for those trying to put together the 1955 Topps set

MCMLVTopps

I have posted this pic from time to time...this was taken around 2007 and was once the 16th best set on the Registry, almost 80% PSA 8. It also includes the 4 "missing" cards, Score, Musial, Ford and Feller.

You can see how fabulous the set looks when displayed on a wall...I built this case in a weekend, easy to do.

Hope you enjoy the pic...keep collecting !!

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tsalems1

Great looking display!

perkdog

Al, that looked amazing!

And I noticed you saved a piece of the old car from that wreck

MCMLVTopps

Paul...yes, that's the piece from the pic you saw. I can still remember picking it up, pouring rain and just trying to absorb what had just happened...sad, sad morning. I had the vette fixed, but it was never the same knowing I had almost totaled it.

You're lookin' at $60k worth of 55 Topps...crazy!! I sold the set a few years ago and made a small profit.

ashabby

Awesome set. I am missing one card in my set

heritage

That looks cool, nice display.

Griffins

Nice set!

any closeups?

JMDVM

Can you provide plans on how you built the display?

Griffins

and what is the last card on the 3rd row right? Looks like Hank Sauer, but it's not a normal card/holder, unless something is on top of it

bishop

Great display.

You mentioned a 2007 photo, do you still have them ? Any additions since ?

mojorob

That is just a Thing Of Beauty !!!!

Absolutely FANTASTIC JOB .... .On it.

MCMLVTopps

No closeups, the set was sold a couple of years ago, but once was #16.

MCMLVTopps

That is a small 3d logo card of the Red Sox a seller once sent me...yes, it's Hank Sauer underneath.

MCMLVTopps

Well, there are no plans. I just sat down and measured a slab and did a little math. Just so happens that I lucked out...15 cards across times 14 rows equals 210 cards, the exact number in the 1955 Topps set...if you add in the 4 non-issued cards, which I displayed here.

Case was made from poplar, 1x4 pieces I believe. I ripped some 1x4s for the shelves and dadoed a 1/4" by 1/4" into the front for card support. Dado meaning groove.

The back is from 2 sheets of 1/4" plywood and cut to fit so the seam fitted behind a row.

Not hard to do, just play with some numbers, get your supplies and glue away. I did use small finishing nails and glue for the back. Make the frame first, then you'll be good to go.

MCMLVTopps

Thanks for the nice comments...only put it up to encourage 1955 Topps builders to make one and display their cards. As you can see, when displayed all at once, they really pop !!!

smallstocks

I am surprised there is no active 1955 Topps topic, especially with the hot rookie cards.

bishop

I have collected the 55 Topps set, and the other 55 Toops baseball set, the Hocus Focus baseball sub set. Both are ungraded. Also have done variations to the set. Most discussion these days seems to focus on the fast rising prices for the high grade rookie cards.

Get us started and tell us your views on the set as a whole. I will try a follow up again later today with some thoughts

MCMLVTopps

Bishop...



Well, I'm not sure I have any specific advice to offer...however, collecting this set is indeed a commitment if you go for a straight PSA 7+ set. The Clemente has gone insane since I was collecting, back then you could pick up a Clemente PSA 7 for just under $2k, last time I looked, it is now closer to $10k, which is crazy. I once had a Clemente PSA 8 that I paid $4.1k for...I know it's a lot higher now.



The first thing I'd do is figure at what level you want to collect the set, that is what PSA grade. The Rookies now come with a serious price, so perhaps best to nail those down first. Try to buy blocks of cards in the grade you're seeking, this will save shipping and maybe get you a better deal. Many 55T PSA 7s are still in the $20 - $40 range, so those are easy to pick up. If you go raw, grading fees and the aggravation of getting your submission back will NOT enhance your collecting experience...GO GRADED.



Caveat!!! I once had a low graded (like in the 30s) from a well known PSA competitor, that I cracked (it just looked sooo good) and it came back a PSA 8.5 and was a 1 of 1. $$$$



Maybe get a VCP membership and figure out the cost of the set from those prices and see if you really want to take the plunge. If you have the funds, go for a PSA 7 set...IMO, there is not that much different between a 7 and an 8, but the money difference is huge. Don't get caught up in the rabbit chase on the Registry, you're NEVER gonna be #1, that guy has far too many PSA 9s in the set he bought from Don Spence a few years back. Be satisfied with what you have, even if you go for a PSA 5 or 6 set.



As for the case, if you have basic carpentry skills, you can figure it out from the pic I posted. The cards are 15 across (with just a bit of slop so you can take a card out), and 14 rows, which just so happens to equal 210, which when you add in the 4 missing cards never printed in 1955, fill in all the spaces perfectly. Those were Musial, Ford, Feller and Score...of which I have a mint pack still sealed if someone cares to make me an offer I can't resist.



The case BTW, will eat up about an 8' x 8' square on a wall. Make sure that if you make a case, you place it on a NORTH facing wall to avoid constant hammering by the sun.



GL, I can honestly tell you, it's a beautiful set when displayed on a wall like I did, it just grabs you as you look from card to card.



Al

bishop

MC---I have the set, ungraded. Also have the 55 Double Header set. I am two short on the 55 Hocus Focus set. Only have one of the 55 Stamps. Was looking for some discussion about the 55 set or other 55 Topps issues.

One thing I thought very interesting about the set is how the background color fades from darker to lighter across the card. Also, many of the photos were recycled from 54, but the action inserts helped a lot

55 was the last head to head with Bowman. Bowman had been on a steady decline since the Topps 52 issue. Even the great Bowman 53 Color set did poorly against the 53 Topps set. In 55 Bowman tried a gimmick, color TV format. But it did not help. Maybe because in 1955 so few American households had a color TV

Bowman won the 55 battle over contracts and had the better line up,...not counting all those Umpires in the high numbers, but lost the war that year again

Also, there were the 4 missing numbers...175, 186,203 and 209 ( checklists were still a year away), which caused kids to keep buying cards looking for the missing cards, likely left out due to ongoing contract issues with Bowman ( See George Vrechek's article about the likely identity of the missing 4).

Musial was not in either set, Mantle in Bowman.

The Clemente is going nuts and is in the tough high series ( 160-210) too. Topps often beat Bowman to the rookies in the competition years and Bowman usually did better on established stars. Today that would make collector's favor Topps but back then you would think it would have favored Bowman, but it did not.

One of the toughest cards in the set is Harry Agganis, "The Golden Greek", who died in 1956 of pneumonia.

Wax packs are not hard to find due to the 1987 Rosen find in Paris, Tennessee, but it is hard to find them in top condition.

The 55 Double Headers and 55 Hocus Focus baseball sets were packaged separately. The 55 Hocus Focus are ugly and nearly impossible to find. The 55 Double headers are great and have both fascinating fronts and backs

On variations/ recurring print defects to the 55 set I have the following:

-56 Jablonski can be found with recurring blue blob above the n in his name on front
-67 Moon--can be found with red dot above the y in his auto on front
-86 Conley- can be found, rarely, with a fish eye in his headdress on front
-106 -Williams---there are up to 6, maybe more, different versions depending on the period above the i in his auto. It is there, not there,
or there in different degrees
-137- Elliot---there are at least 4 versions with different degrees of the last line in his bio on back missing
-174-Minnarcin---lower right front border can have part missing
177 Robertson---can be missing part of stat boxes on back

Example of 55 Stamp...my only one



Examples of 55 Hocus Focus ...two on right



My poor pack



Later Topps Agganis tribute




Double Header example

MCMLVTopps

Bishop



I just checked the cost of my all PSA 7 set...I paid $960.00 for my Clemente 7. One just sold at auction for $17,600 !!! That is insane.



I never got into all the variations of the 55 set, stamps, doubleheaders etc, so can't really appreciate that end of the set. I'm sure Bowman and Topps were involved with legal stuff to sign players...too bad Mantle is not in the set!



The 4 "missing" cards (as mentioned in my other post), were Musial, Ford, Feller and Score. In 2005 at the Nationals, a 4-card packet was given to VIP entrants featuring these players in the 55 Topps format. It's too bad they weren't issued with the original set, as they add substantially to the composition of the set and fill in the 4 missing slots if anyone builds a case. I have some of these in PSA grades 9 and 10, along with an original sealed packet from 2005.



As for Harry Agganis, being from Boston, I remember vividly the day they announced his death. It was June 1955, I was just a kid, but it really hit everyone, it was hard to believe he could be gone. I have a very nice 55T PSA 7 card of him, when I have some time, I'll try to post it. I have the complete Red Sox team in the 55T set in PSA 7. The tough thing about the Red Sox cards in this set was the black background behind the logo...often times fish eyed, or worse. I was fortunate to get every one of my cards with a perfectly black square...hard to do.



GL collecting!

Al

bishop

bishop

Sports Illustrated

MCMLVTopps

My 55T Red Sox collection



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georgebailey2

Originally posted by: bishop


On variations/ recurring print defects to the 55 set I have the following:

-67 Moon--can be found with red dot above the y in his auto on front

I thought it was going to say:

-67 Moon--can be found with a large caterpillar across his forehead or with an even larger caterpillar across his forehead


Thank you Al and Bishop for your posts. Bishop, Topps should give you free reign of their files as you are truly a Topps historian.

heritage

Wow what a set you have there wonderful.