The card back is an often overlooked, even ignored, part of the hobby. While everyone appreciates a pretty picture and an aesthetically pleasing front, card backs often carry the bulk of the information. And for Topps Baseball card backs, there's always been plenty to digest. Stats have long been a mainstay, alongside a rotating mix of cartoons, player bios and other surprises. Some years have had additional photos on the back, some have stadiums and some are extremely drab.
But even the most boring Topps Baseball card backs have been the connection between the collector and the player's on-field achievements. Photos show a brief moment. Stats capture an entire season and more.
Here's a look at every Topps Baseball card back design from 1951 to 2011.
Topps Baseball Card Backs Through the Years
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- 1951 (Blue Back)
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- 1951 (Red Back)
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- 1952
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- 1953
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- 1954
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- 1955
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- 1956
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- 1957
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- 1958
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- 1959
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- 1960
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- 1961
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- 1962
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- 1963
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- 1964
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- 1965
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- 1966
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- 1967
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- 1968
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- 1969
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- 1970
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- 1971
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- 1972
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- 1973
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- 1974
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- 1975
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- 1976
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- 1977
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- 1978
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- 1979
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- 1980
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- 1981
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- 1982
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- 1983
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- 1984
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- 1985
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- 1986
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- 1987
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- 1988
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- 1989
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- 1990
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- 1991
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- 1992
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- 1993
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- 1994
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- 1995
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- 1996
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- 1997
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- 1998
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- 1999
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- 2000
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- 2001
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- 2002
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- 2003
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- 2004
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- 2005
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- 2006
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- 2007
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- 2008
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- 2009
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- 2010
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- 2011
Wow your friends with these Topps Baseball card back stats and trivia:
- Horizontal Design: 53
- Vertical Design: 9 (includes both 1951 Red and Blue backs)
- Years with Player Photographs: 16
- Years with Comics/Cartoons: 25
- Topps used full career stats for the first time in 1957.
- 1967 and 1968 are the only years where vertical designs were used in consecutive years.
- Although a popular feature on card fronts, facsimile signatures have only been used on Topps Baseball card backs twice (1953 and 1974).
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Related Topics: Baseball Cards: Guides
