<PAGE>
--------------------------------
OMB APPROVAL
--------------------------------
OMB Number: 3235-0145
Expires: December 31, 1997
Estimated average burden
hours per response.....14.90
--------------------------------
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*
The Topps Company, Inc.
-----------------------
(Name of Issuer)
[Common Stock, par value $.01 per share]
----------------------------------------
(Title of Class of Securities)
89078610
--------
(CUSIP Number)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
Page 1 of 5 Pages
<PAGE>
- ------------------- -----------------
CUSIP No. 89078610 13G Page 2 of 5 Pages
- ------------------- -----------------
- ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Arthur T. Shorin
- ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
United States
- -------------------- ------ ----------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
2,566,489
------ ----------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY -0-
OWNED BY
------ ----------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING
PERSON 2,566,489
WITH
------ ----------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
-0-
- ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
2,566,489
- ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
- ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
[5.5%]
- ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IN
- ---------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 2 of 5 Pages
<PAGE>
Item 1(a). Name of Issuer:
- ---------- ---------------
The Topps Company, Inc. (the "Issuer")
Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
- ---------- ------------------------------------------------
One Whitehall Street
New York, New York 10004
Items 2(a) Name of Person Filing; Address of Principal
- ---------- -------------------------------------------
and (b). Business Office:
- -------- ----------------
This statement is filed by Arthur T. Shorin ("Shorin"). The
business address of Shorin is One Whitehall Street, New York, New
York 10004.
Item 2(c). Citizenship:
- ---------- ------------
United States
Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities:
- ---------- -----------------------------
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock")
Item 2(e). CUSIP Number:
- ---------- -------------
89078610
Item 3. Not Applicable
- -------
Item 4. Ownership:
- ------- ----------
(a) 2,566,489 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by Shorin
as of December 31, 1998.
(b) 5.5%
(c) (i) 2,566,489
(ii) -0-
(iii) 2,566,489
(iv) -0-
Page 3 of 5 Pages
<PAGE>
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:
- ------- ---------------------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:
- ------- ----------------------------------------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the
- ------- ----------------------------------------
Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being
--------------------------------------------
Reported on By the Parent Holding Company:
------------------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members
- ------- --------------------------------------------
of the Group:
-------------
Not Applicable
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group:
- ------- -------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 10. Certification:
- -------- --------------
Not Applicable
Page 4 of 5 Pages
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
---------
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
Dated: February 16, 1999
/s/ Arthur T. Shorin
-------------------------
Arthur T. Shorin
Page 5 of 5 Pages
