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1963 “Astronaut Pictures” (R709-6)
Topps Chewing Gum, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Series Title: Astronaut Pictures
American Card Catalog No.: R709-6
Manufactured by: Topps Chewing Gum
Country: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Number of Cards: 55 cards
Card Dimensions: 2½ × 3½ inches
Circa: 1963
Overview
The “Astronaut Pictures” set of 55 cards was issued by Topps in 1963. The pictures are color NASA photographs of America’s space explorers, their training exercises, and their equipment. The fronts of the cards focus on America’s “Mercury 7” Astronauts: (1) Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. (1923-1998), U.S. Navy; (2) Virgil Ivan (Gus) Grissom (1926-1967); (3) John Herschel Glenn, Jr. (1921-), U.S. Marine Corps; (4) Malcolm Scott Carpenter (1925-), U.S. Navy; (5) Walter Marty (Wally) Schirra, Jr. (1923-2007), U.S. Navy; (6) Gordon (Gordo) Cooper, Jr. (1927-2004), U.S. Air Force; and (7) Donald Kent (Deke) Slayton (1924-1993), U.S. Air Force. The captions and text appear in a yellow block on the front of the card, with the starry blue circle containing the card number attached to one side. The backs of the cards are a series of futuristic 3-D sketches in orange and green. The images on the backside needed to be viewed with a special cellophane and cardboard 3-D eye-glasses. The overall dimensions of the cards are 2½ × 3½ inches. The American Card Catalog reference number for the set is R709-6.
The Other Set
The Popsicle “Space Cards” (F253) 55 card set was issued shortly after the 1963 Topps “ Astronaut Pictures ” (R709-6) set. The two sets share the same artwork and card numbers. The front of the #55 checklist card has the word “Topps” removed. Other than that, the fronts of the two sets are identical. The card backs are a different story. The 3-D sketches had been removed and have been replaced by a generic advertising card. The F253 backs feature an advertisement for frozen confections
and a Joe Lowe Corporation
manufacturer identification.
Image-Guide
Checklist
| “1963 Astronaut Pictures”
Topps Chewing Gum | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Card No. | Card Front Title | 3-D Card Back Title | |
| 1 | Picking the Astronaut Team | High Jumps on the Moon | |
| 2 | Floating Astronauts | Rockslide on the Moon | |
| 3 | Testing the Chimps | Heroic Pioneer | |
| 4 | In Orbit | Bug Creature of Venus | |
| 5 | Recovery Training | Chasing a Comet | |
| 6 | Space Explorers | Trouble in the Engine Room | |
| 7 | The Seven Astronauts | Supplies for Lunar City | |
| 8 | Takeoff Inspection | Landing on Venus | |
| 9 | Training the Astronaut | Lunar Landing | |
| 10 | Astronaut Alan Shepard | Saturn: The Ringed Planet | |
| 11 | The First U.S. Astronaut | Journey through Space | |
| 12 | Awaiting the Take-off | Successful Separation | |
| 13 | Shepard in Space | Repairing the Rocket | |
| 14 | Picking up Shepard | Robot Explorer | |
| 15 | Successful Recovery | Trapped in Quicksand | |
| 16 | Carrying the Capsule | Checker Game in Space | |
| 17 | Back from Space | Bound for Jupiter | |
| 18 | Astronaut Virgil Grissom | The First Men on the Moon | |
| 19 | Reporting New Information | Baseball Game in Outer Space | |
| 20 | Spacesuit Checkup | Monorail on the Moon | |
| 21 | Grissom in Spacesuit | Touring an Unknown Planet | |
| 22 | Putting on a Space Helmet | Exploring a Martian Moon | |
| 23 | Putting on His Parachute | Underwater Kingdom | |
| 24 | Grissom in Pressure Suit | Propelled by a Jet Gun | |
| 25 | Final Checkup | Flying Terror | |
| 26 | Grissom Awaits Countdown | Repairs above Earth | |
| 27 | Grissom Gets Ready | Dust Storm on an Asteroid | |
| 28 | 2nd U.S. Spaceman | Tragedy on the Space Wheel | |
| 29 | Grissom Blasts Off | Leaving an Asteroid | |
| 30 | Grissom in Space | Space Pilot in Action | |
| 31 | Mercury Atlas 4 | Frightened Space Traveler | |
| 32 | Astronaut John Glenn | Danger in Space | |
| 33 | Glenn and the F-106 | Exploring a Strange World | |
| 34 | Space Hero | The Floating Tools | |
| 35 | Glenn & Grissom | Mysterious Jungle | |
| 36 | Taking a Break | Space Vehicle In Flames | |
| 37 | Rest Day for Glenn | T.V. Camera in the Sky | |
| 38 | Getting into the Suit | Fleeing the Twister | |
| 39 | Checking His Suit | Testing an Astronaut | |
| 40 | Inside the Test Chamber | Space Voyage | |
| 41 | Glenn in Training | Emergency Job | |
| 42 | Posing for Photographers | Moonquake! | |
| 43 | Studying His Maps | Muscleman on the Moon | |
| 44 | Before Glenn’s Take-off | Crashing into the Ocean | |
| 45 | Glenn in Space | Frying an Egg on Mercury | |
| 46 | 1st Man in Orbit | Winged Beast | |
| 47 | Glenn Meets the Present | Astronaut on a Life Raft | |
| 48 | Our 1st Spacemen | Destination Earth | |
| 49 | Astronaut Carpenter | First Martian Expedition | |
| 50 | Carpenter Checks His Suit | Building a Space Station | |
| 51 | Astronaut Donald Slayton | Through a Meteor Storm | |
| 52 | Astronaut Gordon Cooper | Rocketship Collision | |
| 53 | Astronaut Walter Schirra | Watching the Heavens | |
| 54 | Astronauts In Flight Suits | Building a Space Station | |
| 55 | Topps Astronaut Pictures Checklist (1-17) | Astronaut (checklist 18-55) | |
References
