1973 Topps - A's Near Complete TEAM SET/LOT of (23/28)

1957 Topps Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values

1957 was the beginning of the modern era of baseball cards and their to this day standard size of 2-1/2" x 3-1/2". Many collectors consider the 1957 set the most attractive of the 1950's sets. Of note is a fun error card picturing Hank Aaron batting left-handed. The error was never corrected so there is no extra value.

The set included some very neat multi-player cards and was PACKED with ROOKIES !!!
Frank & Brooks Robinson, Don Drysdale, Jim Bunning, Rocky Colavito, Kubek & Richardson

1957 Topps Baseball card checklist, values and prices.

1953 Topps Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values

The 1953 Topps set is a collection of gorgeous portraits drawn by the leading sports artists of the day. Key cards in the 1953 Topps set include: Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays & Satchel Paige. Satchel Paige had his name spelled incorrectly (2 'L') on the card front.

As with all Topps sets from the 1950's & 1960's, 1953 Topps was issued in series, (#1-85, #86-165, #166-220 & #221-280) with the final series "High Numbers" the least produced, least available and thus the most costly. Topps and Bowman still at war likely accounts for the 6 missing #'s from the High Number series.

1953 Topps Baseball card checklist, values and prices.

Team Autographed / Signed Baseballs

Team signed baseballs were the thing well before single-signed balls exploded on the market.
What is a "Team Signed Baseball" ???
Simple answer: A ball with XXX signatures of a certain team for a certain year. What is difficult is the XXX. Baseball tons of roster moves make it nearly impossible to "Get Them All".

Generally, team signed baseballs from early 1900's had 10 to 15 signatures, the 1940's that jumped to 18 to 25. Joyce Sports Research Collection (Notre Dame) says "signatures must include only members of a specific team from a specific year, and there must be some approximation of completeness."

Not concrete but to me a "team ball" MUST have ALL the team's STARS (unless a rookie or in season trade) and in today's market at least 20, preferably more, and the manager.

Determining Age of Team Signed Balls
"Official" league balls have stamped signatures of current league presidents on the "sweet spot". Starting 1934/1935 balls were produced by Spalding (NL) and Reach (AL). Rawlings took over in 1977/78. Have a possible team roster at hand, ESPN & baseball-reference.com have great sites), decipher a few signatures then solve the puzzle.

Autographed/Signed Team Baseball inventory

1973 Topps - A's Near Complete TEAM SET/LOT of (23/28)

1957 Topps Baseball Cards Checklist & Values

1953 Topps Baseball Cards Checklist & Values

Team Autographed / Signed Baseballs

1957 Topps Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values

1953 Topps Baseball Cards
Checklist & Values