My 1956 Topps Project

[Eric72]

I wanted to start a project to give my collecting a bit of focus. Ultimately, I decided upon the 1956 Topps Baseball set. Some of things that drew me to this particular set are:

- Player Selection: roughly one of every ten cards is a Hall of Famer
- Oversized Cards: simply put, they’re different than modern cards in many ways, including size
- Horizontal Format: this aspect pairs well with the use of two images front
- Overall Design: I find everything about these mid-50s cards to be aesthetically pleasing, from the large portrait, to the action shots, to the cartoons on the back. Collect what you like and like what you collect, right?

Another very appealing thing about this set (to me) is that it’s challenging, but attainable. Not so easy that I’d finish it immediately - and - not so tough that I’d lose interest over a long haul. Additionally, there are variations, such as white/grey backs and the different team cards. This will give me the option to go further once I’ve completed a “basic” set.

I figure it will take about a year or two to complete. Along the way, I’ll post my progress here. Feel free to comment if you’d like. Just remember, we all collect differently. The cards I’m getting for this set won’t be super high grade “blazers” meant to induce envy, nor will they be beaters with huge chunks of missing cardboard. Not that there’s anything wrong with those cards. They’re just not for me.