Topps Civil War Cards

Topps Civil War News

Topps released their highly collectible Civil War News card set 1962. The 88 card set consisted of 87 cards depicting the most well-known battles that took place during the Civil War. The fronts contain color drawings along with the name and date of that battle. The reverse gives a short description of what took place during that specific conflict. When put in order the cards show an accurate sequence of events as to what took place during the Civil War. The last card in the deck (Card #88) is a checklist card. While kids, specifically little boys, were infatuated with the Civil War trading cards, the cards were met with a great deal of opposition from parents who did not want their children viewing such graphic and violent scenes.

SAMPLES OF CARD AND CURRENCY

The Topps Civil War News cards were issued five to a wax pack, and were accompanied by facsimiles of paper currency of the Confederate States of America. The original selling price was a nickel per package. Topps later issued the cards in cellophane-wrapped strips. The card above and right is entitled "MASSACRE". The example below is a sample of the one dollar currency. The Topps currency items are about a third the size of the original Confederate issues but visually very accurate. Both of these examples are slabbed and graded at 9.

CARD WITH CHARACTER

You can see above why items from the fifties and sixties are valuable today. No one dreamed that they may be value in the future. These cards, along with toys, comics etc. were purchased for immediate enjoyment. This card was probably handled daily in keeping track of what cards were purchased or traded and which were needed to complete the set. Baby boomers remember the excitement of opening up the pack and hoping for that illusive missing card. His jaw probably ached from chewing many sticks of the hard, thin, terrible gum that was included with the cards and Confederate notes. Often these cards were stuck in the spokes of bicycles to make that distinctive sound. Something seems to be lost now when cards or toys are bought and never taken out of the box with a vision that there will be huge collectors value some day.

WAX PACK FOR TOPPS CIVIL WAR NEWS

Unopened 1962 Topps Civil War News Wax Pack. These are very hard to find and this one is in a Near Mint PSA 7 holder. This pack is nicely centered with great color and gloss and barely any wear can be seen. A very nice pack deserving a higher grade for sure.This Beauty Contains Five Cards Of The Eighty-Eight Card Set Released By Topps In 1962 To Commemorate The One Hundred Year Anniversary Of The War Between The States ~ Also Contains One Piece Of The Facsimile Confederate Money Subset and A Very Stale almost 55 Year Old Piece Of Bubble Gum . Artist is the famous Pulp Fiction Artist Norm Saunders. He is the same artist of the ever popular 1962 Mars Attacks Card Set and 1965 Topps Battle Card Set .... Along With Fellow Contributing Artists, Wally Woods And Bob Powell. A rare vintage professionally graded wax pack that somehow stayed intact and has very bright color and sharp corners.

COMPLETE SET OF TOPPS CIVIL WAR NEWS

1962 Civil War News complete 88 card set from Topps. I have no idea how to grade cards but each of this look to me to be in mint condition with white borders, no creases,holes, pen, stains etc. The checklist is in the same condition as the other cards and is unmarked with super white borders. You don't see many of these come along nicer. The cards below were scanned through their plastic holders and are even whiter and brighter in hand.

COMPLETE SET OF CURRENCY

Another feature of the 1962 Topps Civil War News set was what came with the cards.Rather than just the standard piece of gum that most card sets usually feature, this set came with replica Confederate money folded in between the cards. The replica currency was found in everything from one dollar notes all the way up to one a thousand dollar note. They, of course, had no real monetary value when printed in 1962, but that cannot be said today, as this is a set that is very much in demand with history fans and card collectors. It is worth noting that the facsimiles are very accurate but are about a third the size of the originals. You can see originals in the currency and documents sections of this site. There were a total of seventeen notes in the set.

DISPLAY WITH SIX CARDS

A nicely displayed representation of the graphic nature of these cards which were so popular with the kids in 1962. Included are cards: # 5 (Fort Henry Falls to Union Troops); # 12 (Badly Outnumbered Rebs Lose Battle); #21(Jackson's Fighters Push Back Union); # #47 (Lee's Army Pushed Back to Virginia); # 52 (Chattanooga To Union After Battle); #57(Grant Routs The Confederate Army).

GROUP OF 3 TOPPS CIVIL WAR CARDS

Another sampling of the cards. These samples represent the war at sea. Again these cards were graphic for the time and would likely be rejected today for multiple PC reasons.But they were sure cool in 1962. Included are two samples of card # 10 (Destruction at Sea); and card # 7 ( Death at Sea)

TWO SAMPLES OF TOPPS CIVIL WAR CURRENCY

A couple of additional samples of the Topps facsimile Currency. Included are the $1.00 note and the $500.00 note. By the time the Confederacy issued the 1864 $1.00 note it was virtually worthless because of inflation. Although the pricing of original notes don't depict this a $1.00 1864 note in good condition is much rarer than the $500.00 note. The $500.00 note is more appealing in that it has an image of Stonewall Jackson and a Confederate flag. You can see the original and authentic notes in the currency section of this site.

GRADED TOPPS CIVIL WAR CARDS AND CURRENCY