It's 1955 and you have a nickel

[pawpawdiv9]

Between a KFC & McDonalds-- i'd go for a 15c burger or 20c shake.

[flkersn]

I was ten and in my first “real” year of colllecting. (I had picked up a few 1954 packs late the previous year—loved Topps,hated the bowman.)

So when 1955 started, I bought Topps and was disappointed that they were horizontal and looked so similar 1954 pictures. In my area (upstate New York) stores carried either Topps or Bowman (like Coke and Pepsi today). I went to a store that sold bowman and picked up a pack. Loved the design, and kept buying Bowman, eventually completing the entire set. I did not mind the umpire cards, since they were as much a part of the game as the players. And they were pretty colorful characters. The write-ups on the backs were often just short of hilarious. I was fascinated by the blonde TV sets in the first series.

The Topps looked more like comic books and the Bowman looked more like real life.

AND there were more cards in the pack. I don’t remember much difference in the gum. Besides I traded the gun to my sister for her cards.

Good memories.

Bill

[Exhibitman]

I'd loan the nickel to the dumb kid down the block for 6 cents the next week, then loan the 6 cents out and so on until I had a dime to buy one of each.

As for which pack to buy under the OP rules, I'd have gone with Bowman. More cards and bigger names. I mean, watching my friends rip the Topps packs, I'd have wondered "who are these guys?" This Koufax guy hasn't ever played ball before, and nobody with a name like Harmon Killebrew will ever be a ballplayer. And "Roberto", I'm not sure about that. Besides, he hit only .257 in the minors and the Pirates suck anyway.

[Zach Wheat]

If I were alive at that time I would buy the '55 Topps. I would have been one of the first to buy them and not aware that the set didn't have Mantle until assembling the set.

[the 'stache]

I'd have probably gone for the Bowman pack.

[Lueth2048]

At the beginning of the year it would have been Topps. After seeing Bowman's improvement over 1954 it would have depended on my mood.

[drmondobueno]

So this thread would be lost on the lad I was, with my hobby horse and Daniel Boone hat. And a fistful of melting ice cream cone. Now, If I woulda been 8, the Bowman TV cards hands down.

[jchcollins]

The Bowmans, hands down. One of the cleverest set designs of all time. Unfortunately I wasn't born until 1977...:-(

[Frank A]

To be honest I bought plenty of cards in 1955. Made no difference to me who made them or if one had a better design than the other. Just wanted any baseball card with the gum!