1952 Topps
Description
1952 Topps is Topps' first truly major set, and arguably the first truly significant card sent of the post-WWII era. It consists of 407 cards and all cards measure 2 5/8" X 3 3/4".
The set was issued in six series. The first series of 80 cards were issued with red or black backs, both of which are less plentiful than Series Two cards (81 to 250). In fact, the first series is considered the most difficult with respect to finding perfect condition cards. Card number 48 (Joe Page) and number 49 (Johnny Sain) can be found with each other's write-up on their back.
Most dealers today believe that all cards from the first three series (1-250) were produced in the same quantities.
Series Four and Five cards (251-310) are somewhat scarce and the "Hi-Numbers" (a.k.a. Series Six) 311 to 407 are quite scarce. Cards 281-300 were single printed compared to the other cards in the next to last series. Cards 311-313 were double printed on the last high number printing sheet. The key card in the set is Mickey Mantle, number 311, which was Mickey's first of many Topps cards -- but it is NOT considered his "rookie" card.
A minor variation on cards from 311 through 313 is that they exist with the stitching on the number circle in the back pointing right or left. There seems to be no print run difference between the two versions. Card number 307, Frank Campos, can be found in a scarce version with with one red star and one black star next to the words "Topps Baseball" on the back.
In the early 1980's, Topps issued a standard-size reprint set of the 52 Topps set. These cards were issued only as a factory set. Five people portrayed in the regular set: Billy Loes (number 20), Dom DiMaggio (number 22), Saul Rogovin (number 159), Solly Hemus (number 196) and Tommy Holmes (number 289) are not in the reprint set. Although rarely seen, salesman sample panels of three cards containing the fronts of regular cards with ad information on the back do exist.
Distribution
One card wax packs (MSRP: $0.01)
Six card wax packs (MSRP: $0.05)
Reviews
http://home.comcast.net/~52mantle/52toppsmantlefake.htm
Insertion Ratios
| Cards | Total Cards | Numbered To | Hobby Odds | Retail Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 407 | - | - | }
ChecklistBase SetSeries OneNOTE: All 80 cards in Series One are available in "Red Back" and "Black Back" variations. Each is valued equally. 1 Andy Pafko 2 Pete Runnels RC 3 Hank Thompson 4 Don Lenhardt 5 Larry Jansen 6 Grady Hatton 7 Wayne Terwilliger 8 Fred Marsh 9 Robert Hogue 10 Al Rosen 11 Phil Rizzuto 12 Monty Basgall 13 Johnny Wyrostek 14 Bob Elliott 15 Johnny Pesky 16 Gene Hermanski 17 Jim Hegan 18 Merrill Combs 19 Johnny Bucha 20 Billy Loes RC SP 21 Ferris Fain 22 Dom DiMaggio 23 Billy Goodman 24 Luke Easter 25 Johnny Groth 26 Monte Irvin 27 Sam Jethroe 28 Jerry Priddy 29 Ted Kluszewsk 30 Mel Parnell 31 Gus Zernial 32 Eddie Robinson 33 Warren Spahn 34 Elmer Valo 35 Hank Sauer 36 Gil Hodges 37 Duke Snider 38 Wally Westlake 39 Dizzy Trout 40 Irv Noren 41 Bob Wellman 42 Lou Kretlow 43 Ray Scarborough 44 Con Dempsey 45 Eddie Joost 46 Gordon Goldsberry 47 Willie Jones 48 Joe Page (COR) 49 Johnny Sain (COR) 50 Marv Rickert 51 Jim Russell 52 Don Mueller 53 Chris Van Cuyk 54 Leo Kiely 55 Ray Boone 56 Tommy Glaviano 57 Ed Lopat 58 Bob Mahoney 59 Robin Roberts 60 Sid Hudson 61 Tookie Gilbert 62 Chuck Stobbs RC 63 Howie Pollet 64 Roy Sievers 65 Enos Slaughter 66 Preacher Roe 67 Allie Reynolds 68 Cliff Chambers 69 Virgil Stallcup 70 Al Zarilla 71 Tom Upton 72 Karl Olson 73 Bill Werle 74 Andy Hansen 75 Wes Westrum 76 Eddie Stanky 77 Bob Kennedy 78 Ellis Kinder 79 Gerry Staley 80 Herman Wehmeier Series TwoNOTE: Cards 131-190 are printed on both white and dark cardstock. 81 Vern Law 82 Duane Pillette 83 Billy Johnson 84 Vern Stephens 85 Bob Kuzava 86 Ted Gray 87 Dale Coogan 88 Bob Feller 89 Johnny Lipon 90 Mickey Grasso 91 Red Schoendienst 92 Dale Mitchell 93 Al Sima 94 Sam Mele 95 Ken Holcombe 96 Willard Marshall 97 Earl Torgeson 98 Billy Pierce 99 Gene Woodling 100 Del Rice 101 Max Lanier 102 Bill Kennedy 103 Cliff Mapes 104 Don Kolloway 105 Johnny Pramesa 106 Mickey Vernon 107 Connie Ryan 108 Jim Konstanty 109 Ted Wilks 110 Dutch Leonard 111 Peanuts Lowrey 112 Hank Majeski 113 Dick Sisler 114 Willard Ramsdel 115 Red Munger 116 Carl Scheib 117 Sherm Lollar 118 Ken Raffensberger 119 Mickey McDermott 120 Bob Chakales 121 Gus Niarhos 122 Jackie Jensen 123 Eddie Yost 124 Monte Kennedy 125 Bill Rigney 126 Fred Hutchinson 127 Paul Minner RC 128 Don Bollweg 129 Johnny Mize 130 Sheldon Jones 131 Morrie Martin 132 Clyde Kluttz 133 Al Widmar 134 Joe Tipton 135 Dixie Howell 136 Johnny Schmitz 137 Roy McMillan RC 138 Bill MacDonald 139 Ken Wood 140 Johnny Antonelli 141 Clint Hartung 142 Harry Perkowski 143 Les Moss 144 Ed Blake 145 Joe Haynes 146 Frank House 147 Bob Young 148 Johnny Klippstein 149 Dick Kryhoski 150 Ted Beard 151 Wally Post RC 152 Al Evans 153 Bob Rush 154 Joe Muir 155 Frank Overmire 156 Frank Hiller 157 Bob Usher 158 Eddie Waitkus 159 Saul Rogovin 160 Owen Friend 161 Bud Byerly 162 Del Crandall 163 Stan Rojek 164 Walt Dubiel 165 Eddie Kazak 166 Paul LaPalme 167 Bill Howerton 168 Charlie Silvera RC 169 Howie Judson 170 Gus Bell 171 Ed Erautt 172 Eddie Miksis 173 Roy Smalley 174 Clarence Marshall 175 Billy Martin RC 176 Hank Edwards 177 Bill Wight 178 Cass Michaels 179 Frank Smith 180 Charlie Maxwell RC 181 Bob Swift 182 Billy Hitchcock 183 Billy Hitchcock 184 Bob Ramazzotti 185 Bill Nicholson 186 Walt Masterson 187 Bob Miller 188 Clarence Podbielan RC 189 Pete Reiser 190 Don Johnson 191 Yogi Berra 192 Myron Ginsberg 193 Harry Simpson 194 Joe Hatton 195 Minnie Minoso RC 196 Solly Hemus RC 197 George Strickland 198 Phil Haugstad 199 George Zuverink 200 Ralph Houk RC 201 Alex Kellner 202 Joe Collins RC 203 Curt Simmons 204 Ron Northey 205 Clyde King 206 Joe Ostrowski 207 Mickey Harris 208 Marlin Stuart 209 Howie Fox 210 Dick Fowler 211 Ray Coleman 212 Ned Garver 213 Nippy Jones 214 Johnny Hopp 215 Hank Bauer 216 Richie Ashburn 217 Snuffy Stirnweiss 218 Clyde McCullough 219 Bobby Shantz 220 Joe Presko 221 Granny Hamner 222 Hoot Evers 223 Del Ennis 224 Bruce Edwards 225 Frank Baumholtz 226 Dave Philley 227 Joe Garagiola 228 Al Brazle 229 Gene Bearden UER 230 Matt Batts 231 Sam Zoldak 232 Billy Cox 233 Bob Friend RC 234 Steve Souchock 235 Walt Dropo 236 Ed Fitzgerald 237 Jerry Coleman 238 Art Houtteman 239 Rocky Bridges 240 Jack Phillips 241 Tommy Byrne 242 Tom Poholsky 243 Larry Doby 244 Vic Wertz 245 Sherry Robertson 246 George Kell 247 Randy Gumpert 248 Frank Shea 249 Bobby Adams 250 Carl Erskine Series Three251 Chico Carrasquel 252 Vern Bickford 253 John Berardino 254 Joe Dobson 255 Clyde Vollmer 256 Pete Suder 257 Bobby Avila 258 Steve Grome 259 Bob Addis 260 Pete Castiglione 261 Willie Mays FTC 262 Virgil Trucks 263 Harry Brecheen 264 Roy Hartsfield 265 Chuck Diering 266 Murry Dickson 267 Sid Gordon 268 Bob Lemon 269 Willard Nixon 270 Lou Brissie 271 Jim Delsing 272 Mike Garcia 273 Erv Palica 274 Ralph Branca 275 Pat Mullin 276 Jim Wilson 277 Early Wynn 278 Allie Clark 279 Eddie Stewart 280 Cloyd Boyer Series Four281 Tommy Brown SP 282 Birdie Tebbetts SP 283 Phil Masi SP 284 Hank Arft SP 285 Cliff Fannin SP 286 Joe DeMaestri SP 287 Steve Bilko SP 288 Chet Nichols SP 289 Tommy Holmes MG 290 Joe Astroth SP 291 Gil Coan SP 292 Floyd Baker SP 293 Sibby Sisti SP 294 Walker Cooper SP 295 Phil Cavarretta 296 Red Rolfe MG 297 Andy Seminick SP 298 Bob Ross SP 299 Ray Murray SP 300 Barney McCosky SP Series Five301 Bob Porterfield 302 Max Surkont 303 Harry Dorish 304 Sam Dente 305 Paul Richards MG 306 Lou Sleater 307 Frank Campos 308 Luis Aloma 309 Jim Busby 310 George Metkovich Series Six311 Mickey Mantle DP 312 Jackie Robinson DP 313 Bobby Thomson DP 314 Roy Campanella 315 Leo Durocher MG 316 Dave Williams RC 317 Conrado Marrero FTC 318 Harold Gregg 319 Al Walker 320 John Rutherford RC 321 Joe Black RC 322 Randy Jackson 323 Bubba Church 324 Warren Hacker 325 Bill Serena 326 George Shuba RC 327 Al Wilson 328 Bob Borkowski 329 Ike Delock 330 Turk Lown 331 Tom Morgan 332 Anthony Bartirome 333 Pee Wee Reese 334 Wilmer Mizell RC 335 Ted Lepcio 336 Dave Koslo 337 Jim Hearn 338 Sal Yvars 339 Russ Meyer 340 Bob Hooper 341 Hal Jeffcoat 342 Clem Labine RC 343 Dick Gernert 344 Ewell Blackwell 345 Sammy White 346 George Spencer 347 Joe Adcock 348 Robert Kelly 349 Bob Cain 350 Cal Abrams 351 Alvin Dark 352 Karl Drews 353 Bobby Del Greco 354 Fred Hatfield 355 Bobby Morgan 356 Toby Atwell 357 Smoky Burgess 358 John Kucab 359 Dee Fondy 360 George Crowe RC 361 William Posedel CO 362 Ken Heintzelman 363 Dick Rozek 364 Clyde Sukeforth CO 365 Cookie Lavagetto CO 366 Dave Madison 367 Ben Thorpe 368 Ed Wright 369 Dick Groat RC 370 Billy Hoeft RC 371 Bobby Hofman 372 Gil McDougald RC 373 Jim Turner RC CO 374 John Benton 375 John Merson 376 Faye Throneberry 377 Chuck Dressen MG 378 Leroy Fusselman 379 Joe Rossi 380 Clem Koshorek 381 Milton Stock C 382 Sam Jones RC 383 Del Wilber 384 Frank Crosetti CO 385 Herman Franks CO RC 386 John Yuhas 387 Billy Meyer MG 388 Bob Chipman 389 Ben Wade 390 Glenn Nelson 391 Ben Chapman UER CO 392 Hoyt Wilhelm RC 393 Ebba St.Claire 394 Billy Herman CO 395 Jake Pitler CO 396 Dick Williams RC 397 Forrest Main 398 Hal Rice 399 Jim Fridley 400 Bill Dickey CO 401 Bob Schultz 402 Earl Harrist 403 Bill Miller 404 Dick Brodowski 405 Eddie Pellagrini 406 Joe Nuxhall RC 407 Eddie Mathews RC VariationsAs previously mentioned, all 80 Series One cards are available in Black and Red Backs. Cards #131-190 are printed on both white and gray cardboard. 307 Frank Campos (One red/one black star on back in copyright line) 311 Mickey Mantle (Stitches point right) 312 Jackie Robinson (Stitches point right) 313 Bobby Thompson (Stitches point right) |