This was the reprint set that would effectively launch three-decades-plus of reprinting mania, as card companies in general and Topps very much in particular concluded there was money to be made in genuflecting to the classic card designs of yesteryear. In this instance, it was Topps doing the reprinting of its most important issue, the classic 1952 Topps Baseball issue that is the cornerstone of most major postwar collections. The spectacular recreation of the most coveted postwar baseball issue featured iconic cards of Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider and the rest of the gang, all at an affordable price for eager collectors at a time when vintage Topps issues were beginning a dramatic rise in value. Though the cards – 402 of the 407 originals, with five players declining to be included – were reprinted in the now-standard 2 ½-by-3 ½-inch size rather than the oversized 2 5/8-by-3 ¾ inches, there was much concern at the time from hobby old-timers who were anathema to the notion of reprinted cards. Though controversial at the time of its 1983 printing, the furor died down pretty quickly and the cards – sold initially by Topps only as complete boxed sets in this custom blue box with gold-foil seal – quickly were accepted by serious collectors and gained credible aftermarket value almost from the start. In the smaller, 3 ½-by-2 ½-inch format with blistering white borders and super glossy finish, the notion that the reprints could be confused with the originals quickly evaporated .The offered set in original box has the original gold-foil seal intact, with the box itself, with checklist on the back, in essentially Near-Mint condition, with the barest whispers of light wear to a couple of corners. The bottom of the box bearing the checklist is in remarkable condition as well, blazing white and seemingly without any of the typical scuffing or wear often encountered. As noted above, the success of the early Topps reprinting efforts with its iconic 1952-56 baseball sets doubtless gave rise to the development of its Archives and Heritage divisions, effectively capitalizing on the incredible nostalgic value of its popular card designs over its first three decades producing mainstream cards.