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FALL CLASSICS: A look back at the most memorable Topps World Series cards
My personal collecting projects involve building sets. But I am also fascinated at what others collect, whether it is a super collection of a single player, the pursuit of Hall of Famers, or the desire to acquire every player for the team that drives their fandom.
As the 2024 World Series approaches, my thoughts move toward cards that commemorate those postseason games that have provided us with some unforgettable memories. There have been many different iterations of cards from the Fall Classic, including the Fleer set from 1970 as well as recent Topps Now cards issued immediately after big games and big moments.
This article is focused on World Series cards issued by Topps in its flagship set.
To my surprise, I thought I would find at least one collector who is pursuing these cards on the PSA Set Registry, but that was not the case. There are plenty of collectors who have registries for all the players of a particular World Championship team but none for these cards specifically. Maybe this will spur a collector to pursue a World Series set as we all watch to see who holds up this year’s Commissioner’s Trophy.
1958: World Series Batting Foes #418 (Mickey Mantle/Hank Aaron)
The 1958 set is when Topps first decided to highlight the Fall Classic, and did it in the best way possible by showcasing two of the game’s top stars: Mickey Mantle of the Yankees and Hank Aaron of the Braves.
1959: Aaron Clubs World Series Homer #467
Topps honored Aaron again in the 1959 set with a painted picture of him hitting a home run the year before against the Yankees with “Baseball Thrills” on the card to state how big the moment was.
1960: Games 1-6; Cards #385-#391
This was the first year that each game of the Fall Classic was memorialized on its own card. The run of cards called out the top moments as the Dodgers defeated the White Sox.
1961: Games 1-7; Cards #306-#313
The 1961 set features eight cards for the World Series between the Yankees and Pirates that was capped by one of the most memorable World Series moments: Bill Mazeroski hitting the first walk-off World Series-winning home run.
1962: Games 1-5; Cards #233-#237
The well-known wood grain of the 1962 Topps set provides a nice backdrop for the painted renderings of the Yankees winning the 1961 World Series in five games.
1963: Games 1-7; Cards #142-#148
The 1963 World Series cards marked two distinct changes from previous years. First, photos were used instead of paintings, as well as the elimination of the summary card and keeping the set to just one card for each World Series game.
1964: Games 1-5; Cards #136-#140
These cards in the 1964 set marked a clash of baseball titans as the Dodgers won in five games over the Yankees.
1965: Games 1-7; Cards #132-#138
The Yankees lived in the World Series in the 1960s and looked like they were headed for another title, but the Cards took the Series.
1966: No Cards
Topps decided to take a break with the 1966 set and issued no World Series cards were issued.
1967: Games 1-4; Cards #151-#155
The return of the World Series in the 1967 set brought cards that looked like television sets as well as the return of the World Series summary card.
1968: Games 1-7; Cards #151-#158
The television theme stayed in the 1968 Topps set with all cards having a horizontal photo.
1969: Games 1-7; Cards #162-#169
The Sporting News, which had been used for All-Star cards in recent Topps sets, marked the World Series cards with a newspaper theme.
1970: Games 1-5; Cards #305-#310
The newspaper theme was not used in this set but The Sporting News stayed on to celebrate The Amazin’ Mets.
1971: Games 1-5; Cards #327-332
In 1971, the Sporting News motif went away and the set picked up cards for both league Championship Series.
1972: Games 1-7; Cards #223-#230
Topps lets the photos tell the story in the 1972 set with no headlines.
1973: Games 1-7; Cards #203-#210
The baseball logo returned this season to call out each game of the World Series.
1974: Games 1-7; #472-#479
This group is all about the Oakland A’s as they took their second consecutive World Championship.
1975: Games 1-5; Cards #461-#466
If you collect World Series cards, are you tired of the A’s yet? I never will be as that is my team and I long for those days again.
1976: Summary #476
Another change came in 1976 as there is only a summary card for the 1975 World Series as well as one card for both league Championship Series. Curious considering the 1975 series was one of the best ever.
1977: Summary #413
One card celebrates the Big Red Machine again.
1978: Summary #413
Interesting that this card is the same number in the 1978 set as it was in the 1977 set.
1979-80: No Cards
Topps takes another break from World Series cards.
1981: Summary #403 and #404
Topps returned with two different cards recapping the World Series: one calling out the Phillies winning in six games; and the second highlighting the Phillies’ first World Championship.
1982-97: No Cards
Topps took an extended hiatus in its flagship set but didn’t abandon the idea as there were World Series moments in multiple years of the Topps Stickers. The 1983 set featured “Win a Trip to the World Series” inserts in every pack. The 1987 set had a series of moments in the Collectors’ Series. For 1988, there were cards in the Topps Woolworth set. The 1991 season saw the introduction of World Series cards in Stadium Club. The lookback of the Archives set revisited the 1955 World Series in the 1995 set. The first World Series card in 1958 was reissued in the 1996 Mickey Mantle Commemorative set. The same card came out in 1997 Topps Chrome.
1998: Moises Alou #277, Sandy Alomar #278, Gary Sheffield #279, Matt Williams #280, Livan Hernandez #281, Chad Ogea #282, Summary #283
World Series cards returned in 1998 but instead of cards for each game, players from the Marlins and Indians are featured.
1999: Ricky Ledee #233, Chuck Knoblauch #234, Bernie Williams #235, Tino Martinez #236, Orlando Hernandez #237, Scott Brosius #238, Andy Pettitte #239, Mariano Rivera #240
Player cards returned in 1999 but only for the champions—the 1998 New York Yankees.
2000: Mariano Rivera #228
There were multiple cards in the 2000 set for the Division Series and the League Championship Series but only one highlighted the World Series.
2001: Yankees #406
A new tactic is taken in 2001 with the issue of a team card to highlight the Yankees as World Series champions.
2002: No Cards
Back to no base cards for this year but there was a team set inserted into factory sets.
2003: Angels Take Three #720, Summary #721
Two cards come back this year to recognize three big Angels wins (not sure why the fourth win was omitted) as well as celebrating their first-ever title.
Also See: Topps releases Shohei Ohtani 50/50 set
2004: Game 1 #355, Game 4 #730, Game 5 #731, Game 6 #732, MVP #733
There were five cards for the 2003 World Series but strangely not for each game. Plus the cards were separated—one in Series One and the remainder in Series Two.
2005: Game 1 #355, Game 1 #731, Game 2 #352, Game 2 #732, Game 3 #733, Game 4 #734
Games 1 and Game 2 have cards in both Series One and Series Two.
2006-07: No Cards
If you want World Series cards for the 2005 Series, 2006 Topps Update and Highlights is your set. For 2007, Topps Update again has cards but not those from the previous World Series. There is an insert set called World Series Watch focusing on upcoming top teams.
2008: Summary #234
The Red Sox got a team card showing their celebration after winning the 2007 World Series.
2009-11: No Cards
No World Series cards again but if you need those 2008 Yankees, you can get a 27-card World Series Champions set in a blister pack. For 2010, inserts are the only way to get World Series cards with the History of the World Series set and a 23-card Giants (for the 2010 Championship) team set with World Series logos in the factory set.
In 2011, look for the 27-card blister pack for the Cardinals (2011 champs) as well as World Series cards for each game in Topps Heritage.
2012: Cardinals Game 7 #53, Albert Pujols Game 3 #108, David Freese Game 6 #291, Allen Craig Game 1 #329
Back to player cards to recognize the Cardinals but also look for inserts with World Series Pins, as well as Autos and Relics of the champs.
2013: Giants Game 4 #67, Ryan Vogelsong Game 3 #196, Madison Bumgarner Game 2 #256, Pablo Sandoval Game 1 #298, Allen Craig Game 1 #329
Same pattern this year with inserts of World Series Champions, World Series MVP Relics, Chasing History World Series Autos, and Fall Classic Autos, plus game cards in Heritage.
2014: Mike Napoli Game 1 #22, Jonny Gomes Game 4 #146, Jon Lester Game 5 #206, David Ortiz Game 6 #259
Topps is missing some game cards in this set but look for World Series Patch and World Series Champion Relic inserts, as well as World Series Heroes in both Update and Chrome.
2015: Hunter Pence Game 4 #9, Madison Bumgarner Game 7 #88, Madison Bumgarner Game 1 #188, Madison Bumgarner Game 5 #227
This is the Madison Bumgarner set as he occupies three of the four cards. There are inserts for World Series Pins and World Series Champion Relics, as well as a team set in Topps Mini.
2016: Mike Moustakas #21, Salvador Perez #56, Johnny Cueto #61, Alcides Escobar #120
Chase these plus inserts for World Series Champion Autos and Relics, as well as a Coin and Stamp Set. There is a blister pack for the Royals team set and game cards in Heritage.
2017: Jake Arrieta #18, Aroldis Chapman #39, Addison Russell #78, Cubs #206
More of the same with a Cubs team set blister pack and game cards again in Heritage and Topps Now cards calling out key moments.
2018: Alex Bregman #39, George Springer #154, Lance McCullers #212, George Springer #329
No specific team card in this set but the World Champion Autos and Relics are back as inserts.
2019: Eduardo Nunez #3, J.D. Martinez #76, Steve Pearce #275, David Price #314, Red Sox #549
World Champion Autos and Relics continue again along with Topps Now cards.
2020: Juan Soto #6, Stephen Strasburg #76, Anthony Rendon #239, Max Scherzer #258
All the World Series cards are in Series 1 with game cards again in Heritage.
2021: Mookie Betts #15, Walker Buehler #44, Clayton Kershaw #179, Corey Seager #198
Series 1 is the home again and the World Champion Autos and Relics returned as inserts. Heritage has the game cards and also has World Series Highlights.
2022: No Cards
Card #242 is the Braves Checklist with the caption “Postseason Passion,” but there is no indication the photo is from the World Series. Specific World Series cards are in Topps Now, Heritage and Archives.
2023: Astros #574
Card #534, which is the Astros team card, shows the team with the World Series Trophy. Topps Now and Heritage continue to provide the most options for World Series cards.
2024: No Cards
The Texas Rangers team card #698 shows the team on the field after clinching the World Championship, but has no World Series logo. Heritage and Topps Now continue to provide game cards and moments, but if you want a specific card calling out the team, try the Rangers team card #23 in the International Trading Card Day Set that highlights the World Series Champions.
