Emmitt Smith - 1995 Action Packed Rookies/Stars 'Star Gazers' #45

1952 is often thought of as Topps 1st baseball card set, but it was not.
Topps issued several smaller baseball card sets prior to their huge 1952 set.
Topps buzz word was "BIGGER is BETTER" for their 1952 Topps set which Topps described as: "GIANT IN BOTH SIZE and NUMBER of CARDS" (407).

Key card in the 1952 Topps set is #311 MICKEY MANTLE. Often called Mickey Mantle's Rookie card - BUT IT IS NOT. That honor goes to his 1951 Bowman.
1952 Topps "High Numbers" (#311-#407), are very, very scarce with an interesting story:
This HUGE set was released in series weeks apart. By the last (6th) series, baseball season was over and football starting. Candy shops had plenty of baseball cards from earlier series so most cancelled their orders for the last series creating the scarcity.

Adding interest is how Topps disposed of the now un-needed cards including THOUSANDS of 1952 Topps MICKEY MANTLE's. They dumped them into the Atlantic Ocean like most of New York's trash in those days.

1933 Goudey baseball cards were issued during the worst part of The Great Depression. The set ended up at 240 cards (239 printed in 1933 and one in 1934). In an effort to attract collectors, several of the games top players were honored with multiple cards including "The Great Bambino" who appeared on 4 different cards.
The Babe was once asked why he made more than the President of the United States, the Babe answered simply: "I had a better year than he did."

The Elusive Nap Lajoie
One of the most important facts regarding the 1933 Goudey set was their infamous marketing ploy. Goudey took "marketing" to a whole new level to keep people buying packs by never issuing card #106. Collectors wrote the Goudey Card Company complaining. They were rewarded with Goudey sending them the un-issued card #106 (Nap Lajoie) in 1934.

As a kid I loved shopping with mom hoping to find my next favorite food - the one with baseball cards !!! In 1955,1959 & 1960, kids could enjoy hot dogs with their cards thanks to Armour's coins in 1955, 1959 & 1960.

The 1-1/2 inch plastic coins, almost the same each year, came in many colors with several rare and perhaps even 1-of-1, making a "master" set almost impossible. Add in the variations and you can imagine the task.

See sportscollectorsdaily for great 1955,1959 & 1960 Armour baseball coins article.