1956 Topps U.S. Presidents # 23 James A. Garfield (VG) for Sale

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1956 Topps U.S. Presidents # 23 James A. Garfield (VG) For Sale

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1956 Topps U.S. Presidents # 23 James A. Garfield (VG):
$4.95

1956 Topps U.S. Presidents # 23 James A. Garfield (VG)

1950s Entertainment Trading Cards

Part of a big surge in Topps entertainment releases, the 1950s Entertainment Trading Cards offer a strong mix of non-sport choices.

1956 Topps US Presidents Trading Cards

Mixing history with beautiful art, 1956 Topps US Presidents is a reasonably easy set to put together given its age. The set not only looks at early Presidents, but a few key moments in America’s history as well.

Product Details

Presidents have a long history in the hobby. Dating back to the hobby\'s early days and peaking in the lead-up to the 2008 election, there has always been a place to include cards of the Commander in Chief. 1956 Topps US Presidents is one of the most popular sets ever produced dedicated solely to the men of the White House.

With a checklist of just 36 cards, 1956 Topps US Presidents is actually reasonably easy to put together given their age. The set focuses on America\'s first 34 Presidents (33 if you combine both of Grover Cleveland\'s times in office). There are three additional cards focusing on key early moments in the history of the office.

Measuring a slightly over-sized 2 1/2\" by 3 1/2\", cards feature beautiful color portraits of the Presidents. Each is done as a bust with plenty of details and personality. In the background, there\'s an illustration highlighting one of their key achievements. Backs use gray stock alongside red and blue design elements. Besides a lengthy write-up, backs also highlight where the politician fits on the Presidential timeline.

1956 Topps US Presidents is actually a reissue set that hit the market in the wake of the card maker\'s purchase of Bowman. Card fronts and the basic back designs are the same as 1952 Bowman US Presidents. However, the write-ups on the back are different. Topps would revisit the set again in 1972, making a few additions and tweaks to the checklist, but keeping the set largely in tact.

How We Grade:

GemMint (GMT): (10.0)A flawless card. To be in Gem Mint condition,a card’s borders must have a ratio of 50/50 side to side and top tobottom.

Mint(MT): (9.0-9.5)A perfect card. Well-centered with parallel borders which appearequal to the naked eye. Four sharp, square corners. No creases, edge dents,surface scratches, paper flaws, loss of luster, yellowing or fading, regardlessof age. No imperfectly printed cards – out of register, badly cut or ink flawed– or card stained by contact with gum, wax or other substances can beconsidered truly Mint, even if new out of the pack. Generally, to be consideredin Mint condition, a card’s borders must exist in a ratio of 60/40 side to sideand top to bottom.

NearMint/Mint (NM/MT): (8.0-8.5)A super high-end card thatappears Mint 9 at first glance, but upon closer inspection, may exhibit a veryslight wax stain on reverse, slight fraying at one or two corners, or a minorprinting imperfection. Centering must be app. 65/35 to 70/30 or better on thefront and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

NearMint (NM): (7.0-7.5)A nearly perfect card at first glance, butupon closer inspection, may have slight surface wear, slight fraying on somecorners, slightly out-of-register picture focus, a minor printing blemish orslight wax stain on reverse. Centering must be 70/30 to 75/25 or better on thefront and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

Excellent/NearMint (EX/NM): (6.0-6.5)Card may have visible surfacewear or a printing defect. A very light scratch. Corners may have slightlygraduated fraying. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register. Card may haveminor wax stain on reverse, may have very slight nothing on edges. Centeringmust be 80/20 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

Excellent(EX): (5.0-5.5)Corners are still fairly sharp with only moderate wear. Cardborders may be off center as much as 85/15. No creases. May have very minorgum, wax or product stains, front or back. Surfaces may show slight loss ofluster from rubbing across other cards. Dark bordered cards may have one or twosmall nicks.

VeryGood/Excellent (VG/EX): (4.0-4.5)Shows obvious handling, but stilllooks nice. Corners may be rounded or have minor creases. No major creases,tape marks or extraneous markings or writing. Surfaces does exhibit loss ofluster, but the printing is intact. May have paper wrinkles. May show majorgum, wax or other packaging stains. All four borders visible, though the ratiomay be as poor as 95/5. Exhibits honest wear.

VeryGood (VG): (3.0-3.5)A well-worn card, but exhibits no intentionaldamage or abuse. May be “Mis-cut or Off-Center” with no border visible. Mayhave major or multiple creases, however, creases are not so deep as to show theunderlying paper. This card is completely readable, has not been written on,and has no tape marks or holes. Corner rounding may extend well beyond theborder.

Good(GD) (2.0-2.5)Shows excessive wear, along with damage or abuse. Will show allthe wear characteristics of a Very Good card, along with such damage as thumbtack holes in or near margins, evidence of having been taped or pasted, perhapssmall tears around the edges or creases so heavily as to break the cardboard.Backs may show minor added pen or pencil writing or be missing small bits ofpaper. Still basically a complete card.

Poor(P): (1.0-1.5)A card that has been tortured to death. Corners or other areasmay be torn off. Card may have been trimmed, show holes from a paper punch orhave been used for BB gun practice. Front may have extraneous pen or pencilwriting, or other defacement. Major portions of front or back design may bemissing. Not a pretty sight.