MY FAVORITE CARDS:

1955 BOWMAN MICKEY MANTLE

 

 

            In 1927, a traveling chewing gum salesman named Jacob Warren Bowman opened his own company in Philadelphia, naming it Gum, Inc. Within ten years, the Bowman brand (known as “Blony”) had become the top-selling bubble gum in America. Looking for clever ways to market their product, the company began packaging gum with a series of non-sports trading cards that featured cowboys and soldiers. Baseball cards soon followed with the release of the first “Play Ball” set in 1939. When World War II arrived, restrictions on paper and gum ingredients forced most major manufacturers to shut down production. But Gum, Inc.—renamed in honor of its founder—re-entered the market in 1948 with a series of sports issues that included basketball, football, and baseball.

            In the 1950s, Topps emerged as a major competitor to Bowman and the two companies butted heads over legal rights to player contracts. Though a court settlement initially went in Topps’s favor, Bowman continued to have the edge in terms of exclusive player cards. This was glaringly evident in 1955, when Topps put out a 210-card set that was loaded with second-string players. Though the Topps team was able to secure the rights to Roberto Clemente, Harmon Killebrew, and Sandy Koufax that year, all three were virtually unknown at the time. In sharp contrast, the ’55 Bowman set is much larger (comprised of 320 pieces) and loaded with established stars. In addition to Bob Feller, Pee Wee Reese, and Roy Campanella (none of whom appeared with Topps in ’55), Bowman inked an exclusive deal with one of the most iconic players in Yankee history—Mickey Mantle.  

            The ’55 Bowman set is among the company’s most quirky offerings. American had entered the television age and, marking its arrival, player pictures were framed by a console TV. The design was not an original concept. In fact, the idea was borrowed from the Drake’s Cookies set of 1950. The primary difference is that Drake’s cards were printed in black-and-white while the Bowman issues appear in full color. Additionally, the Drake’s design (pictured below) was simplistic, hardly resembling a television at all.

            Mantle was entering his fifth big league season in ’55. He was a bit of a late-bloomer, having averaged just 21 home runs per year to that point. Living up to his full potential, he led the league with 37 homers, 11 triples, and a robust .431 on-base percentage. An impressive but largely overlooked stat: he also stole eight bases in nine attempts despite chronic (and at times debilitating) knee issues.  

            The 1955 season is best remembered for the Dodgers’ surprising World Series victory over the Yankees. This was due in part to Mantle’s diminished role. The Series went seven games, but Mickey was limited to three appearances due to a hamstring injury. He managed just 2 hits in 10 at-bats while demonstrating limited mobility. Years later, he was asked if he was glad that the Dodgers had finally won it all. “Hell no, I’m a Yankee,” he said. “I didn’t want any other team to win the World Series. But maybe in some hidden corner of my heart, I was kind of happy for them.”   

            Mickey’s 1955 Bowman card looks more like a cartoon than an actual photo, which adds to its nostalgic appeal. Mantle is standing along the right field foul line in his road grays. He’s wearing a cap with the interlocking “NY” as opposed to a batting helmet. Interestingly, helmets would not be mandatory in the American League until the late-‘50s. Though they were widely accepted in Mantle’s day, their use would not be strictly enforced until after the 1970 campaign.

            The switch-hitting Mantle is demonstrating his right-handed swing in the Bowman photo. A high outfield wall is visible in the background along with a section of empty stadium seats. An unidentified player is standing behind Mantle warming up. The wood console TV design creates some problems for modern collectors since defects are easily detectable. As of January 2026, the PSA website had listed the total population of Gem Mint copies at three. Grade 9 (Mint) copies aren’t much easier to come by with just nine having been evaluated by PSA at the time of this writing. One of them sold for $246,000. Even in Poor condition, copies carry price tags above $300.

            In an unexpected twist to the Bowman-Topps saga, the latter company bought out its bitter rival before the 1956 season, shelving the Bowman name for more than 30 years. In 1989, Topps finally began producing cards under the Bowman label. To this day, the Bowman rookie issues are among the most valuable and highly sought-after in the industry.