1956 Topps

The 1956 Topps Baseball set consists of 340 cards, each measuring 2-5/8" by 3-3/4”. The set was quite similar in design to the prior year’s entry, that full-color artwork that features each player "In Action" adjacent to his portrait – with some portraits identical to those used not only in 1955 but also 1954. The player's name and team affiliation appear at the top left corner. The 1956 Topps also includes team cards introduced as part of a regular set, two unnumbered checklist cards as well as cards representing league presidents William Harridge and Warren Giles. The set is packed with baseball talent from the mid-1950s, and is anchored by the likes of Ted Williams (#5), Ernie Banks (#15), Hank Aaron (#31), Roberto Clemente (#33), Sandy Koufax (#79), Willie Mays (#130), Mickey Mantle (#135), Bob Feller (#200) and Whitey Ford (#240). The set marked the return of Mantle, Feller and Ford to the Topps family, as all had been fulfilling earlier baseball card contracts. Card backs for #s 1-180 can be found with either white or gray cardboard, with collectors leaning toward the gray backs for cards #1-100 and white backs from #101-180.