The 9 Most Valuable 1959 Topps Baseball Cards

Topps Baseball Card Sets from the 1950s hold an interesting place in trading card history, most noticeably for their appearance.  The brightly colored cards provided both their share of unique imagery and funkiness that card junkies and average fans alike can appreciate.

You will notice as the Topps sets progress throughout the decade, the picture quality of the players did as well. 

One of the more interesting facts about the 1959 Topps set — aside from the 1959 Topps Destruction Crew card, is not who was included, but rather a namely omission due to varying deals – Ted Williams, who signed an exclusive deal with Fleer during this time.

The key 1959 Topps baseball cards for any vintage collection

1959 Topps Mickey Mantle #10

While the Micky Mantle 1959 Topps card isn’t the most expensive or sought-after, it is certainly among the crown jewels of the 1959 Topps set. 

In what is likely the most expensive card in the set, the Mantle #10 card ranges anywhere from approximately $900 for a PSA 5, $7,000 for a PSA 8, or upward of $15,000 plus for anything PSA 8.5+ or above.  Don’t hold your breath finding many of those on the market though.

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1959 Topps #514 Bob Gibson rookie card

In what is surely the top rookie card of the 1959 Topps set, Bob Gibson’s prized rookie card has a going rate of about $6,000 for a PSA 8.

Gibson went on to have an illustrious career for the St. Louis Cardinals, notching an MVP in 1968 and multiple Cy Young awards.  They even changed the rules because of his dominant performances in the late 1960s, moving the height of the mound down to give batters a better shot at making contact.

Despite Gibson’s dominance, he had a surprisingly pedestrian rookie campaign while notching on three wins and a 3.33 ERA in nine starts.

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1959 Topps Harmon Killebrew #515

The 1969 MVP has other more valuable cards in his arsenal, namely the 1955 Topps rookie card, but this one still bodes well on the secondary market.

With a wide-ranging price based on PSA quality, you can expect to find Killebrew’s #515 to fall anywhere between a hundred dollars for a lower tier PSA 5 all the way to $400-500 for a PSA 8 and above.

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1959 Topps Willie Mays #50

Perhaps the greatest outfielder of all time, the great Willie Mays has his fair share of valuable cards.  The 1959 Willie Mays baseball card isn’t his most treasured, but it is still a classic.

With a bright yellow background and red letters that pop, this card is certain to be an important addition to any collector’s set.  In recent auctions, PSA 7s are ranging in the $800 – $1,300 ballpark, while a more elusive PSA 8.5+ sits at an average price of $4,500.

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1959 Topps Roger Maris #202

Best known for his illustrious 1961 season in which he passed the notorious Babe Ruth while hitting 61 home runs in a single season, Roger Maris’ 1959 Topps baseball card #202 has become more valuable in recent years. 

While not the most exclusive on this list, the Maris car still pulls in some decent value ranging from about $400 for a PSA 7 to an impressive average of $1,500 for a PSA 8.5+.

Check out prices of 1959 Topps Roger Maris cards on eBay.

1959 Topps Stan Musial #150

One of the most famous Redbirds of all time, Stan “The Man” Musial put together quite the career in St. Louis.

Leading the league in batting seven separate times, the two-time MVP can garner anywhere between $50 – $2,500 for this 1959 Topps card depending on grading.

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1959 Topps Sandy Koufax #163

While we all know how Koufax’s career turned out – dominant, groundbreaking, albeit short, the 1959 Sandy Koufax baseball card came out prior to his streak of supremacy.

Koufax was a three-time Cy Young award winner and 1963 MVP when he posted a 1.88 ERA with a whopping 300 strikeouts.

It’s tough to know whether Koufax was the best left-hander ever given the brevity of his career, but he is surely in the conversation.

His #163 1959 Topps card is ranging anywhere from $100 – $3,000 based on grading.

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1959 Topps #478 Roberto Clemente

Clemente remains one of the most popular players to ever grace a baseball field. His electric defensive plays and impressive offensive prowess rank him among baseball’s elite historically, tragically coming to an end.

Clemente’s 1959 Topps card is among his most aesthetically pleasing, boasting the outfielder loosely wearing a baseball cap on his head with stark red letters on a yellow frame. 

This card has recently been valued in the $100-300 range for lower-tier PSA quality, going as high as $2,500 for cards graded above 8+.

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1959 Topps #572 Billy Pierce All Star

As with many sets of this generation, the first and last card in the set generally hold some inflated value regardless of the player.

While Billy Pierce was a solid player in his own right, this falls into the latter of that category given the rarity of finding a high-quality PSA grade.

The seven-time All-Star’s #572 card can sell upward of $3,000 – $4,000 if graded PSA 8.5 or above, but good luck finding one.

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Bottomline on Topps 1959 baseball cards

As with most cards of this era, you can expect to find vibrant portraits of some of the game’s most iconic stars.  The 1950s were a mecca for Hall of Fame players, record-breaking stars, and unique personalities that are sure to intrigue both casual fans and card collectors alike.

While the Topps set isn’t heavy on marquee rookie cards, with Bob Gibson’s clearly standing out among the rest, the overall product and value is certainly among the most sought-after in collector’s eyes.