1962 Topps Civil War News: A Collector's Guide

Eighty-eight painted battle scenes, newspaper-style backs and a pack of Confederate "money": Topps' Civil War centennial set.

The Civil War centennial began in 1961, and Topps marked it with one of the most ambitious non-sports sets of its era. Civil War News packed 88 vivid painted cards, newspaper-style backs and replica Confederate currency into a five-cent wax pack. Issued in 1962, the same year as Mars Attacks, it shares much of that set's creative team and some of its shock value. Today it's one of the cornerstone Topps non-sports sets of the 1960s.

The Set at a Glance

• Cards: 88 in all, 87 painted cards plus a checklist, #88.

• Fronts: Painted battle scenes and portraits, mainly by Norman Saunders, with work by Wally Wood and Bob Powell. The art was painted in tempera, which gives the set its distinctive look.

• Backs: Designed like a newspaper front page, with a headline and a "news" story about the battle or person.

• Inserts: 17 replica Confederate currency notes, up to the $1,000 denomination, folded into packs.

• Packs: Five cards for five cents, with penny packs, cello packs and rack packs also produced.

Why Collectors Call It "News"

Topps called the set simply Civil War. Collectors added "News" because of the newspaper-style backs, and the name stuck. The backs were written by Topps' Len Brown, who later admitted that most of the dramatic detail was invented. By his estimate, 80 to 85 percent of it was fiction. Read them as 1962 storytelling, not history.

The Violence

Like Mars Attacks, Civil War News doesn't hold back. The paintings show soldiers wounded and killed in graphic, colorful detail, with plenty of blood. Card #21, Painful Death, is the example most often cited. The set's tone follows Gum, Inc.'s 1938 Horrors of War series, and that intensity is a large part of why it stood out then and still does now.

The Confederate Currency

The 17 replica notes are a set within the set. They were folded to fit into packs, so original fold lines are normal, and collectors don't treat them as damage the way they would on a card. A full card set with all 17 notes is a satisfying package, and many sets on the market come without them. Make sure any notes you buy are the 1962 Topps inserts, not modern novelty reproductions.

Key Cards

• Cards featuring Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. The set's few portrait-focused subjects are among its most coveted cards.

• #1, the opening card, condition-sensitive like every #1.

• #21 Painful Death, the set's most notorious image.

• #88 Checklist. It's relatively scarce, and unmarked copies are hard to find because kids checked off the cards they owned.

The set has no short prints, so outside the checklist and the key subjects, condition drives value more than card number.

International Versions

The artwork traveled widely. A similar set with the same artwork appeared in Canada, A&BC issued a version in England, and a French-language version was sold in France. In 1968, Topps issued a Spanish-language version with mostly different artwork. If you're building the U.S. Topps set, check the backs for language and issuer.

Condition Issues to Inspect

• Centering. Off-center cards are very common in this set.

• Corner and edge wear, universal on cards that were traded and flipped.

• Checklist markings on #88.

• Gum and wax stains on the newspaper backs.

• Print registration on the painted fronts.

• Currency condition: tears, stains and extra folds beyond the original pack fold.

Building the Set

Start with a solid lot. Len Brown estimated that about 110,000 complete sets were produced, and the cards are relatively available. Buying a large starter group in consistent condition is often the efficient way in.

Lock in the checklist and the portraits. #88 and the Lincoln, Davis, Lee and Jackson cards are the ones that slow a set down.

Add the currency last. Decide early whether you want all 17 notes, and buy them as a group if you can.

Choose a condition band. Because centering varies so much, a well-centered, matched set in EX or better stands out clearly from typical sets.

Storage and Display

The cards fit standard vintage sleeves and toploaders. Store the currency notes flat in archival sleeves, and don't try to press out the original folds. For display, the newspaper backs make a great alternate view. A double-sided frame lets you show both the battle art and the "front page."

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cards are in the 1962 Topps Civil War News set?

Eighty-eight: 87 painted cards plus the #88 checklist. The set also had 17 Confederate currency inserts.

Who painted the Civil War News cards?

Mainly Norman Saunders, with work by Wally Wood and Bob Powell. The same team worked on Mars Attacks the same year.

Are the Confederate notes real money?

No. They're replica notes produced by Topps as pack inserts. They're collectible as part of the set, but they have no value as currency.

Shop Civil War News at Crafted TCG

Browse Civil War News cards, currency and other vintage Topps non-sports at CraftedTCG.com. Every listing shows the front and the newspaper back.