1956 Topps Davy Crockett Orange Back trading cards capture one of the first pop culture phenomenons to hits following the introduction of TV. Before Tickle Me Elmo, Cabbage Patch Kids, two separate waves of Batman hysteria, there was the King of the Wild Frontier. Families gathered around the television to watch the Disney films and then kids ran around outside wearing coonskin hats, shooting stick guns and making screaming overtures about the Alamo. Trading cards also became part of the equation.
Consisting of 80 cards, this is the first of two sets of Davy Crockett cards put out by Topps in 1956. It highlights King of the Wild Frontier, a recut version of the first three parts of Disney’s Davy Crockett five-part mini-series starring Fess Parker. Like the movie, the cards are essentially an act of legend building, making the American frontiersman and politician more of a larger-than-life myth.
Card fronts have a simple design with plain borders. Captions are held inside a red box that overlays stills taken from the movie. Backs are more intricate with an illustration of the Alamo, branding for Disney and an ad to go see Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier in theatres in glorious technicolor. A detailed write-up sits inside of a box in the middle.
Telling the two different sets of Davy Crockett trading cards is easy. While fronts have the same simple layout, backs make it quick. Here, the card stock is orange. Series 2 cards have green backs. The card numbers have an added tweak with the second set getting an ‘A’ attached. So Green Backs go from #1A to #80A.
Beyond the Boom(ers)
1956 Topps Davy Crockett Orange Back trading cards are some of the most popular entertainment trading cards to come out during the decade. This isn’t a hard set to find today, however high-grade and top-condition cards can command strong prices. It will be interesting to see how it fares in the not-too-distant future. The Davy Crockett legend doesn’t resonate as much with younger generations as it did with Baby Boomers o it’s possible its popularity could eventually fade, at least to a certain extent.
1956 Topps Davy Crockett Orange Back Checklist
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Set size: 80 cards
Packs per box: 1-cent – 120, 5-cent – 24, 10-Cent Cello – 36
Shop for 1956 Topps Davy Crockett Orange Back boxes and packs on eBay.
Base Set Checklist
80 cards.
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1 King of the Wild Frontier
2 Call to War
3 Off to Battle
4 Sentry! Where’s Crockett
5 Bear Meat for Dinner
6 Davy in Command
7 Alerted for Danger
8 Preparing for War
9 Dance of Death
10 Ready to Strike
11 A Daring Raid
12 Flying Lead
13 Moving Targets
14 Indian Attack
15 Biting the Dust
16 Every Man for Himself
17 Tomahawk Terror
18 Fight for Life
19 Picking ‘Em Off
20 Hand Fighting
21 Savage Chief
22 Davy in Danger
23 Halt or We’ll Shoot
24 Home Sweet Home
25 Indian Territory
26 On Guard
27 Indian Torture
28 Davy Senses Trouble
29 Face to Face with Death
30 Arms of Steel
31 Fists Flying
32 Breaking the Hold
33 Fighting – Indian Style
34 Davy Is Challenged
35 Bullseye!
36 Don’t Move, Crockett
37 Dirty Fighting
38 The Knockout
39 Now Get Going
40 Tragedy Strikes
41 Vote for Davy!
42 Serving His Country
43 Congressman Crockett
44 You’re Cheating, Mister
45 Reach, Crockett
46 Off to Texas
47 Trouble Ahead
48 Davy’s Victory
49 In Enemy Territory
50 Davy Arrives
51 Col. Crockett Reporting
52 A Desperate Decision
53 A Near Miss
54 The Alamo’s Answer
55 Things Look Bad
56 Ready for Night Attack
57 No Relief in Sight
58 Night Bombardment
59 Bad News
60 A Startling Report
61 We’ll Never Surrender
62 A Tough Choice
63 Keeping Spirits High
64 Checking the Defenses
65 Plans for Defense
66 Reload – Quick!
67 Storming the Walls
68 Heavy Artillery
69 Help!
70 Defenses Crumble
71 Fists against Guns
72 Every Shot Counts
73 Fighting to the End
74 Flashing Steel
75 Travis Hit
76 A Bullet Finds Its Mark
77 Blazing Rifles
78 Fight to the Finish
79 Russel Falls
80 Bowie’s Last Stand
