1956 Kahn's Wieners

The 1956 Kahn’s Wieners baseball set consists of 15 cards produced by the Ohio meat company. Each blank-backed card in this sophomore set measures 3-1/4” by 4” and were the first cards included with Kahn’s meat products. Players were exclusively rostered with the Cincinnati Redlegs (the mid-1950s moniker of the Cincinnati Reds, as the team tried to disassociate itself from the McCarthyism of the era), with the players posed in short sleeve shirts; card fronts also carried a facsimile signature and company advertising slogan. The set holds the distinction of being the last Kahn’s issue with a stadium background, as subsequent sets bore a blank backdrop. The 1956 Kahn’s Wieners set is anchored by an early appearance by Frank Robinson, as well as teammates Ed Bailey, Gus Bell, Joe Black, Smoky Burgess, Art Fowler, Herschel Freeman, Ray Jablonski, John Klippstein, Ted Kluszewski, Brooks Lawrence, Roy McMillan, Joe Nuxall, Wally Post and Johnny Temple. Items with their original tabs still attached are the most sought-after examples. Due to being packed in close proximity to the greasy food product, cards were also highly susceptible to damage, making even mid-grade examples difficult to find.