1959 Topps
1959 · Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. (Brooklyn, NY)
572 cards with the Rookie Stars (RS) subset of 31 multi-player rookies and 10 Baseball Thrills (BT) cards. Famous Warren Spahn #40 ERR/COR sequence. Bob Gibson RC #514. Commissioner Ford Frick #1.
Key Facts
- Release
- 1959
- Manufacturer
- Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. (Brooklyn, NY)
- Distribution
- One card plus bubble gum per nickel pack throughout the 1959 baseball season
- Card stock
- Color cardstock with the player portrait inside a distinctive round photo frame, 2½″ × 3½″
- Printer / Designer
- Sy Berger (Topps) — known for the round-photo design and the famous Warren Spahn #40 ERR/COR variations
- Series
- Single 572-card issue plus the "Baseball Thrills" highlights subset (#461–470)
- Total cards
- 670
Key Cards
Mickey Mantle (#10)
Mantle in the early-card slot — coming off his second straight 40+ HR season.
Willie Mays (#50)
Say Hey Kid in his second season in San Francisco.
Hank Aaron (#380)
Aaron during his second NL MVP-caliber season — mid-Braves dynasty.
Roberto Clemente (#478)
Clemente's MVP-caliber 1959 — Pirates star in his prime.
Sandy Koufax (#163)
Koufax in his first Los Angeles Dodgers card — building toward his Hall of Fame peak.
Stan Musial (#150)
Stan the Man in the back half of his Hall of Fame career.
Yogi Berra (#180)
Berra still anchoring the Yankees behind the plate at age 34.
Ernie Banks (#350)
Mr. Cub during his second straight NL MVP campaign — 45 HR at shortstop.
Bob Gibson RC (#514)
Gibson's rookie card — the high-number series gem and the set's most important card after Mantle.
Frank Robinson (#435)
F. Robby in his Reds prime — six years before his Triple Crown with Baltimore.
Brooks Robinson (#439)
Brooks Robinson coming into his own as Baltimore's third baseman.
Warren Spahn (#40)
Spahn's famous #40 card exists in two error versions plus a corrected version — collectors chase all three.