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08-26-2009 Collecting cards can be both fun and challenging. Sometimes the challenge is just figuring out what to collect. That's where I come in. Plenty of people don't have a hard time deciding what they like or what project to start next. But I always enjoy hearing about what collectors are chasing: two cards from every set, all the Mantle cards, a complete set from the year they were born, team cards, pitchers who gave up historic home runs. It never disappoints when people tell me what they're currently focused on. As a dealer, I cater to collectors. Whether you're completing a player run or a set from the 50s/60s, I hope I have what you need in my inventory. And as I expand, I aim to also satisfy collectors of cards from the 30s and the turn of the century. Today I'm going to take an objective look at a set I enjoy from both the dealer and collector sides of the table: 1957 Topps baseball. Practicality If you've read closely, you know that my favorite set is the '38 Goudey "Heads Up" offering. The big heads are classic. The star power might be unequaled, except by some of the early basketball issues. I mean, two Foxxes, two DiMaggios, two Fellers, two Greenbergs...it goes on like this. There are almost more HOFers than non-HOFers in this set. The problem is, you're going to pay for all those legends. In addition to being loaded with stars, these babies are hard to find, and expensive when you do find them. Even in Ex condition or slightly less, you're looking at over $10,000 for just 48 cards. Ouch. Unfortunately, the T206 "Monster" also falls prey to these same limiting factors. Think it's hard buying two Bob Feller rookies? Try forking over the mountain of cheddar required to pick up four Ty Cobbs! You can spend six figures on this set easily before even saying the name Honus Wagner.
Think I can do worse? Well, you're right. Some people like to collect a set from the year they first got into cards. For me, that would be 1987. Scary. I could have a dump truck drop thousands of these sets in my driveway. Aside from the fact that they're kinda ugly (and that I then couldn't back out of my garage), why wouldn't I do this? Because the dump truck would waste more in gas than the whole of what its cargo was worth. What a terrible time to start collecting. The 1957 Topps set is a nice compromise between these two extremes. It's made up of 407 cards (411 if you count the contest cards), and a good looking Ex/ExMt set will probably cost you between $4000-6000 to compile. Most collectors I meet can handle that type of project over the course of a few years. So, you've set a realistic goal. What will really rope you in to collecting this set? Star Power Say you have some friends coming over to watch a slate of NFL games on Sunday. You plan strategically on when to showcase your collection - until after all the chili bowls have been thrown into the sink, or before everyone's hands have become slathered in wing sauce. Either way, your buddies aren't going to want to wallow through commons all day. They want to see the big boys. To quench that thirst, what does the '57 set have to offer? For starters, it's 1 of only 4.5 sets that feature both Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle. (1951 Bowman, 1956/1957/1958 Topps get the full nod in my book. 1954 Bowman only gets a half-point because the infamous Williams was short-printed.) Boppers like Mays, Aaron, Clemente, Mathews, Kaline, Banks, Snider and Berra are present, as well as hurlers Koufax, Spahn, and Ford. You'll notice I even left out a few big names. That's because they are... Rookies Yes! Rookie cards define a set. Maybe this is true to a lesser extent during baseball's star-studded golden era, but rookies still sparkle no matter what other players surround them in a set. 1957 had a bumper crop of first year players who would see Cooperstown - Frank and Brooks Robinson, Drysdale, Bunning - and others who would become uber-popular regionally - Mazeroski, Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Whitey Herzog, and Colavito. Not many other sets can rival the rookie power of this issue. '55 had Koufax, Clemente, and Killer. '54 featured Banks, Aaron, and Kaline. But you're also not going to be dropping $500+ on any of these from '57 unless they're so sharp they look like they were printed last week.
If there's anything that made you turn your nose around the time you read the second paragraph up above, it was probably because you find the 1957 Topps issue to be boring. I'm not going to argue with you...too much. I'll admit, this set is lacking the flair and color that we see in other years. I've always liked the crisp colors and design of the '65 set. Basically every other Topps issue has more color. But '57 was the first year Topps had actual backgrounds on their cards. The photography allows you to see the inside of ballparks, which is really cool from a historical perspective. I'm a sucker for the old advertising on the walls. And you have a good selection of full body poses instead of just head shots like some years. For a complete look at this issue, I'll give a plug to the backs of these cards as well. I like them. The design is clean and simple. The red and blue print is classic. And from a set-building perspective, it's great having the giant card numbers (inside a fashionable baseball, I might add). Overall, these backs are a dream to anyone with failing eye sight. Challenge As in all aspects of life, people like a challenge. You can't walk in to just any card shop, plop down some cash, and walk out with a '57 set. And if you could, where would the fun be in that anyway? You will need to spend some time building this set. As I mentioned above, it isn't impossible. It isn't super-expensive, but it won't come together overnight either. In this set, you won't be stuck dealing with a hard to come by high-number series. The toughest thing you'll have to deal with is a mildly difficult mid-series: 88 cards, 19 of which are double-prints. They aren't all commons though. Along with the Brooks Robinson and Jim Bunning rookies, this series also features the Dodgers team card and Sandy Koufax, making this third card of his one of his most desirable issues ever. Unfortunately for stylish collectors everywhere, his eyebrows are in need of a little attention. So there you have it. From my perspective, the '57 set has it all: stars and rookies from baseball's Golden Age, a difficult - but not too difficult - mid-series, and a clean design. All for a price that won't break the bank. If you're looking for your next card project, give this set some serious consideration. Have fun! -T |
Inside My Brain
