1956 Topps Baseball Cards
Product Details
1956 Topps Baseball may not have the rookie card power of previous releases, but key cards for Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams combine with several new features to make for a extensive vintage release. The return of Mantle to the brand after several years away is particularly notable.
With Topps having acquired Bowman the previous year, consumers were no longer forced to choose between manufacturers and risk missing out on their favorite player. Many consider the 1956 Topps Baseball set a turning point for the baseball card industry as it marked the beginning of Topps' monopoly over the baseball card industry which lasted all the way until 1981, and was then re-established in 2010.
The 1956 Topps Baseball set boasts a checklist of 340 base cards and two non-numbered checklists. The dimension of the horizontal cards is 3-3/4" by 2-5/8". Building on their success with dual-image cards in previous years, Topps upped the ante by positioning the player profile picture in the foreground against a color action scene in the background. The design really worked and remains one of the most attractive and highly sought after baseball card sets to this day.
In addition to the beautifully crafted card front, the 1956 Topps Baseball card backs supplies a cornucopia of information regarding the player, including statistical and biographical information. The popular three-panel comic strips provide additional bits of information about the depicted player.
Topps incorporated several new elements into the checklist and product configuration for the 1956 set. First, the aforementioned checklist cards were a fresh update for the Topps set. Also, cards for the American League and National League president were included at the beginning of the checklist. Finally, team-specific cards provide a detailed look at the 16 MLB teams of the time.
These added elements reflects Topps ability to focus their resources of time, energy and attention to building a successful product and not having to worry about competing with Bowman. This was further exhibited by the number of additional products Topps released in the same year.
Despite the overall upgrade to the set, 1956 Topps Baseball wasn't a banner year for rookie cards. While the set does include thirteen first-year cards, Luis Aparicio (#92) is the only Hall of Fame option. Frank Robinson, the National League Rookie of the Year, is a glaring omission. In spite of this, the set is loaded with stars, fan favorites and many Hall of Fame members, which helps offset the lack of rookie power.
While the 342-card base set is hardy small, over 200 variations greatly increase the available cards in 1956 Topps Baseball. The majority of these pertain to card back colors, many of which were printed in both white and gray. The first 180 cards can be found in either color and the final 160 card backs are only available in gray. Both versions can be seen below, with the gray version for Mickey Mantle on the left and the white version for Ted Williams on the right.
There are also quite a few card fronts that feature subtle color line variations. Lastly, several of the team cards can be found with the name centered, the name at left or dated. Dated team cards carry a premium.
1956 Topps Baseball is considered by many to be one of the ultimate set-building products ever created. The countless variations provide a seemingly never-ending chase for the master set builder. Despite the abundance of variations, virtually none are known to command any premium. In addition to packs, the cards were also found in gumball machines.
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Key Cards
Key 1956 Topps Baseball Cards
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#135 Mickey Mantle
#5 Ted Williams
#33 Roberto Clemente
#15 Ernie Banks
#30 Jackie Robinson
#31 Hank Aaron
#292 Luis Aparicio RC
#251 New York Yankees Team
#1 Will Harridge
1st/3rd Series Checklist
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Set Checklist
1956 Topps Baseball Set Checklist
1 Will Harridge
2 Warren Giles
3 Elmer Valo - Kansas City Athletics
4 Carlos Paula - Washington Senators
5 Ted Williams - Boston Red Sox
6 Ray Boone - Detroit Tigers
7 Ron Negray - Philadelphia Phillies RC
8 Walt Alston - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
9 Ruben Gomez - New York Giants DP
10 Warren Spahn - Milwaukee Braves
11 Chicago Cubs Team
12 Andy Carey - New York Yankees
13 Roy Face - Pittsburgh Pirates
14 Ken Boyer - St. Louis Cardinals DP
15 Ernie Banks - Chicago Cubs DP
16 Hector Lopez - Kansas City Athletics RC
17 Gene Conley - Milwaukee Braves
18 Dick Donovan - Chicago White Sox
19 Chuck Diering - Baltimore Orioles DP
20 Al Kaline - Detroit Tigers
21 Joe Collins - New York Yankees DP
22 Jim Finigan - Kansas City Athletics
23 Fred Marsh - Baltimore Orioles
24 Dick Groat - Pittsburgh Pirates
25 Ted Kluszewski - Cincinnati Reds
26 Grady Hatton - Boston Red Sox
27 Nelson Burbrink - St. Louis Cardinals RC DP
28 Bobby Hofman - New York Giants
29 Jack Harshman - Chicago White Sox
30 Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn Dodgers DP
31 Hank Aaron - Milwaukee Braves DP
32 Frank House - Detroit Tigers
33 Roberto Clemente - Pittsburgh Pirates
34 Tom Brewer - Boston Red Sox DP
35 Al Rosen - Cleveland Indians
36 Rudy Minarcin - Cincinnati Reds
37 Alex Grammas - St. Louis Cardinals
38 Bob Kennedy - Chicago White Sox
39 Don Mossi - Cleveland Indians
40 Bob Turley - New York Yankees
41 Hank Sauer - Chicago Cubs
42 Sandy Amoros - Brooklyn Dodgers
43 Ray Moore - Baltimore Orioles
44 Windy McCall - New York Giants
45 Gus Zernial - Kansas City Athletics
46 Gene Freese - Pittsburgh Pirates DP
47 Art Fowler - Cincinnati Reds
48 Jim Hegan - Cleveland Indians
49 Pedro Ramos - Washington Senators RC
50 Dusty Rhodes - New York Giants DP
51 Ernie Oravetz - Washington Senators RC
52 Bob Grim - New York Yankees DP
53 Arnie Portocarrero - Kansas City Athletics
54 Bob Keegan - Chicago White Sox
55 Wally Moon - St. Louis Cardinals
56 Dale Long - Pittsburgh Pirates
57 Duke Maas - Detroit Tigers RC
58 Ed Roebuck - Brooklyn Dodgers
59 Jose Santiago - Cleveland Indians RC
60 Mayo Smith - Philadelphia Phillies DP
61 Bill Skowron - New York Yankees
62 Hal Smith - Baltimore Orioles
63 Roger Craig - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
64 Luis Arroyo - St. Louis Cardinals RC
65 Johnny O'Brien - Pittsburgh Pirates
66 Bob Speake - Chicago Cubs RC DP
67 Vic Power - Kansas City Athletics
68 Chuck Stobbs - Washington Senators
69 Chuck Tanner - Milwaukee Braves
70 Jim Rivera - Chicago White Sox
71 Frank Sullivan - Boston Red Sox
72 Philadelphia Phillies Team
73 Wayne Terwilliger - New York Giants
74 Jim King - Chicago Cubs RC
75 Roy Sievers - Washington Senators DP
76 Ray Crone - Milwaukee Braves
77 Harvey Haddix - St. Louis Cardinals
78 Herm Wehmeier - Philadelphia Phillies
79 Sandy Koufax - Brooklyn Dodgers
80 Gus Triandos - Baltimore Orioles DP
81 Wally Westlake - Philadelphia Phillies
82 Bill Renna - Kansas City Athletics DP
83 Karl Spooner - Brooklyn Dodgers
84 Babe Birrer - Detroit Tigers RC
85 Cleveland Indians Team
86 Ray Jablonski - Cincinnati Reds DP
87 Dean Stone - Washington Senators
88 Johnny Kucks - New York Yankees RC
89 Norm Zauchin - Boston Red Sox
90 Cincinnati Redlegs Team
91 Gail Harris - New York Giants RC
92 Red Wilson - Detroit Tigers
93 George Susce Jr. - Boston Red Sox
94 Ron Kline - Pittsburgh Pirates
95 Milwaukee Braves Team
96 Bill Tremel - Chicago Cubs
97 Jerry Lynch - Pittsburgh Pirates
98 Camilo Pascual - Washington Senators
99 Don Zimmer - Brooklyn Dodgers
100 Baltimore Orioles Team
Series 2
101 Roy Campanella - Brooklyn Dodgers
102 Jim Davis - Chicago Cubs
103 Willy Miranda - Baltimore Orioles
104 Bob Lennon - New York Giants
105 Al Smith - Cleveland Indians
106 Joe Astroth - Kansas City Athletics
107 Eddie Mathews - Milwaukee Braves
108 Laurin Pepper - Pittsburgh Pirates
109 Enos Slaughter - Kansas City Athletics
110 Yogi Berra - New York Yankees
111 Boston Red Sox Team
112 Dee Fondy - Chicago Cubs
113 Phil Rizzuto - New York Yankees
114 Jim Owens - Philadelphia Phillies
115 Jackie Jensen - Boston Red Sox
116 Eddie O'Brien - Pittsburgh Pirates
117 Virgil Trucks - Detroit Tigers
118 Nellie Fox - Chicago White Sox
119 Larry Jackson - St. Louis Cardinals RC
120 Richie Ashburn - Philadelphia Phillies
121 Pittsburgh Pirates Team
122 Willard Nixon - Boston Red Sox
123 Roy McMillan - Cincinnati Reds
124 Don Kaiser - Chicago Cubs
125 Minnie Minoso - Chicago White Sox
126 Jim Brady - Detroit Tigers RC
127 Willie Jones - Philadelphia Phillies
128 Eddie Yost - Washington Senators
129 Paul Martin - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
130 Willie Mays - New York Giants
131 Bob Roselli - Milwaukee Braves RC
132 Bobby Avila - Cleveland Indians
133 Ray Narleski - Cleveland Indians
134 St. Louis Cardinals Team
135 Mickey Mantle - New York Yankees
136 Johnny Logan - Milwaukee Braves
137 Al Silvera - Cincinnati Reds RC
138 Johnny Antonelli - New York Giants
139 Tommy Carroll - New York Yankees
140 Herb Score - Cleveland Indians RC
141 Joe Frazier - St. Louis Cardinals
142 Gene Baker - Chicago Cubs
143 Jim Piersall - Boston Red Sox
144 Leroy Powell - Chicago White Sox RC
145 Gil Hodges - Brooklyn Dodgers
146 Washington Nationals Team
147 Earl Torgeson - Detroit Tigers
148 Alvin Dark - New York Giants
149 Dixie Howell - Chicago White Sox
150 Duke Snider - Brooklyn Dodgers
151 Spook Jacobs - Kansas City Athletics
152 Billy Hoeft - Detroit Tigers
153 Frank Thomas - Pittsburgh Pirates
154 Dave Pope - Baltimore Orioles
155 Harvey Kuenn - Detroit Tigers
156 Wes Westrum - New York Giants
157 Dick Brodowski - Washington Senators
158 Wally Post - Cincinnati Reds
159 Clint Courtney - Washington Senators
160 Billy Pierce - Chicago White Sox
161 Joe DeMaestri - Kansas City Athletics
162 Gus Bell - Cincinnati Reds
163 Gene Woodling - Cleveland Indians
164 Harmon Killebrew - Washington Senators
165 Red Schoendienst - St. Louis Cardinals
166 Brooklyn Dodgers Team
167 Harry Dorish - Baltimore Orioles
168 Sammy White - Boston Red Sox
169 Bob Nelson - Baltimore Orioles RC
170 Bill Virdon - St. Louis Cardinals
171 Jim Wilson - Baltimore Orioles
173 Johnny Podres - Brooklyn Dodgers
174 Glen Gorbous - Philadelphia Phillies RC
175 Del Crandall - Milwaukee Braves
176 Alex Kellner - Kansas City Athletics
177 Hank Bauer - New York Yankees
178 Joe Black - Cincinnati Reds
179 Harry Chiti - Chicago Cubs
180 Robin Roberts - Philadelphia Phillies
Series 3
181 Billy Martin - New York Yankees
182 Paul Minner - Chicago Cubs
183 Stan Lopata - Philadelphia Phillies
184 Don Bessent - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
185 Bill Bruton - Milwaukee Braves
186 Ron H. Jackson - Chicago White Sox
187 Early Wynn - Cleveland Indians
188 Chicago White Sox Team
189 Ned Garver - Detroit Tigers
190 Carl Furillo - Brooklyn Dodgers
191 Frank Lary - Detroit Tigers
192 Smoky Burgess - Cincinnati Reds
193 Wilmer Mizell - St. Louis Cardinals
194 Monte Irvin - Chicago Cubs
195 George Kell - Chicago White Sox
196 Tom Poholsky - St. Louis Cardinals
197 Granny Hamner - Philadelphia Phillies
198 Ed Fitz Gerald - Washington Senators
199 Hank Thompson - New York Giants
200 Bob Feller - Cleveland Indians
201 Rip Repulski - St. Louis Cardinals
202 Jim Hearn - New York Giants
203 Bill Tuttle - Detroit Tigers
204 Art Swanson - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
205 Whitey Lockman - New York Giants
206 Erv Palica - Baltimore Orioles
207 Jim Small - Detroit Tigers RC
208 Elston Howard - New York Yankees
209 Max Surkont - Pittsburgh Pirates
210 Mike Garcia - Cleveland Indians
211 Murry Dickson - Philadelphia Phillies
212 Johnny Temple - Cincinnati Reds
213 Detroit Tigers Team
214 Bob Rush - Chicago Cubs
215 Tommy Byrne - New York Yankees
216 Jerry Schoonmaker - Washington Senators RC
217 Billy Klaus - Boston Red Sox
218 Joe Nuxhall - Cincinnati Reds
219 Lew Burdette - Milwaukee Braves
220 Del Ennis - Philadelphia Phillies
221 Bob Friend - Pittsburgh Pirates
222 Dave Philley - Baltimore Orioles
223 Randy Jackson - Brooklyn Dodgers
224 Bud Podbielan - Cincinnati Reds
225 Gil McDougald - New York Yankees
226 New York Giants Team
227 Russ Meyer - Chicago Cubs
228 Mickey Vernon - Boston Red Sox
229 Harry Brecheen - Baltimore Orioles
230 Chico Carrasquel - Cleveland Indians
231 Bob Hale RC - Baltimore Orioles
232 Toby Atwell - Pittsburgh Pirates
233 Carl Erskine - Brooklyn Dodgers
234 Pete Runnels - Washington Senators
235 Don Newcombe - Brooklyn Dodgers
236 Kansas City Athletics Team
237 Jose Valdivielso - Washington Senators RC
238 Walt Dropo - Chicago White Sox
239 Harry Simpson - Kansas City Athletics
240 Whitey Ford - New York Yankees
241 Don Mueller - New York Giants
242 Hershell Freeman - Cincinnati Reds
243 Sherm Lollar - Chicago White Sox
244 Bob Buhl - Milwaukee Braves
245 Billy Goodman - Boston Red Sox
246 Tom Gorman - Kansas City Athletics
247 Bill Sarni - St. Louis Cardinals
248 Bob Porterfield - Boston Red Sox
249 Johnny Klippstein - Cincinnati Reds
250 Larry Doby - Chicago White Sox
251 New York Yankees Team
252 Vern Law - Pittsburgh Pirates
253 Irv Noren - New York Yankees
254 George Crowe - Milwaukee Braves
255 Bob Lemon - Cleveland Indians
256 Tom Hurd - Boston Red Sox
257 Bobby Thomson - Milwaukee Braves
258 Art Ditmar - Kansas City Athletics
259 Sam Jones - Chicago Cubs
260 Pee Wee Reese - Brooklyn Dodgers
Series 4
261 Bobby Shantz - Kansas City Athletics
262 Howie Pollet - Chicago White Sox
263 Bob Miller - Detroit Tigers
264 Ray Monzant - New York Giants RC
265 Sandy Consuegra - Chicago White Sox
266 Don Ferrarese - Baltimore Orioles
267 Bob Nieman - Chicago White Sox
268 Dale Mitchell - Cleveland Indians
269 Jack Meyer - Philadelphia Phillies RC
270 Billy Loes - Brooklyn Dodgers
271 Foster Castleman - New York Giants RC
272 Danny O'Connell - Milwaukee Braves
273 Walker Cooper - St. Louis Cardinals
274 Frank Baumholtz - Philadelphia Phillies
275 Jim Greengrass - Philadelphia Phillies
276 George Zuverink - Baltimore Orioles
277 Daryl Spencer - New York Giants
278 Chet Nichols - Milwaukee Braves
279 Johnny Groth - Kansas City Athletics
280 Jim Gilliam - Brooklyn Dodgers
281 Art Houtteman - Cleveland Indians
282 Warren Hacker - Chicago Cubs
283 Hal Smith - St. Louis Cardinals
284 Ike Delock - Boston Red Sox
285 Eddie Miksis - Chicago Cubs
286 Bill Wight - Baltimore Orioles
287 Bobby Adams - Baltimore Orioles
288 Bob Cerv - New York Yankees
289 Hal Jeffcoat - Cincinnati Reds
290 Curt Simmons - Philadelphia Phillies
291 Frank Kellert - Chicago Cubs RC
292 Luis Aparicio - Chicago White Sox RC
293 Stu Miller - St. Louis Cardinals
294 Ernie Johnson - Milwaukee Braves
295 Clem Labine - Brooklyn Dodgers
296 Andy Seminick - Philadelphia Phillies
297 Bob Skinner - Pittsburgh Pirates
298 Johnny Schmitz - Boston Red Sox
299 Charlie Neal - Brooklyn Dodgers
300 Vic Wertz - Cleveland Indians
301 Marv Grissom - New York Giants
302 Eddie Robinson - New York Yankees
303 Jim Dyck - Baltimore Orioles
304 Frank Malzone - Boston Red Sox
305 Brooks Lawrence - Cincinnati Reds
306 Curt Roberts - Pittsburgh Pirates
307 Hoyt Wilhelm - New York Giants
308 Chuck Harmon - Cincinnati Reds
309 Don Blasingame - St. Louis Cardinals RC
310 Steve Gromek - Detroit Tigers
311 Hal Naragon - Cleveland Indians
312 Andy Pafko - Milwaukee Braves
313 Gene Stephens - Boston Red Sox
314 Hobie Landrith - Chicago Cubs
315 Milt Bolling - Boston Red Sox
316 Jerry Coleman - New York Yankees
317 Al Aber - Detroit Tigers
318 Fred Hatfield - Detroit Tigers
319 Jack Crimian - Kansas City Athletics RC
320 Joe Adcock - Milwaukee Braves
321 Jim Konstanty - New York Yankees
322 Karl Olson - Washington Senators
323 Willard Schmidt - St. Louis Cardinals
324 Rocky Bridges - Cincinnati Reds
325 Don Liddle - New York Giants
326 Connie Johnson - Chicago White Sox RC
327 Bob Wiesler - Washington Senators RC
328 Preston Ward - Pittsburgh Pirates
329 Lou Berberet - Washington Senators RC
330 Jim Busby - Cleveland Indians
331 Dick Hall - Pittsburgh Pirates
332 Don Larsen - New York Yankees
333 Rube Walker - Brooklyn Dodgers
334 Bob Miller - Philadelphia Phillies
335 Don Hoak - Chicago Cubs
336 Ellis Kinder - St. Louis Cardinals
337 Bobby Morgan - Philadelphia Phillies
338 Jim Delsing - Detroit Tigers
339 Rance Pless - Kansas City Athletics RC
340 Mickey McDermott - New York Yankees
1st/3rd Series Checklist
2nd/4th Series Checklist
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Roger Ponds
The 1956 Topps set is probably the easiest set of the 1950’s to complete, with no high number series (like in the other Topps sets from the 1950’s and 1960’s) to go after. Fortunately, I completed the 1956 set sometime in the mid-1980’s, at a time when old baseball cards were a lot cheaper back then. Back in the early 1980’s, you could buy the 1956 Topps Mays and Aaron for around $20 each, while Mantle was selling for $50. Mantle was always more expensive than any other player back then.