The Way We Were ......

[frankbmd]

and the way we are.

A while ago with the help of board members and a few purchases I put together my mutilated 1955 Topps set. I have finally gotten around to displaying this set and it looks great, despite the rounded or even absent corners, a few absent borders, a few tears, rubber band marks, evidence of tape and every other defect you can imagine. It worth a look, particularly if you were a card collector in the 50s.

1955 Topps Sheet 1.jpg

A Preston Ward border is added to a previously trimmed Williams

Kaline folded into quadrants to fit in a smaller pocket.

1955 Topps Sheet 2.jpg

Pendleton may have professionally rounded corners.

1955 Topps Sheet 3.jpg

Carey has a bad case of road rash.

1955 Topps Sheet 4.jpg

Ernie Banks has visited Jenny Craig.

1955 Topps Sheet 5.jpg

Kiely and Cunningham both have authentic period tape.

1955 Topps Sheet 6.jpg

Hank is trying to divide into two cards and has nearly succeeded.

1955 Topps Sheet 7.jpg

Jackie looks too good here, but there is a surface wrinkle.

1955 Topps Sheet 8.jpg

Just the usual wear and tear.

This set will take several posts to complete, but already the message is evident. The set represents our youth. The chase for all the cards in the set, just as rewarding then and now. Greed is absent. No goal for resale here for profit. 0% Buyer's Premium would be offered gladly. Fraud ??? I dare say the entire set is authentic, but none of the cards warrant a TPG evaluation or letter of authenticity. No card doctors here, only butchers, and not very good butchers at that.

Talk about the ultimate trade up. This, my friend, is the ultimate starting point.

Stay tuned.

[Leon]

Just waiting for the bike spoke cards to come out. Great stuff...

[KCRfan1]

That's neat Frank!

Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!

[Bpm0014]

Cool thread Frank!

[frankbmd]

1955 Topps Sheet 9.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 10.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 11.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 12.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 13.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 14.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 15.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 16.jpg

Koufax had a moustache. Who knew?

Killebrew - evidence of trim perhaps

[Shoebox]

This set is before my time so I don't have the same connection to it that those from an older demographic but I love what you have built there!

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Shoebox

This set is before my time so I don't have the same connection to it that those from an older demographic but I love what you have built there!

Then let's some scans of your '89 Topps set!

[Shoebox]

Originally Posted by conor912

Then let's some scans of your '89 Topps set!

Isn't the one in my avatar impressive enough?

[cardinalcollector]

Awesome post Frank.

[nat]

Good work Frank. That looks like it was a lot of fun.

[icollectDCsports]

My favorite set from the '50s. Some prefer '56 with the action scenes in the background, but I like the way the colors pop and contrast with the portraits in the '55s.

[frankbmd]

1955 Topps Sheet 17.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 18.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 19.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 20.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 21.jpg

The Clemente was obtained during his RC hype. Any losses though will be tempered by his condition. It is a nice image though.

Astute observers will notice the absence of #166 Hank Bauer. I have a graded Hank though. Still looking for a suitable downgrade.

1955 Topps Sheet 22.jpg

#175 was never issued, but a spot is reserved. You never know.

1955 Topps Sheet 23.jpg

1955 Topps Sheet 24.jpg

#186 is identical to #175

1955 Topps Sheet 25.jpg

I like the fact that Willie lost his New York Giants identity after heading to SF.
Surprised they didn't try to change the cap too. I'm not sure, but this could be the "die-cut" variation, very rare.

1955 Topps Sheet 26.jpg

The last two nonexistent cards were not reserved a spot.

That's it. Complete. 206 cards. 62 years old. Putting it together in 1955-56 was fun. Putting it together in 2015-2016 was just as much fun.

A shout out to USPS as well for not damaging any of these beauties in transit.

A note of appreciation to Lucky Larry, who only collects this way to this day and should be an inspiration to more collectors (in addition to the OBC crowd), the way it was and the way it still can be.

[ALR-bishop]

Frank --- when are you starting on the variations/ variants ?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Attachment 278172

Attachment 278173

Attachment 278174

Attachment 278175

Attachment 278176

The Clemente was obtained during his RC hype. Any losses though will be tempered by his condition. It is a nice image though.

Astute observers will notice the absence of #166 Hank Bauer. I have a graded Hank though. Still looking for a suitable downgrade.

Attachment 278177

#175 was never issued, but a spot is reserved. You never know.

Attachment 278178

Attachment 278179

#186 is identical to #175

Attachment 278180

I like the fact that Willie lost his New York Giants identity after heading to SF.
Surprised they didn't try to change the cap too. I'm not sure, but this could be the "die-cut" variation, very rare.

Attachment 278181

The last two nonexistent cards were not reserved a spot.

That's it. Complete. 206 cards. 62 years old. Putting it together in 1955-56 was fun. Putting it together in 2015-2016 was just as much fun.

A shout out to USPS as well for not damaging any of these beauties in transit.

A note of appreciation to Lucky Larry, who only collects this way to this day and should be an inspiration to more collectors (in addition to the OBC crowd), the way it was and the way it still can be.

Great Stuff, Frank. And I wholeheartedly concur about Lucky Larry and the whole OBC crew.

.

[LuckyLarry]

Beautiful Collection Frank! Did you see the starter set of '64 Topps coins I recently picked up?

[irv]

I was wondering when you were going to post this up, Frank.

I warned you about my Aaron card.

[bnorth]

Great set Frank. Those well loved cards are way better than those high graded ones trapped in a plastic holder. I am very close to a 55 Bowman set in the same well loved condition.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

just very cool. Wish you had posted the original post before I gave away my taped-back-together Rizzuto. He would have enjoyed a home in that set.

[clydepepper]

Very Nice 'Personalities' on those cards, Frank.

While I appreciate a good 'conversationalists' as well as the next guy, I'll always have a preference for the 'purdy' ones .