1953 Bowman baseball cards are two sets in one. There is a 160 card color set and a 64 card black and white set from this year. Both are numbered independently of each other but are often considered as the same set.
The design of this set is elegantly simple. Card fronts are a picture with a thin, light border and no text or branding. The reverse of each card is a traditional baseball card design with a player biography and stats.
The packaging for the two sets was different but the designs are identical save for the color/black and white card fronts. Cards measure slightly larger than modern cards with 2 1/2″ x 3 5/8″ dimensions.
The color Mickey Mantle card, highly graded, can sell for several thousand dollars online but collectors should be very careful not to purchase a 1989 reprint thinking they’re getting a great deal.
The 2019 Bowman Heritage collection — an online exclusive product — utilized the card design of this series but with modern players and prospects.
Clicking a link within the checklist will direct you to an affiliate retailer or to relevant eBay listings for that card.
1953 Bowman Baseball Checklist
Color Base – 160 Cards
Black and White Base (BW) – 64 Cards
*Black and white cards are numbered without a prefix. The prefix used in this checklist is solely to differentiate the two sets.
Athletics
| 11 | Bobby Shantz | |
| 13 | Gus Zernial | |
| 31 | Jimmie Dykes | |
| 38 | Harry Byrd | RC |
| 82 | Joe Astroth | |
| 95 | Wally Moses | |
| 105 | Eddie Joost | |
| 107 | Alex Kellner | |
| 130 | Cass Michaels | |
| 150 | Carl Scheib | |
| 155 | Allie Clark | |
| BW6 | Ray Murray | |
| BW8 | Pete Suder | |
| BW20 | Eddie Robinson | |
| BW43 | Hal Bevan | RC |
| BW53 | Morrie Martin | |
| BW62 | Keith M. Thomas | RC |
Braves
| 3 | Sam Jethroe | |
| 5 | Sid Gordon | |
| 37 | Jim Wilson |
| 69 | Charlie Grimm | |
| 83 | Jack Daniels | RC |
| 97 | Eddie Mathews | |
| 99 | Warren Spahn | |
| 151 | Joe Adcock | |
| 156 | Max Surkont | |
| BW30 | Walker Cooper | |
| BW34 | Ebba St. Claire | |
| BW38 | Dave Cole | |
| BW51 | Lew Burdette | |
| BW57 | Andy Pafko |
Browns
| 2 | Vic Wertz | |
| 20 | Don Lenhardt | |
| 52 | Marty Marion | |
| 56 | Bob Cain | |
| 70 | Clint Courtney | RC |
| 111 | Jim Dyck | RC |
| 120 | Marlin Stuart | |
| 127 | Dick Kryhoski | |
| BW17 | Virgil Trucks | |
| BW59 | Duane Pillette |
Cardinals
| 17 | Jerry Staley | |
| 32 | Stan Musial | |
| 49 | Eddie Stanky | |
| 53 | Del Rice | |
| 81 | Enos Slaughter | |
| 85 | Solly Hemus | |
| 101 | Red Schoendienst | |
| 115 | Cloyd Boyer | |
| 140 | Al Brazle | |
| 142 | Larry Miggins | RC |
| BW10 | Dick Sisler | |
| BW16 | Stu Miller | RC |
| BW23 | Wilmer Mizell |
Cubs
| 7 | Harry Chiti | RC |
| 30 | Phil Cavarretta | |
| 42 | Tommy Brown | |
| 48 | Hank Sauer | |
| 71 | Paul Minner | |
| 94 | Bob Addis | |
| 110 | Bob Rush | |
| 112 | Toby Atwell | |
| 122 | Bill Serena | |
| 144 | Warren Hacker | |
| 154 | Turk Lown | |
| BW5 | Dee Fondy | |
| BW12 | Randy Jackson | |
| BW37 | Hal Jeffcoat | |
| BW41 | Bob Ramazzotti | |
| BW50 | Dutch Leonard | |
| BW56 | Roy Smalley |
Dodgers
| 12 | Carl Erskine | |
| 14 | Billy Loes | |
| 33 | Pee Wee Reese | |
| 46 | Roy Campanella | |
| 78 | Carl Furillo | |
| 92 | Gil Hodges | |
| 117 | Duke Snider | |
| 124 | Chuck Dressen | |
| 129 | Russ Meyer | |
| 135 | Bobby Morgan | |
| 145 | George Shuba | |
| BW26 | Preacher Roe | |
| BW52 | Ralph Branca | |
| BW60 | Billy Cox |
Giants
| 1 | Davey Williams | |
| 19 | Al Dark | |
| 51 | Monte Irvin | |
| 55 | Leo Durocher | |
| 74 | Don Mueller | |
| 76 | Jim Hearn | |
| 96 | Sal Maglie | |
| 126 | Al Corwin | |
| 128 | Whitey Lockman | |
| 149 | Al Corwin | |
| BW3 | Bill Rigney | |
| BW28 | Hoyt Wilhelm | |
| BW40 | Larry Jansen |
Indians
| 8 | Al Rosen | |
| 29 | Bobby Avila | |
| 40 | Larry Doby | |
| 43 | Mike Garcia | |
| 79 | Ray Boone | |
| 86 | Harry Simpson | |
| 102 | Jim Hegan | |
| 104 | Luke Easter | |
| 114 | Bob Feller | |
| 119 | Dale Mitchell | |
| 143 | Al Lopez | |
| 146 | Early Wynn | |
| BW13 | Joe Tipton | |
| BW27 | Bob Lemon | |
| BW63 | Steve Gromek |
Phillies
| 10 | Richie Ashburn | |
| 28 | Smoky Burgess | |
| 60 | Granny Hamner | |
| 64 | Curt Simmons | |
| 65 | Robin Roberts | |
| 67 | Mel Clark | RC |
| 103 | Del Ennis | |
| 113 | Karl Drews | |
| 131 | Connie Ryan | |
| 133 | Willie Jones | |
| 158 | Howie Fox | |
| BW14 | Bill Nicholson | |
| BW35 | Johnny Wyrostek | |
| BW47 | Jack Lohrke | |
| BW48 | Steve Ridzik | RC |
| BW58 | Jim Konstanty | |
| BW64 | Andy Hansen |
Pirates
| 16 | Bob Friend | |
| 21 | Joe Garagiola | |
| 80 | Ralph Kiner | |
| 147 | Clem Koshorek | |
| 160 | Cal Abrams | |
| BW19 | Paul LaPalme |
Red Sox
| 25 | Hoot Evers | |
| 35 | Maury McDermott | |
| 41 | Sammy White | |
| 57 | Lou Boudreau | |
| 61 | George Kell | |
| 66 | Mel Parnell | |
| 123 | Johnny Lipon | |
| 148 | Billy Goodman | |
| BW2 | Willard Nixon | |
| BW11 | Dick Gernert | |
| BW24 | Del Wilber | |
| BW29 | Sid Hudson | |
| BW36 | Jim Piersall | |
| BW49 | Floyd Baker |
Reds
| 23 | Herm Wehmeier | |
| 26 | Roy McMillan | |
| 58 | Willard Marshall | |
| 62 | Ted Kluszewski | |
| 87 | Harry Perkowski | |
| 90 | Joe Nuxhall | |
| 106 | Ken Raffensberger | |
| 108 | Bobby Adams | |
| 138 | Bubba Church | |
| BW1 | Gus Bell | |
| BW7 | Andy Seminick | |
| BW21 | Bud Podbielan | |
| BW32 | Rocky Bridges | |
| BW42 | Howie Judson |
Senators
| 15 | Jim Busby | |
| 22 | Bob Porterfield | |
| 24 | Jackie Jensen | |
| 34 | Gil Coan | |
| 77 | Mickey Grasso | |
| 89 | Sandy Consuegra | |
| 109 | Ken Wood | |
| 116 | Eddie Yost | |
| 139 | Pete Runnels | |
| 141 | Spec Shea | |
| 152 | Clyde Vollmer | |
| 159 | Mickey Vernon | |
| BW9 | Walt Masterson | |
| BW46 | Bucky Harris | |
| BW55 | Don Johnson |
Tigers
| 4 | Art Houtteman | |
| 6 | Joe Ginsberg | |
| 45 | Walt Dropo | |
| 47 | Ned Garver | |
| 72 | Ted Gray | |
| 91 | Steve Souchock | |
| 100 | Bill Wight | |
| 125 | Fred Hatfield | |
| 132 | Fred Hutchinson | |
| 134 | Johnny Pesky | |
| BW4 | Pat Mullin | |
| BW18 | Billy Hoeft | |
| BW22 | Matt Batts | |
| BW44 | Jim Delsing |
White Sox
| 18 | Nellie Fox | |
| 36 | Minnie Minoso | |
| 39 | Paul Richards | |
| 50 | Lou Kretlow | |
| 54 | Chico Carrasquel | |
| 73 | Billy Pierce | |
| 75 | Saul Rogovin | |
| 88 | Joe Dobson | |
| 98 | Hector Rodriguez | RC |
| 137 | Sam Dente | |
| 157 | Sherm Lollar |
Yankees
| 9 | Phil Rizzuto | |
| 27 | Vic Raschi | |
| 44 | Yogi Berra | |
| 44 | Hank Bauer | |
| 44 | Mickey Mantle | |
| 59 | Mickey Mantle | |
| 63 | Gil McDougald | |
| 68 | Allie Reynolds | |
| 84 | Hank Bauer | |
| 93 | Billy Martin | |
| 93 | Phil Rizzuto | |
| 118 | Billy Martin | |
| 121 | Yogi Berra | |
| 136 | Jim Brideweser | RC |
| 153 | Whitey Ford | |
| BW15 | Johnny Mize | |
| BW25 | Johnny Sain | |
| BW31 | Gene Woodling | |
| BW33 | Bob Kuzava | |
| BW39 | Casey Stengel | |
| BW45 | Irv Noren | |
| BW54 | Bill Miller | |
| BW61 | Tom Gorman | RC |