State of Topps Redbird Collection the 1950s

I thought it would be a good time for a State of the Topps Cardinals collection post. I wanted to review the state of the Topps Redbirds team needs and where we stand in completing the complete Topps’ team sets from 1951-1980. I think I did this before but I couldn’t find the post-but given my propensity to have humorous post titles it isn’t a surprise. I didn’t include cards that need upgrading in the ones needed. I am a stickler for condition and I am looking to upgrade where needed. Also not included in the below figures are those pesky variants-you know the 1960 cream, white, and dark backs-oh don’t worry I am working towards attaining them too-so for the below exercise if I have just one of the varieties I consider the player’s card in the particular set as unneeded.

Starting with 1951. We currently have all of the Red Backs (2/2) but none of the more expensive Blue (0/6) backs. The key cards are Red Schoendienst and Enos Slaughter.

The first “real” Topps set hit in 1952 and is well collected-here is where my sensitivity to collection really takes a beating in completing this team set.  We have  3 of 26 and the big names remaining are still Schoendienst and Slaughter.

The 1953 set thankfully has fewer variations and we have 4 of 23. Red and Enos are needed but other significant players are needed; Del Rice, Vinegar Bend Mizell, Rip Repulski, Solly Hemus, Harvey Haddix, and Johnny Riddle.

Oh so close! We are one card away from completing the Cardinals’ 1954 team set-only Peanuts Lowery is keeping us from having all 18 Redbirds.

Mr. Fuji’s favorite set the 1955 Topps, or is it the 1956-no I think it is the 1955 set.  We have 4 of 14 in the team set-with Eddie Stanky’s and Ken Boyer’s rookie card being the most significant cards needed to complete the set.

Mr. Fuji’s favorite set the 1956 Topps, or is it the 1955-no I think it is the 1956 set. We are three away from completing the twenty-one card set. This set is the second of the horizontal issues and is one of my favorites-missing cards are also more challenging than many others in the set-Ken Boyer, Team Card, and Hal Smith.

On the down side of the 1950s the 1957 set saw the return of the vertical cards. Of the 25 Cardinals’ cards in 1957 we are in need of 5 to complete it. Most of these are the tougher mid-numbers. The needed ones are Alvin Dark, Jim Davis, Sam Jones, Joe Cunningham, and Walker Cooper. Remarkably this set has no variants that I am aware of.

The 1958 Topps on the other hand has the yellow name and yellow team name errors. A whopping 28 Cardinals are in the 1957 set of which we need 3. My needs list says three cards are needed-Wally Moon, Ken Boyer, and Curt Flood. However, I believe I have the Curt Flood and will double check.

We finish the first of three posts in this series with the love it or hate 1959 Topps. The one set that will take some $$$$$ to finish in acceptable condition. Thirty-six Redbirds are included in the set-but also included in the set is my white whale-Bob Gibson’s rookie card. Yep, only two cards needed to complete the set but one of those two is the Gibby rookie card as well as another Ken Boyer. Good news I have the Musial card though I need to upgrade. For the Gibby card I will get one sooner or later but it will need to be slabbed by PSA, which isn’t cheap. I am sure the conversation with my wife will go something like this when I ask to buy the Gibby, “You want to spend how much?” lucky she is a Redbird fan.

Stats-
199 Topps Cardinals in the base set
       
127 Topps Cardinals in collection
           
72 needed