1955 Red Man Tobacco

The 1955 Red Man Tobacco card set consists of 50 cards, each measuring 3-1/2” by 4”. The 25 top players comprised this issue, with the card front design nearly identical to the 1954 Red Man Tobacco edition. Each item featured a colorful, quality likeness of the respective ballplayer resting against a solid background, with his name, team name and aforementioned biographical data appearing in a white block on the card front. Company advertising appeared on the back and one of two expiration dates: April 15 or June 15, 1956. Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Nelson Fox, Gil Hodges, Willie Mays, Pee Wee Reese and Duke Snider anchor the set. Condition issues abound with the set, including the sensitive nature of the colored borders. As the large cards were sealed in plastic and affixed to the outside pouches of their tobacco product, handling wear and creasing is often problematic. Furthermore, each piece was originally issued with a ½” perforated tab along the bottom of the card, which was often haphazardly removed, resulting in further damage. The 1955 set marked the end of the Red Man Tobacco trading card endeavor.