braves RC
183 Tony Jacobs - St. Louis Cardinals RC
184 Harry Perkowski - Chicago Cubs DP
185 Don Ferrarese - Baltimore Orioles RC
186 Does Not Exist
187 Gil Hodges - Brooklyn Dodgers
188 Charlie Silvera - New York Yankees DP
189 Phil Rizzuto - New York Yankees
190 Gene Woodling - Baltimore Orioles
191 Eddie Stanky - St. Louis Cardinals
192 Jim Delsing - Detroit Tigers
193 Johnny Sain - New York Yankees
194 Willie Mays - New York Giants
195 Ed Roebuck - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
196 Gale Wade - Chicago Cubs RC
197 Al Smith - Cleveland Indians
198 Yogi Berra - New York Yankees
199 Bert Hamric - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
200 Jackie Jensen - Boston Red Sox
201 Sherm Lollar - Chicago White Sox
202 Jim Owens - Philadelphia Phillies RC
203 Does Not Exist
204 Frank Smith - St. Louis Cardinals
205 Gene Freese - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
206 Pete Daley - Boston Red Sox RC
207 Billy Consolo - Boston Red Sox
208 Ray Moore - Baltimore Orioles RC
209 Does Not Exist
210 Duke Snider - Brooklyn Dodgers
Advertising Panels Set Checklist
Danny Schell - Jake Thies - Howie Pollet
Jackie Robinson - Bill Taylor - Curt Roberts
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Roger Ponds
The 1955 Topps set is the smallest bubble gum card set of the 1950’s, lacking quite a few stars (like Mantle, Campanella, Musial, Ford, Feller, among others). It is a very challenging set to complete, because of the high number series (#161-210). The 1955 set is generally cheaper than other sets of the 1950’s. Fortunately, I completed the 1955 set sometime in the mid-1980’s, at a time when old baseball cards were a lot cheaper back then.