1952 Topps #391 Ben Chapman
About Ben Chapman
Raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Ben Chapman (1908-1993) was signed off the Phillips High School sandlots by Yankees scout Johnny Nee in 1927 and reached the majors with New York in 1930. A fiery, fast outfielder, he played 15 seasons (1930-1946) for eight clubs and hit .302 with 90 home runs, 977 RBI and 287 stolen bases. A four-time All-Star (1933-1936), Chapman led the American League in steals four times and swiped 61 bases in 1931 -- the most by any big leaguer between 1921 and 1961 -- and helped the Yankees win the 1932 World Series, driving in six runs in the sweep. His blazing speed earned the nicknames "Dixie Flyer" and "Alabama Flash." He later reinvented himself as a relief pitcher before becoming the Philadelphia Phillies' player-manager and manager (1945-1948), a tenure forever stained by his vicious racist abuse of Jackie Robinson in 1947. By 1952 he was a Cincinnati Reds coach, which is why he appears here on a "CO" card in the scarce high-number series (#311-407, printed in far smaller quantities and famously hard to find today). Fittingly for a set full of quirks, card #391 is a well-known uncorrected error: the photo actually pictures a different player, Athletics outfielder Sam Chapman, not Ben.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
High Number
Series 6 (311-407). Minimally distributed in the fall of 1952 when retailers cut orders — the scarcest and most coveted run in the set, holding Mantle, Robinson, Campanella, the Mathews rookie and more.
Wrong photo error
The card pictures Sam Chapman rather than Ben Chapman.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 496 | 0 | 3 | 37 | 61 | 68 | 100 | 221 | 6 |
| SGC | 91 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 61 | 2 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-22. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8); totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Ben Chapman card?
It is card #391 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Cincinnati Reds coach.
Why is this card scarce?
It is in the 1952 Topps high-number series (311-407), which was minimally distributed in the fall of 1952 and is the scarcest, most sought-after run in the set.
Is the 1952 Topps Ben Chapman valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: the Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, and PSA & SGC population reports. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.