Topps Reveals Card Plans for 75th Anniversary

Many collectors may think Topps' beginnings were in the 1950s, but the company's history dates back to 1938 with the introduction of a new line of chewing gum. To help kick off the company's 75th anniversary, Topps has announced a commemorative card set and more.

The card set dubbed Topps 75th Anniversary Collection is a one-of-a-kind card collection featuring reproductions of 116 of the most memorable cards in the company’s history. That means much more than baseball cards. Subject matter spans the world of pop culture to major newsworthy events: from the rise of the Beatles to the fall of the beloved John F. Kennedy, from Garbage Pail Kids to Desert Storm and much more. As a bonus, select card backs will feature commentary from Len Brown, the former Topps
creative director.

Topps first cards were issued in 1949, with Topps Magic Photos, with baseball cards following in 1951. Since then, there have been many different card topics, from sports to the biggest television and movie hits.

Topps 75th will feature 116 cards in all, covering 100 different sets in Topps' history. The 116 cards will be made up of 100 base cards, eight mini cards and eight test issue cards. In addition to multiple levels of parallels, every box will consist of four "hits":

To commemorate the event and complement the cards, Topps will also be giving away 75 prizes over 75 days running from December 2013 through February 2014. Some of the prizes include uncut sheets, autos and original packs, plus “Bounty prizes” for finding specific buyback sets. The Topps 75th card set will hit store shelves on Dec. 11.