1955 Topps

This year signifies the inaugural use of a horizontal design by Topps, departing from the conventional vertical format. Unlike the 1954 collection, this year's set features full-length action shots and player portraits in vivid colors, resulting in one of Topps' most visually appealing series, complemented by lively backgrounds. Furthermore, 1955 marked the debut of subsets, which included Topps Test Stamps (21 cards) and Topps Double Header (66 cards).

Number of Cards

At 206 cards, this set remains the smallest of the regular Topps issues.

Size of Cards

The horizontal 1955 Topps cards measure the same 3 ¾ by 2 5/8" that was now the standard for the company. This size would last until 1957 when the cards became slightly smaller.

Basic Features

In 1955, Topps revamped their design by introducing a horizontal card format. This new style features a vibrant background, full-body images, and large portraits, creating an appealing collection. The front designs bear resemblance to the 1954 set, incorporating many of the same visuals. Each card showcases colorful team logos and facsimile signatures.

On the reverse side, you'll find biographical details along with single-season and career statistics, applicable to either major or minor leagues. Additionally, cartoon trivia boxes or game-related information enhance the enjoyment of the cards. Due to competition with Bowman, the 1955 Topps baseball card set is incomplete, missing four cards because the original players intended for those slots had signed exclusive agreements with Bowman. The complete set includes 206 baseball cards, numbered from 1 to 210.

Cards not issued are: 175, 186, 203, and 209.

Series:

Series I: 1-160
Series II: 161-210 (scarce)

Rookies:

• 52 Bill Tremel
• 68 Jim Davis
• 179 Jim Bolger
• 196 Gale Wade

DP - Double Print:

(a card that was printed in double the quantity compared to the other cards in the same series)

• 172 Frank Baumholtz DP
• 184 Harry Perkowski DP

To ensure you don't purchase a counterfeit piece of history, always obtain a professionally graded card from a trusted seller. Graded cards are expected to appreciate significantly in value over time.

Chicago Cubs 1955 Topps Checklist

Number		Player
6		Stan Hack MG RC
28		Ernie Banks
45		Hank Sauer
52		Bill Tremel RC
68		Jim Davis RC
76		Howie Pollet
93		Steve Bilko
129		Elvin Tappe
172		Frank Baumholtz DP
179		Jim Bolger RC
184		Harry Perkowski DP
196		Gale Wade RC

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1948-49 Leaf (R401)

This set was the first color baseball cards of the post World War II era and consisted of 8 cub players. This is a difficult set to complete, mainly due to the fact thereare many short print cards (the term short print means those particular cards were produced in significantly less numbers then the other) also there is a variation on card 136 (long sleeve or short sleeve).

Cubs SP cards are
33 Peanuts Lowrey SP
48 Johnny Schmitz SP
160 Bob Scheffing SP
168 Phil Cavarretta SP

Cubs Variations cards are
136A Cliff Aberson Long sleeve
136B Cliff Aberson Short sleeve

Rookies cards are
125 Andy Pafko

Chicago Cubs

33-Peanuts Lowrey $600.00


48-Johnny Schmitz $600.00


57-Bob McCall $80.00


77-Roy Smalley $175.00


125-Pafko $175.00


136a-Cliff Aberson long sleeve $85.00


136b-Cliff Aberson short sleeve $85.00


160-Bob Scheffing $600.00


168-Phil Cavarretta $600.00

Cubs Hall of Famers true rookie cards

Classification of early baseball card sets is based on the categories found in the American Card Catalog (ACC). Although the scope of the ACC includes a wide range of cards featuring non-baseball subjects, the following categories are limited to only those that include baseball card sets.

B "Blankets" and cloth-like cards
C Canadian tobacco (Imperial Tobacco, C46, is the only baseball set)
D Bakery sets.
E Early gum and candy cards; "E" cards fall primarily into two time periods: 1909-1915 (designated here as Group "E1") and 1920-1927 (Group "E2")
F "Food" cards. Includes cards used to promote a wide range of foods ranging from breakfast cereals to ice cream
H Clothing and sporting goods manufacturers and retailers
M Inserts and promotions for magazines and newspapers
N Nineteenth century cards
P Pins (includes PD "bakery button inserts;" PE "button inserts with early candy or gum;" PM "miscellaneous inserts" as defined in the Sports Collectors Bible; PR "button inserts with recent candy and gum;" and PX "other novelties of plastic, metal, etc.")
PC Postcards
R Candy, gum and some other cards of the 1930's and 1940's (beginning in 1928; generally, these are a continuation of the "E2" cards)
S Stamps and "silks"
T 20th century tobacco cards; a one digit number, such as T3, indicates an oversized premium or cabinet card. The baseball tobacco card era spanned a seven year period--from 1909 to 1915. One set from 1919 (Coupon Cigarettes T213-3) and several 1950s Redman tobacco sets (T232-T235) are also listed in the ACC as baseball "T" cards.
V Canadian candy and gum cards. Roughly, the Canadian equivalent of some of the American "E" and "R" cards
W Miscellaneous section (mostly, whatever doesn't fit above). "W" cards include anonymous issues, cards from games, strip cards, and a long series of sets produced by the Exhibit Supply Company of Chicago.
WG Game Cards

Pete Alexander--1918-1926 Rookie Card 1911 M101-2 Sporting News

Cap Anson--1876-1897 Rookie Card 1887-90 N172 Old Judge

Ernie Banks--1953-1971 Rookie Card 1954 Topps

Lou Brock 1961-1964--Rookie Card 1962 Topps

Mordecai Brown 1904-1912, 1916--Rookie Card 1904 W600 Sporting Life

Frank Chance 1898-1912--Rookie Card 1899-00 M101-1 Sporting News

John Clarkson 1884-1887--Rookie Card 1887-90 N172 Old Judge

Kiki Cuyler 1928-1935--Rookie Card 1924 M114 Baseball Magazine

Hugh Duffy 1888-1889--Rookie Card 1887-90 N172 Old Judge

Johnny Evers 1902-1913--Rookie Card 1903 W600 Sporting Life

Clark Griffith 1893-1900--Rookie Card 1887-90 N172 Old Judge

Gabby Hartnett 1922-1940--Rookie Card 1922 W573

Billy Herman 1931-1941--Rookie Card 1932 Chicago Team Issue

Fergie Jenkins 1966-1973, 1982-1983--Rookie Card 1966 Topps

King Kelly 1880-1886--Rookie Card 1879-80 N.Y. Clipper Woodcuts

Ryne Sandberg 1982-1997--Rookie Card 1980 TCMA Reading

Joe Tinker 1902-1912, 1916--Rookie Card 1903 W600 Sporting Life

Billy Williams 1959-1974--Rookie Card 1961 Topps #141

Hack Wilson 1926-1931--Rookie Card 1925 W504 Universal Toy

1962 Topps

Number of Cards

598 cards in the 1962 Topps collection included 26 Cubs players and 4 variation.

Size of Cards

The size of the cards are standard-size 2 ½ x 3 ½

Basic Features

The 1962 Topps cards feature a unique wood-grain border. The entire set was reprinted and redistributed, ensuring that the photo inks were correctly balanced. During this reprinting process, all remaining images were slightly adjusted—some shifted to the left or right, while others were moved up or down—resulting in every card in the series being classified as an error card. In the final series (cards 523-598), there are 43 cards that were produced in smaller quantities, indicated as SP in the checklist below. Cards numbered 110 to 196 were initially printed and distributed with insufficient ink for the photographs, leading to the series being referred to as the "Green Tint" series, as the backgrounds of some cards display a green hue instead of the expected blue or brown. Additionally, all the images were somewhat blurry.

The subsets for the 1962 Topps baseball cards are as follows:

• league leaders (51-60)
• Babe Ruth series (135-144)
• World Series highlights (232-237)
• In Action shots (311-319)
• All-Stars (466-475) The All-Star selections provided by Sport Magazine
• Rookie Prospects (591-598)

The set's entire second series (the 87 cards numbered 110 through 196) comes in two different variations, the regular issue and the tougher "green tint" version and a blue-sky background version

Green Tint Second Series Cubs Players:

• 119 Danny Murphy
• 170 Ron Santo
• 191 Jim Brewer

Key Rookies:

• 387 Lou Brock
• 461 Ken Hubbs

Other Rookies:

• 66 Cuno Barragan
• 89 Barney Schultz
• 309 Moe Morhardt

Short Prints:

• 546 Moe Thacker SP
• 552 Chicago Cubs Team SP
• 557 Bob Anderson SP
• 585 Glen Hobbie SP

Error cards:

• 66 Cuno Barragan UER: Name misspelled "Barragon"
• 458a Bob Buhl- VAR: M on cap
• 458b Bob Buhl - VAR: plain cap

1962 Topps Chicago Cubs Checklist

Number		Player
25		Ernie Banks
47		Bob Will
66		Cuno Barragan RC
89		Barney Schultz RC
119		Danny Murphy
119A		Danny Murphy/Green Tint
170		Ron Santo
170A		Ron Santo/Green Tint
191		Jim Brewer
191A		Jim Brewer/Green Tint
240		George Altman
264		Dick Ellsworth
274		Sammy Taylor
288		Billy Williams
309		Moe Morhardt RC
325		Luis Aparicio
359		Bobby Locke
372		Jack Curtis
387		Lou Brock RC
446		Don Elston
458		Bob Buhl M on Cap
458A		Bob Buhl Plain Cap
461		Ken Hubbs RC
477		Andre Rodgers
495		Don Cardwell
546		Moe Thacker SP
552		Chicago Cubs TC SP
557		Bob Anderson SP
585		Glen Hobbie SP
597		Rookie Parade SP

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