Opinion-1957 Topps Baseball Set

[larietrope]

I have a hankering to complete a 1957 set. I have Mantle, Aaron, and Williams. I know about The Robinsons, Buning, Mays, etc.
How tough is to do today ?
Thanks.

[cardsagain74]

There's a fairly tough, more valuable mid-series (which makes the '57 set more difficult and costly to build, relative to how much the whole set goes for). Similar to what goes on with the high numbers of '66 and '67 and some others.

Your best bet is to find a large lot of commons that includes many mid-series, but I don't even know if that's very feasible, as I've always avoided having to build any sets with a tough series for the reason above (other than the '52 Topps)

[Eddiez]

Depends what condition you are building it in, but it's not a hard set to complete. If you do build one I have a lot of 57s laying around and might be able to help you get a good start. Eddie

[toppcat]

57 mid's are not tough really, it's an easy set to put together, especially since you have some keys. There are no truly difficult vintage Topps regular issue sets, some just cost more than others or are harder in higher grades.

[rsdill2]

I've built Topps sets back to '55 but honestly have burned myself out on them and no longer find the appeal in building large mainstream sets. I've got the keys from '54 and '53 but have no desire to build the sets. As mentioned, its not really difficult, you could buy them all right now if you wanted. But I grew weary chasing short print commons of players I've never heard of. But if you like the set and enjoy it, go right ahead.

[commishbob]

I finished mine late in 2019. It wasn't overly tough for me as I put my vintage sets of that era together in raw, VG-EX condition. I'm not a centering freak, as long as no part of another card encroaches on the one I want, I'm good. Intact but soft corners are OK and an occasional stray mark on the back (not the front) doesn't bother me. I do buy some of the stars in graded slabs but only as a bit more insurance when buying from folks I don't know. I pull them out and save the flips for some reason. LOL

I started with a handful of stars (both Robinsons and Koufax) and the Orioles team set and a few others. I did what I always do, picked up a fair-sized lot of the commons and lower-tiered stars to get me started.

As mentioned the 4th Series is tougher than the rest. The Kubek and Richardson cards from that series were the last ones I picked up because the 'Yankee Tax' made hunting down decently priced, acceptably conditioned ones harder.

I think the only card I overpaid for was the Mantle/Berra combo card and if I had to do it all over again I'd have more patience but in the end, I'm really glad I built the set. I really enjoy flipping through the binder.

-----
edit...I meant to mention that I still lack one checklist and one of the four contest cards. In my mind the checklist are part of the set, the contest cards are just a fun insert and I won't be too upset if I never pick that last one up. Both the checklists and contest cards have a couple easy-to-find and a couple tough-to-find pieces. At least that's been my experience.

[JollyElm]

On the positive side, it is 'only' a 407 card set, so you have a decent chance of getting to the end quicker than many of the other monstrous sets from the 60's and 70's.

[G1911]

One of the easier old Topps sets to put together. Lot of HOF rookies, but they are fairly cheap.

Throw out the price guide, Brooks Robinson will cost more than the Mantle (may not be the case if you only buy 4 sharp corners), it's a popular rookie and in the tough series. The mid series also has Richardson, Kubek, Bunning, and Koufax. Unless you are a Yankee fan, Richardson and Kubek can be annoying to pay up for.

The short printed 3rd series is not that difficult though, much more available than many other Topps short printed series. 407 cards is not that many for Topps and most commons are acquired cheaply.

There are no 'true variations' to pursue, just a ton of recurring print defects and color toning changes that seem to be the result of Topps experimenting with color photos for the first time. The Checklist other than the first 2 series suck to pay for, but aren't numbered and many exclude.


It's a fun set. The first I finished in my 1951-1972 Topps run was the 71's and the 57's. Big step down in quality from 1952-1956, but still a cool set that I frequently take out and enjoy with some great photos.

[wdwfan]

I started one a few months ago, but I'm still a long ways away. I'm less than 300 cards into the set. But it's been fun thus far. I've been looking for VG-Ex to Ex with no creases, bends, indentations or wrinkles and decent centering, about like the card pictured below.



As far as costs involved, I traded for a lot of around 200 to start. There were probably 150 different in that lot. I believe I traded about $150 in random inserts, RCs and refractors from 2019 and 2020 products. It was a nice way to get started. Since then I've traded for some at the LCS, bought a few at another LCS, traded for and bought some on here and Beckett.

Overall, I probably have about $150 into the set thus far. I don't have Mantle or Mays or Williams, but I've got lots of stars like Spahn, Hodges, Kluszewski, Doby and Ashburn. I also have Maz RC ($23), Martin ($10) and Colavito RC ($21) incoming. So that will add some more value to my set.

Then there's the tougher, mid series everyone's mentioned. It is a little more difficult to find, and they sell closer to BV than the other cards in the set do. But they're obtainable.

Anyway, hope this insight helps. Good luck if you decide to build the set.

[MikeGarcia]

..It is overall a truly beautiful set to page through , unless you are an anal-retentive obsessive-compulsive centering weenie......in that case building a centered complete 1957 Topps set in ''mid-grade''condition is a challenge for the normal collector's budget.... heck , even the four contest cards and the eight checklist cards are off-centered.......but if you don't insist on centered fronts then it's a neat set to build , with great players and great poses and the info on the backs is very informative and well done . Good hunting.

.

[Bigdaddy]

I really enjoyed putting this set together and finished it up about a year ago. I was not planning on tackling it, but ran across a lot of the cards at a local card show that I couldn't pass up. A dealer had over half of the set and was selling them individually and I started going through his stash and ended up making a deal for the entire lot - over half the set. The cards were mostly well centered, had good registration and probably in EX condition. They were from a complete set that he had started selling, so there were no duplicates. The downside was that each had a stamp and someone's initials on the back. I put my T206 backstamp hat on though and looked at that as an interesting bit of provenance . He even had the Brooks RC that I bought separately from the lot.

I already had the Mays and Williams and several other star cards, but had to pick up a Mantle and Koufax and the aforementioned Richardson and Colavito RCs.

The 1957 Topps issue is a great set and has what I consider one of the most iconic Topps cards of all time - the 'Dodgers Sluggers' card. One of the last cards in the set and showing Brooklyn's Boys of Summer in the setting sun of Ebbets Field. Closing out the day, the set and the glory of their time in Brooklyn.

[BillP]

Not my favorite set but put it together and upgraded it a few times over due to registry issues on some of my cards. That's the only issue I have with this set is the focus of some of the stars and 4th series cards. The Ted and Mays in particular I settled for a lower grade corner wise but better focus. I also like the fact that with topps moving to a smaller size card that year, the pictures to me appear to be all new shots taken in 56 and 57 for the cards. I also prefer years were full stats are on the card. In short I think this set is very collectable and can be put together in a reasonable time frame.

billp

[Gr8Beldini]

I completed a nice VG/EX a few years back. It wasn't too hard. Most of the commons at a buck per at the shows. Completed most of the the semi commons at $2 per. Stars weren't ridiculous - even the Mantle. Brooks Robinson stands out as the toughest to find at a reasonable price. I got lucky on an ebay purchase, but havent seen too many bargains since.