1964 Topps Giants

Every quarter a small sports card show is held near where I live. It costs $2 and the parking is free. When I say small, I mean small, about 10 dealers. And it's pretty much the same dealers every time. But since card shows around here a few and far between, I usually go.  I found a lot to buy at the show last weekend.  I'll probably get at least two more posts out of it.

I always wear a Phillies cap to the show and a couple of the dealers recognize me. I had just paid one guy for a handful of 1960 and 1950's Phillies cards when he pulled out these 1964 Topps Giants cards and asked if I was interested. 1964 cards featuring Johnny Callison and Tony Gonzalez? Of course I was interested. He offered them at $2.50 each and I bought them. There is only one other Phillie in this set, Jim Bunning.

Topps Giant is a postcard sized card with a player photograph on the front and a newspaper like headline (with a b/w photo) on the back. According to Beckett.com, the cards came in 3-card wax packs with gum. The two I got are in pretty good shape, clean with sharp corners. They are a bit discolored as you might expect a 50-year-old piece of printed cardboard to be.

Pretty good photo of Tony on the back, making a basket catch.

Another nice action shot on the back. It's not clear what's happening here, but it sure doesn't look like his game winning home run from the All-Star Game.