Embossed Insert Set

1965 Topps Embossed

Beginning in 1961 with its 1961 Topps Stamps inserts, Topps began the practice of including additional cards or other novelties, separate from the regular set, in its packs of baseball cards.  The practice continues today with current baseball card packs seemingly equally divided between cards from the regular set and non-set chase cards from numerous insert, autograph or memorabilia-based mini sets.

For its 1965 baseball card set, Topps had two such insert sets - 72 cards from the Topps Embossed set and 72 separate player strips containing Topps Transfers, or tattoos.  When we began collecting the 1965 Topps set, I knew I also wanted to track down the 72-card Topps Embossed set.  I debated hand-collating a set, but then realized purchasing a complete set would be more efficient and significantly cheaper.  I also don't find the cards that attractive, so condition wasn't going to be a high priority for me.  I purchased a complete set from eBay in early February 2022 with the accurate description of Good to Excellent-Plus for the condition of the cards.  Some of these cards are fairly scuffed up with rounded corners, but I'm happy to have the complete set in hand and now included in our 1965 Topps binder.  (Although I've made a list of the most banged-up cards that I'll attempt to upgrade.  It looks as if a fungus has spread across Orlando Cepeda's hat and face and the John Romano card is particularly well-loved.)

The cards measure 2 1/8" by 3 1/2" with each featuring an embossed portrait of a star or semi-star player.  Fortunately, the fronts of the cards include the player's name prominently, as it's fairly difficult to tell who each of these portraits are supposed to be.  American League players have blue frames while National League players have red frames.

In lieu of adding separate posts for each of these cards, I've displayed the entire set in gallery form below, and I'll eventually link to the player's regular card in the set.  As for the Topps Transfers set, I don't see us adding that set any time soon, but I may gradually try to track down Phillies or other players of interest for our 1965 Topps binder.

Other interesting, at least to me, information on the Embossed set:

• 18 of the 20 teams receive three or four cards in the set.  The Indians and Senators are the exceptions, with the Indians receiving five cards and the Senators only two.
• Rocky Colavito, traded from the Athletics to the Indians in January 1965, is featured on the Athletics in this set, but on the Indians in the 598-card main set.
• 51 players are featured in both the Embossed and Transfers sets.
• Notable omissions from the Embossed set, but included in the Transfers set are Luis Aparicio, Elston Howard, Juan Marichal and Tony Oliva.
• Notable omissions from the Transfers set, but included in the Embossed set are Ernie Banks, Ed Mathews and reigning American League MVP Zoilo Versalles.

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Checklist

1 Carl Yastrzemski - Boston Red Sox
2 Ron Fairly - Los Angeles Dodgers
3 Max Alvis  - Cleveland Indians
4 Jim Ray Hart - San Francisco Giants
5 Bill Skowron - Chicago White Sox
6 Ed Kranepool - New York Mets
7 Tim McCarver - St. Louis Cardinals
8 Sandy Koufax  - Los Angeles Dodgers
9 Donn Clendenon - Pittsburgh Pirates
10 John Romano - Cleveland Indians
11 Mickey Mantle - New York Yankees
12 Joe Torre - Milwaukee Braves
13 Al Kaline - Detroit Tigers
14 Al McBean - Pittsburgh Pirates
15 Don Drysdale - Los Angeles Dodgers
16 Brooks Robinson - Baltimore Orioles
17 Jim Bunning - Philadelphia Phillies
18 Gary Peters - Chicago White Sox
19 Bob Clemente - Pittsburgh Pirates
20 Milt Pappas - Baltimore Orioles
21 Wayne Causey - Kansas City Athletics
22 Frank Robinson - Cincinnati Reds
23 Bill Mazeroski - Pittsburgh Pirates
24 Diego Segui - Kansas City Athletics
25 Jim Bouton - New York Yankees
26 Ed Mathews - Milwaukee Braves
27 Willie Mays - San Francisco Giants
28 Ron Santo - Chicago Cubs
29 Boog Powell - Baltimore Orioles
30 Ken McBride - Los Angeles Angels
31 Leon Wagner - Cleveland Indians
32 John Callison - Philadelphia Phillies
33 Zoilo Versalles - Minnesota Twins
34 Jack Baldschun - Philadelphia Phillies
35 Ron Hunt - New York Mets
36 Richie Allen - Philadelphia Phillies

37 Frank Malzone - Boston Red Sox
38 Bob Allison - Minnesota Twins
39 Jim Fregosi - Los Angeles Angels
40 Billy Williams - Chicago Cubs
41 Bill Freehan - Detroit Tigers
42 Vada Pinson - Cincinnati Reds
43 Bill White - St. Louis Cardinals
44 Roy McMillan - New York Mets
45 Orlando Cepeda - San Francisco Giants
46 Rocky Colavito - Kansas City Athletics
47 Ken Boyer - St. Louis Cardinals
48 Dick Radatz - Boston Red Sox
49 Tommy Davis - Los Angeles Dodgers
50 Walt Bond - Houston Astros
51 John Orsino - Baltimore Orioles
52 Joe Christopher - New York Mets
53 Al Spangler - Houston Astros
54 Jim King - Washington Senators
55 Mickey Lolich - Detroit Tigers
56 Harmon Killebrew - Minnesota Twins
57 Bob Shaw - San Francisco Giants
58 Ernie Banks - Chicago Cubs
59 Hank Aaron - Milwaukee Braves
60 Chuck Hinton - Cleveland Indians
61 Bob Aspromonte - Houston Astros
62 Lee Maye - Milwaukee Braves
63 Joe Cunningham - Washington Senators
64 Pete Ward - Chicago White Sox
65 Bobby Richardson - New York Yankees
66 Dean Chance - Los Angeles Angels
67 Dick Ellsworth - Chicago Cubs
68 Jim Maloney - Cincinnati Reds
69 Bob Gibson - St. Louis Cardinals
70 Earl Battey - Minnesota Twins
71 Tony Kubek - New York Yankees
72 Jack Kralick - Cleveland Indians

Originally published February 5, 2022