1963 Topps : Astronaut Pictures
The Astronaut Pictures series was released in 1963 by Topps Chewing
Gum, Inc. The 55-card collection features official NASA photographs
of Project Mercury and the Mercury Seven astronauts.
The American Card Catalog reference is R709-6.
The cards were sold in wax packs with a cover price of five cents. Each pack
included a pair of 3-D Viewer glasses and a piece of bubble gum. The back of
each 1963 Astronaut Pictures card features anaglyph 3-D concept artwork.
The series was reissued in 1964 as
Popsicle Space Cards, reprinted with blue card backs. Card #34 featuring John Glenn, "Space Hero," was reprinted in the
2013 Topps 75th Anniversary
series. The
2018 Topps 80th Anniversary
series includes a limited edition card and 10 x 14 inch poster that reprint
the Astronaut Pictures wrapper art.
| Astronaut Pictures Checklist | ||
| 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 | Checklist | Checklist |