1953 Bowman baseball cards are two sets in one. There is a 160 card color set and a 64 card black and white set from this year. Both are numbered independently of each other but are often considered as the same set.
The design of this set is elegantly simple. Card fronts are a picture with a thin, light border and no text or branding. The reverse of each card is a traditional baseball card design with a player biography and stats.
The packaging for the two sets was different but the designs are identical save for the color/black and white card fronts. Cards measure slightly larger than modern cards with 2 1/2″ x 3 5/8″ dimensions.
The color Mickey Mantle card, highly graded, can sell for several thousand dollars online but collectors should be very careful not to purchase a 1989 reprint thinking they’re getting a great deal.
The 2019 Bowman Heritage collection — an online exclusive product — utilized the card design of this series but with modern players and prospects.
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Black and White Base Set – 64 Cards *Black and white cards are numbered without a prefix. The prefix used in this checklist is solely to differentiate the two sets.
This checklist is organized by teams. Scroll through the entire list or jump to a preferred team by selecting them from the list below. Clicking a link within the checklist will direct you to an affiliate retailer or to relevant eBay listings.
