Unearthing Baseball History
At Topps RIPPED, we’re taking a look at some of the most valuable baseball cards from previous decades, starting with the 1950s. In this article, we’re diving into the second part of the ’50s, specifically the years 1954 to 1956. Our previous piece covered the early part of the decade (1950–1953).
As in the previous article, the cards featured here may not be the most expensive in terms of value but are undeniably rare and can still command impressive prices. Let’s take a look.
1954 Bowman – Ted Williams
Out of all the cards on this three-part list, this one is probably the easiest to source, with over 2,000 examples available between PSA and SGC. So why is it included?
Technically, this card was pulled from production. In 1954, Topps acquired the rights to Ted Williams for the first time and featured him on cards #1 and #250 (the first and last in the set). Since Bowman didn’t have the rights, the card was produced less than other 1954 Bowman Baseball cards.
This wouldn’t be the last time Ted Williams had a card pulled from production in the ’50s. Be sure to check out Part 3, where we’ll cover a Fleer card that was pulled in 1959.
1954 Topps Gray Backs
Unlike the 1952 Topps gray backs, which are still surrounded by speculation, it’s 100% confirmed that the 1954 gray backs were a Canadian release.
However, only the first 50 cards in the set were produced in this version — meaning Canadian collectors missed out on iconic rookie cards like Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, and Ernie Banks. The best card in the set, then, is #1 Ted Williams.
Gray backs are exceptionally rare, and in my opinion, the market has yet to fully adjust to their true scarcity. The highest sale of a Ted Williams gray back is $2,200 for a PSA 5, and low-mid grades can be found for under $500. According to PSA, only 47 gray back versions of the #1 Ted Williams cards have been graded, compared to 5,567 of the standard U.S. version.
1954 Wilson Franks Ted Williams
The third notable Ted Williams card from 1954 is the Wilson Franks issue. This set shares several design elements with the 1954 Topps cards and features other prominent players like Roy Campanella and Bob Feller.
A PSA 8 example of the Williams card fetched $72,000 in 2020, while a PSA 5 typically commands around $20,000.
1954 Mascot Dog Food Mickey Mantle
While it may seem bizarre today, Issuing baseball cards with dog food wasn’t uncommon in the 1950s. The Red Heart set is one of the more well-known examples, featuring many stars of the era. While that set was almost featured in this article, the Mascot Dog Food cards are significantly rarer and command a much higher premium among collectors. These are cards you will not find at a card show, unless an auction house has them in their advertising setup.
The Mantle in a PSA 5 sold for $82,000 back in 2020. A Yogi Berra PSA 6.5 sold for $12,500 on Fanatics Collect in 2022, making it more expensive than his 1948 Bowman in the same grade.
1954 and 1955 Stahl-Meyer Frank Mickey Mantle
In the previous article, we briefly talked about the 1953 Stahl-Meyers set. This is the follow up release from ’54, featuring two New York Legends: Mantle and Mays. These are super expensive cards with low grades easily eclipsing the five-figure mark.
1955 Marked the final year of Stahl-Meyer cards. The fronts were the same as the ones from 1954 but featured a different back. In 2023 a PSA 1 of the Mantle sold for slightly over $16,000.
1955 Kahn’s Wieners Ted Kluszewski
1955 was the first year that Kahn’s Wieners produced cards. This was another meat brand that would go on to make cards for over a decade across Baseball, Football, and Basketball. Initially a local issue, the cards were distributed in Cincinnati, Ohio before gradually expanding into neighboring cities and states in later years
While not a Hall of Famer, Ted Kluszewski remains a fan favorite, especially among Midwest collectors. Known for his raw power and disciplined plate approach, Kluszewski was on a Hall of Fame trajectory before a back injury derailed his career. After his age-31 season, his production dropped significantly. In many ways, he’s reminiscent of a modern-day David Wright or Grady Sizemore — stars whose promising careers were cut short by injuries.
1955 Hunters Wieners
Stan Musial didn’t have many cards produced during the 1950s, with his first Topps appearance not arriving until 1958. One of his more elusive regional issues from the decade is the Hunter Wieners, a hand cut release that featured only St. Louis Cardinals players. He has three years of Hunter Wieners cards from ’53-’55.
A raw, authenticated example from 1955 has sold for as much as $3,600, though prices vary widely depending on the quality of the cut. Even poorly cut, low-grade authenticated copies can still fetch over $1,000.
1955 Topps Hocus Focus
Topps produced Hocus Focus cards in both 1955 and 1956, and the set wasn’t limited to just baseball. It also included a non-sports series featuring historical and cultural figures like Albert Einstein.
Baseball legends like Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth are standouts in the 1955 set, with PSA 2 graded examples typically selling for around $1,200.
1956 Kahn’s Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson accomplished a ton in his career: MVPs in both the American and National League, Manager, 500 HR Club, the list goes on and on. While most people will point to his 1957 Topps as his first card, he has an earlier one issued in 1956 by Kahn’s. A low-grade copy in a 1-2 can fetch over $3,000 based on the scarcity of this set. A 4 has sold for $8,500 on eBay.
