1952 Topps #394 Billy Herman
About Billy Herman
Billy Herman (William Jennings Bryan Herman, named for the presidential candidate) was a Hall of Fame second baseman born July 7, 1909, in New Albany, Indiana. He starred for the Louisville Colonels of the American Association before the Chicago Cubs purchased him for $50,000 in 1931; he debuted that August and became one of the National League's premier middle infielders. Over 15 seasons with the Cubs (1931-41), Brooklyn Dodgers (1941-43, 1946), Boston Braves (1946) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1947), he batted .304 with 2,345 hits, 47 home runs and 839 RBI, earning ten All-Star selections. A brilliant hit-and-run man and gifted glove, he led the NL with 227 hits and 57 doubles while hitting a career-high .341 in 1935 and set the NL single-season record for putouts by a second baseman (466 in 1933). He reached four World Series as a player without a title but later won a ring as a coach on the 1955 champion Dodgers. This 1952 card captures Herman during his stint as a Brooklyn coach (1952-57); it falls in the scarce high-number series (#311-407), printed in far smaller quantities and prized by collectors today. Herman was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1975 and died in 1992.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 619 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 75 | 84 | 86 | 326 | 4 |
| SGC | 118 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 71 | 10 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-22. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Billy Herman card?
It is card #394 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Brooklyn Dodgers 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 Billy Herman 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 2026-10-05.