1953 Bowman

Number of Cards

In 1953 Bowman put out two sets of cards. The Series was A full-color set of 160 cards, each beautifully photographed in rich Kodachrome color, with some of the biggest names of the day. To cut down on cost, rather than continuing the set at card #161, Bowman issued a second set featuring black-and-white images of mostly lesser-known players

Size of Cards

Bowman increased the physical dimensions of their cards to 2 1/2" by 3 5/8".

Basic Features

In its 1953 sets, Bowman made use of the simplest card layout imaginable: only a player's image, a white border, and a black line dividing the three. Bowman used card backs that were almost identical replicas of those in the 1952 Topps set. The first use of multi-player cards in baseball cards during the contemporary period can also be found in this collection.

To prevent purchasing a false piece of history, always get a professionally graded card from a recognized provider. In the future, graded cards will be significantly more valuable.

Short Prints

The high numbered cards (#113-160) are the scarcest of the set.

Errors and Variations

None

Interesting facts

Bowman increased the size of the cards in their 1953 baseball set to 2½″ by 3¾″, more in line with the popular 1952 Topps set. This was also the first Bowman set to include player stats on the back (like Topps). The first use of multi-player cards in the modern era of baseball cards High numbers are more difficult to find, especially in high grades. High-numbered cards are often poorly centered. 113–128 are very tough to find. Bowman used the most basic card design possible in its 1953 sets: just a photo of a player, a white border, and a black line separating the two. For card backs, Bowman used a design that looked almost exactly like the ones found in the 1952 Topps set. Another innovation found in this set is the first use of multi-player cards in the modern era of baseball cards.

Chicago Cubs 1953 Bowman Color Checklist

Number	Player
7	Harry Chiti RC
30	Phil Cavarretta
42	Tommy Brown
48	Hank Sauer
71	Paul Minner
94	Bob Addis
110	Bob Rush
112	Toby Atwell
122	Bill Serena
144	Warren Hacker
154	Turk Lown

Chicago Cubs 1953 Bowman Black and White Checklist

Number	Player
5	Dee Fondy
12	Randy Jackson
37	Hal Jeffcoat
41	Bob Ramazzotti
50	Dutch Leonard
56	Roy Smalley

Black and White