1952 Topps #361 Bill Posedel
About Bill Posedel
William John "Barnacle Bill" Posedel appears on card #361 as a Pittsburgh Pirates coach, the role he held from 1949 to 1953. A San Francisco native (1906-1989), he broke into pro ball in an unusual way: after four years in the U.S. Navy (1925-1929), he caught on with the Portland Beavers and spent eight seasons in the minors before Brooklyn brought him up. A right-handed pitcher, he debuted with the Dodgers in 1938 and starred for Casey Stengel's Boston Bees, winning a career-high 15 games with five shutouts in 1939 and adding 12 more in 1940 before an arm injury derailed him. He finished 41-43 with a 4.56 ERA and 227 strikeouts across five big-league seasons, his career interrupted again by wartime Navy service (1942-1945). His naval background earned him the nickname "Barnacle Bill" (writers also called him "Sailor Bill"). Posedel is best remembered as a pitching coach, later helping shape Oakland's championship staffs of the early 1970s. As part of the scarce high-number series (#311-407, home to the famous Mantle #311), this card is far tougher to find than the set's lower numbers.
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.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 479 | 0 | 4 | 42 | 56 | 72 | 96 | 205 | 4 |
| SGC | 99 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 28 | 51 | 7 |
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 Bill Posedel card?
It is card #361 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Pittsburgh Pirates 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 Bill Posedel 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.