T
he Topps 1952 Look ’n See card set spans 2,117 years, form-
ing a history of the world in miniature. The cards feature
wonderful original portraits of 135 of the most prominent
people within that timeframe. Today, the set is one of the
most popular of all non-sport issues, and the majority of
cards are still readily available. It’s likely what made those cards so
popular when they were released 65 years ago was their sense of mys-
tery. As kids surveyed the display cases in their neighborhood candy
stores they were attracted by the promise they could uncover secret
information.
That attraction actually began with the packaging. The 1¢ & 5¢
packs and the display boxes drew kids with the message that “only you
can spy on the hidden pictures.” That pledge was accompanied by a se-
ries of spying eyes in the loops of the Look ’n See name on the packag-
ing, plus enough question marks to attract even the most distracted of
youngsters. In the 1950s it was kids who populated the target audience
of candy and gum producers.
Even sports card collectors have been drawn to the set, attracted by
card number 15, which pictures Babe Ruth. He may have been credited
with saving baseball in the 1920s following the game’s gambling scan-
dal, but the great Yankees slugger didn’t do non-sport card collectors
any favors.
Ruth is the only baseball player in Look ’n See. In fact, he’s the only
athlete. But sports card collectors quickly found him among the great
leaders, inventors and similar subjects. Prices for the Ruth card have
been driven way beyond other cards in the set.
Look ’n See is a personality driven set, unlike most in the non-sport
genre which are subject-oriented. The set provides a wide range of
information beyond the 135 famous personalities depicted and details
about the cards’ design, production and idiosyncrasies. Here are some
of the main topics:
take a
Look
by Arnold bAiley
22 Non-Sport Update
Spy Hidden Pictures in
Topps Classic Look ’n See