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Despite a brief attempt by Fleer to sign baseball players in 1963, Topps continued its reign as the only major baseball card manufacturer in the United States. On the other hand, Football had more than one professional league in operation, allowing for competing companies to co-exist by producing a major national set for each league. Topps was able to produce National Football League sets from 1960 to 1963 while Fleer issued American Football League sets. Topps then began producing AFL sets from 1964 to 1967 while Philadelphia Gum issued NFL sets. Before the end of the decade Topps revived their basketball issue after a ten-year hiatus. The following is a list with brief descriptions of Topps sports card products for the 1960s. All cards listed are standard size(2½ × 3½ inches). Exceptions are noted.
Contents
- Base sets
- Canada
- Venezuela
- 1960
- 1961
- 1962
- 1963
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- Basketball
- Ice hockey
- 1960 61
- 1961 62
- 1962 63
- 1963 64
- 1964 65
- 1965 66
- 1966 67
- 1967 68
- 1968 69
- 1969 70
- Other Sixties Issues
- Recommended Reading
- References
Topps also maintained a presence in the foreign card market which began near the end of the 1950s by issuing baseball cards in Venezuela from 1959 to 1968. Topps also maintained licensing agreements with A&BC Chewing Gum in England and O-Pee-Chee in Canada. A&BC Chewing produced an annual (soccer) football set featuring marks and designed featured in Topps baseball and (American) football sets. While hockey cards were produced by Topps up until 1960-61, they were produced and distributed by O-Pee-Chee from 1961-62 onwards (under the Topps license). After a 1967 Topps Test set, the annual hockey series was produced in both Canada (O-Pee-Chee) and USA (Topps) from 1968-69 onwards.
The annual Topps/O-Pee-Chee Canadian football series was printed in USA from 1958 to 1960, then printed in Canada from 1961 to 1965 and 1968 to 1972. That series featured players from the Canadian Football League. Also in the 1960s, O-Pee-Chee produced a baseball series that mimicked Topps baseball (but was printed in Canada) from 1965 onwards.
Base sets
1 Pack type(card quantity)
Canada
From 1965 onwards, the Canadian gum company O-Pee-Chee produced licensed sets basically identical to the Topps set of the same year. The primary difference with the O-Pee-Chee sets is the 'Printed in Canada' statement on the reverse. The copyright line shows T.C.G, and did so until 1972 when it changed to O.P.C. The 1969 O-Pee-Chee set included the company's logo on the reverse and used a magenta ink as opposed to the pink ink on the Topps cards.
Venezuela
During the 1960s, Topps produced Venezuelan sets only in even-numbered years except for 1967. The 1967 Venezuelan set is unique among these in that it features Venezuelan league players along with retired U.S. players in addition to the base set cards.
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
Basketball
All basketball sets here are of NBA players.
1968-69 Topps Test
This test set has 22 cards with black-and-white photos. The player's name and team are at the bottom of the card. The numbered backs are oriented horizontally and combine to form a picture of Wilt Chamberlain. Size: 2.5 × 3.5 in. (6.4 × 8.9 cm)
1969-70 Topps
This 99 card set issued in 10-card packs was Topps' first major basketball set since 1957. The cards are oversize with player photos in an oval frame. The white borders display sketches of basketball scenes with the player's name and position at the top and team at the bottom. The backs offered career statistics and biographical data along with a small cartoon in the shape of a basketball falling through a hoop. Size: 2.5 × 4 11⁄16 in. (6.4 × 11.9 cm)
1969-70 Topps Rulers
This 23-poster set was issued as an insert in the regular wax packs. The 'rulers' depict a player in a cartoon style drawing next to a vertical ruler which indicates the player's height. The player's name and team are also displayed in a bubble on the front. Size: 2.5 × 9 7⁄8 in. (6.4 × 25.1 cm)
Ice hockey
During the 1960s, Topps and O-Pee-Chee continued their working relationship to produce National Hockey League cards for the Canadian market. In the early 1960s, the O-Pee-Chee sets featured some, but not all of the teams (Topps/O-Pee-Chee held rights for the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, and New York Rangers; Parkhurst held rights for Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Toronto Maple Leafs). After Parkhurst stopped producing hockey cards in 1964 (to focus on the company's other endeavors), Topps/O-Pee-Chee held the rights for all the NHL teams.
Starting in 1961-62, the Topps/O-Pee-Chee cards were printed in Canada. In 1967, Topps produced a test set for the U.S. marketplace (a unique set that featured the 1966-67 design). Then in 1967-68, the Topps/O-Pee-Chee set was the last to feature just six NHL teams and marketed specifically for the Canadian marketplace.
Starting in 1968-69, Topps and O-Pee-Chee created different sets for their respective markets. The designs for the two sets were similar.
1960-61
1961-62
1962-63
1963-64
1964-65
1965-66
1966-67
1967-68
1968-69
1969-70
1960
Funny Valentines 'A' (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Presidents of the United States (33) Size: 2-11/16 × 2¾ inches
Popeye Tattoos (#) Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
1961
Crazy Cards (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Giant Size Funny Valentines (55) Size: 2½ × 4¾ inches
Sports Cars (66+20)Size: 2½ × 4¾/ 1-13/16 × 4¼ inches
1962
Casey & Kildare (110) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Civil War News (88) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Famous Americans (80) Size: 1⅜ × 2-9/16 inches
Foldees (44) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Mars Attacks (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Monster Tattoo (#) Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
Superman Tattoos (#) Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
Valentine Stickers (~43) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
1963
Astronauts (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Beverly Hillbillies (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Flag Midgee Cards (99) Size: 1-9/16 × 2½ inches
Monster Flip Movies (36) Size: 2-7/16 × 2½ inches
Monster Laffs-Midgee (153) Size: 1-9/16 × 2½ inches
Valentine Foldees (55) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Walt Disney Characters Tattoos (#) Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
1964
Beatles Black & White (165) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Beatles Color (64) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Beatles Diary (60) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Beatles Movie 'A Hard Days Night' (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Beatles Plaks (55) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Johnson vs. Goldwater (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
John F. Kennedy (77) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Military Emblems (24)
Nutty Awards (32) Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches
Outer Limits (50) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
1965
Battle (66) Size: 2 × 3-5/16 inches
Daniel Boone (~55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Flash Gordon (24) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Flying Things (~48) Size: irregular
Gilligan's Island (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Hot Rods (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
King Kong (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Kookie Plaks (88) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Mighty Mouse and His Pals Tattoos (#) Size: 1⅝ × 3½ inches
Mod Generation Stickers (55) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Monster Greeting Cards (50) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Presidents and Famous Americans (44) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Push-Pull (36) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Rat Fink Greeting Cards (40) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Silly Stickers (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Soupy Sales (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Tom and Jerry Tattoos (#) Size: 1⅝ × 3½ inches
Ugly Stickers (164) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Wise Guy Buttons (24) Size: 2" diameter
1966
Batman (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Batman A (44) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Batman B (44) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Batman-Riddler Back (38) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Batman Color Photos (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Comic Book Foldees (44) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Comic Book Foldees Large (43) Size: 3¼ × 6 inches
Flipper (30) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Flipper's Magic Fish (10) Size: irregular
Fold-A-Roos (24) Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Frankenstein Stickers (44) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Funny Rings (24) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Get Smart (66)
Green Hornet Stickers (44) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Insult Post Cards (32) Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches
Lost In Space (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Make Your Own Name (33) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Man From U.N.C.L.E. (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Marvel Flyers (12) Size: irregular
Monster Laffs (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Rat Patrol (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Slob Stickers (132) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Superman (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Superman In The Jungle (66) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Ugly Buttons (24) Size: 2" diameter
Wacky Labels (#) Size: 1⅛ × 2-9/16 inches
1967
Angry Stickers (88) Size: 1⅛ × 2-9/16 inches
Blockheads (12) Size: 7¼ × 8⅝ inches
Captain Nice (#) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Comic Book Tattoos (#) Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
Disgusting Disguises (51)
Doctor Dolittle Tattoos (#) Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
Dopey Books (42) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Fighter Planes (12) Size: irregular
Funny Travel Posters (24) Size: 9¾ × 18½ inches
Krazy Little Comics (16) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Maya (71) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Monkees Flip Movies (16) Size: 2-7/16 × 3½ inches
Nasty Notes (32) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Nutty Initial Stickers (#) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Phoney Records (40 stickers) Size: 2½ × 2⅝
Phoney Records Stickers (55) Size: 3⅜" square
Pop-Ups (12) Size: 2-3/16 × 3½ inches year?
Terror Tales (88) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Toppscience (24) Size: 3 × 6¼ inches
Wacky Packages Die-Cuts (44)
Wanted Posters (24) Size: 10 × 18½ inches
Who Am I? (44) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
1968
Batty Book Covers (24) Size: 11⅛ × 18¾ inches
Crazy TV (#) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Fabulous Rock Records (16) Size: 6¾" diameter
Giant Plaks (50)
Hang-Ups (18) Size: 9-13/16 × 18⅜ inches
Julia (33) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Kooky Awards (44)
Krazy People Posters (24) Size: 9¾ × 18½ inches
Land of the Giants (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Laugh In (77) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Mini Stickers and Nutty Tickets (~32) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Tickets (24) Size: 1¼ × 4¾Put-On Stickers (33) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Wise Ties (12) Size: 3¾ × 9½ inches
1969
Archie Tattoos (16) Size: 2½ × 3-7/16 inches
Groovy Stick-Ons (#) Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches
Love Initials (84) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Man on the Moon (99) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Mod Squad (55) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Planet of the Apes (44) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Room 222 (44) Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Pak O' Fun (42) Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches
Wacky Ads (36) Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches
Other Sixties Issues
Astro Boy Tattoos (#) Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
Bazooka Joe
Flip-Ups (#) Size: 2 × 2¼ inches
Magic Funny Fortunes (#) Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
Magic Tattoos (#) Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
Real Wood Plaks/Valentine Wood Plaks (~66) Size: 1⅜ × 3½ inches