“State of Israel Proclaimed” was the headline in The Grand Rapids Press featured on the back of this trading card, which added that the proclamation “sets up the first Jewish nation in the world since 70 A.D.”
In 1954, Topps diversified its sports card business to issue the 156-card Scoops series which included this card and showcased other historical global moments including the San Francisco earthquake, the opening of the Panama Canal, the Dionne quintuplets and the fall of Troy to the Greeks. Including the new State of Israel in this series reflects the importance of this momentous historical event and fascination with the revival of Jewish sovereignty, which remains true today on Israel’s 75th birthday. Yom ha-Atzmaut begins at sundown on April 25.
