The Post War Cards Newsletter #41
'56 Topps Flags of the World, '52 Topps George Washington, A '60 Bazooka U.S. Presidents Box, And The Natural
Happy (early) Independence Day to those who celebrate, enjoy the 4th!
🇺🇸 1956 Topps Flags Of The World Card #1 The United States
It’s a fitting time to highlight card #1 from Topps’ 1956 Flags of the World set—The United States.
Here’s how The Modern Guide to Topps Chewing Gum described the 80-card set:
Topps dramatically changed the look of their third flag issue in seven years for 1956. Using all the available real estate on both front and back of the card, the Giant Size Flags of the World featured waving flags set against a very colorful scene from the country represented. A bold name plate completed the obverse and result was one of the better looking sets of the Giant Size era.
The backs had a prominent card number displayed against a small flag silhouette, a number of vital facts and a cartoon feature entitled “How They Say” which on most cards presented phonetically translated spellings of four basic words from the local language: “Hello”, “Friend “, “Thanks” and “Goodbye”, although some countries had different words translated. For English speaking countries, the United States card, which launched the set, featured the Hopi language while Canada’s had humorous nicknames for the “Penny”, “Hamburger”, “Nova Scotian” and New Brunswicker” while Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand used slang phrases. The set concludes with a flag for the United Nations.
According to the Non-Sport Bible, 30 cards were overprinted, purportedly based upon both an uncut sheet observation and collation from vending boxes. The set is so common it’s doubtful this has any effect on prices of various singles. Flags of the World was reissued in 1970 and in addition to the regular wrapper for that year there is a paper test wrapper associated with the later issue, as well as paper money inserts.
🏛️ 1952 Topps Look ‘n See #9 George Washington
More, America? Ok! While the 1932 U.S. Caramel American Heroes George Washington card may be a little more popular, this is the Post War Cards Newsletter, so how about we take a look at the 1952 Topps Look ‘n See #9 George Washington card?
Topps Ripped wrote a nice overview of the set. Here’s what they said about the George Washington card:
After Abraham Lincoln, George Washington typically ranks as the second-highest in price among presidential cards in most nonsports sets. However, in the Look ‘N See set, Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) outsells Washington. This is largely due to FDR being card #1 in the set and having fewer high-grade examples represented in the population report: only 19 cards graded PSA 8 or above compared to Washington’s 46.
While a PSA 9 Teddy Roosevelt card outsold Washington in 2019, Washington has generally commanded higher prices than Roosevelt across nearly all grades in subsequent years. It’s worth noting that this particular comparison is now six years old, and the nonsports card market has undergone significant changes since then.
✍️ Great Hobby Writing
Sports Collectors Daily: Display of Affection: Topps Vintage Baseball Card Boxes Offer Surprises on the Surface
Sports Collectors Digest: Often criticized and critiqued, baseball umpires once had their own trading cards
SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee: 2025 SABR Jefferson Burdick Award Winner – Anson Whaley
Baseball Cards Come to Life!: 1981 Topps Orioles Future Stars
The Topps Archives: Owen-ing Up
The Chronicles of Fuji: Sayonara Salute: The Cobra
Sports Collectors Daily: Identities Revealed: Topps Vintage Cardboard Container Competitors on Display – Part 2
cards as I seem: a moment for the cobra
Sports Collectors Digest: Negro Leagues Museum a glorious walk through time, tribute to baseball’s historic pioneers
🍬 Unopened Item Of The Week - A 1960 Bazooka U.S. Presidents Box
What’s more American than baseball cards and bubble gum? Maybe presidential trading cards printed on a Bazooka gum box. This 1960 U.S. Presidents box is one of the rarest I’ve come across. It’s so scarce that I’ve only ever seen this single example, confirmed as a 1960 release by The Topps Archives.
In October 2022, REA sold a lot of nine panels, cut from these boxes, for $570.
PS, here’s what a 1960 Bazooka Baseball box looks like.
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📝 On The Blog
June 26, 2025: Good Luck Finding These 3 Vintage Sports Cards
June 27, 2025: The Only Known Original Photo Used for Mickey Mantle’s 1954 Red Heart Card Hits the Auction Block
June 28, 2025: Rare 1975/76 Topps Basketball Sheet Boasts Triple-Printed ABA Icons Erving and Malone
June 29, 2025: A Tale of Two PSA 9s: The 1952 Bowman Willie Mays Auction House Showdown
June 30, 2025: Potential Baseball Card Hobby Monsters
July 1, 2025: Hake’s to Offer Rare 1970 Topps 4th Series Baseball Wax Box — But What Will It Fetch?
July 2, 2025: A Rare Basketball Sighting: R.G. Laughlin’s 1974 Fleer “The Shots” Insert Set
📰 In The News
Sports Collectors Daily: Cards Recovered, FedEx Worker Charged in Theft Case
NBC Sports: Tom Brady opens Hall of Excellence in Las Vegas
Sports Collectors Daily: Connecticut Wagner Falls Short of Reserve
Panini: Major League Wrestling and Panini America Announce Exclusive Trading Card Partnership
The Athletic: The baseball card so rare that it didn’t exist until collectors started asking questions
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Paul Skenes celebrates $1.1 million rookie card with fans at Dick's House of Sport
ESPN: Autographed Michael Jordan rookie card sells for $2.5 million
📚 A First Edition Copy of The Natural
As Independence Day approaches, The Natural feels like required reading.
Mastro offered the following first edition (1952) in their November 2000 catalog auction. While signed first editions can fetch a few thousand dollars today, non-inscribed copies still trade hands for a few hundred.
Happy Collecting!