1952 Topps #20 Billy Loes
About Billy Loes
A colorful right-hander out of William Cullen Bryant High School in Long Island City, Queens, Billy Loes signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers for a $21,000 bonus, at the time the largest in club history. He debuted in 1950 and pitched 11 major-league seasons with the Dodgers (1950, 1952-56), Baltimore Orioles (1956-59) and San Francisco Giants (1960-61), going 80-63 with a 3.89 ERA and 645 strikeouts. His best year came in 1953, when he went 14-8 for the pennant-winning Dodgers, and he earned his lone All-Star selection with Baltimore in 1957, tossing three scoreless innings. Loes appeared in three World Series and was a champion with Brooklyn's only title-winning club in 1955. He remains famous for his candid wit, once saying he did not want to win 20 games "because then I'd be expected to do it every year," and for a comedy of errors in Game 6 of the 1952 Series, where he balked, dropped the ball ("too much spit on it"), and lost a Vic Raschi grounder in the sun. This is his rookie card, one of the early low numbers issued in Topps' landmark 1952 debut set. Loes was inducted into the Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Fame in 1990.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
Black Back / Red Back Series 1 (cards 1-80)
Every card in the first series exists with the back printed in either black or red ink. The black backs are the first printing and are scarcer; red backs (the second printing onward) are more common.
- Black Back — scarcer: First printing. Reverse printed in black ink. Scarcer, and typically carries a small premium over the red back.
- Red Back: Second printing onward. Reverse printed in red ink. The more common of the two.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 787 | 0 | 2 | 33 | 48 | 108 | 161 | 425 | 10 |
| SGC | 177 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 143 | 3 |
SGC by variation: Black Back 75 · Red Back 102
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 Billy Loes card?
It is card #20 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Brooklyn Dodgers player, and is his rookie card.
Does the 1952 Topps Billy Loes have back variations?
Yes. Every card in the first series exists with the back printed in either black or red ink. The black backs are the first printing and are scarcer; red backs (the second printing onward) are more common.
Is the 1952 Topps Billy Loes 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.