1952 Topps #175 Billy Martin
1952 Topps #175 Billy Martin
Billy Martin's rookie card.
About Billy Martin
Signed out of Berkeley, California by the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League, where manager Casey Stengel became a lifelong mentor, Billy Martin reached the majors with the New York Yankees in 1950 and became their regular second baseman in 1952. A scrappy, combative infielder, he played 11 big-league seasons (1950-1961) for seven clubs but is remembered as the fiery heart of the 1950s Yankees dynasty that won five straight titles from 1949 to 1953. In the 1952 World Series he saved Game 7 with a lunging catch of Jackie Robinson's infield pop-up, and in 1953 he was named World Series MVP, driving in the Series-clinching run with a walk-off single and racking up 12 hits and a record 23 total bases. A 1956 All-Star, he was a career .257 hitter with 64 home runs and 333 RBI. Nicknamed "Billy the Kid" for his brawling, win-at-all-costs edge, he later managed five franchises, winning the 1977 World Series with the Yankees amid the "Bronx Zoo" turmoil and his stormy on-again, off-again relationship with owner George Steinbrenner. He died in a truck accident on Christmas Day 1989. Card #175, part of the third series, is Martin's rookie card and exists with both white and gray back stock.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 3 (cards 131-190)
The third series exists on two different card stocks. The standard issue is on white/cream stock; a much scarcer parallel was printed on gray cardboard. The gray stock was used at the END of the series-3 run — leftover stock run through the same press, not a separate or foreign printing. Gray backs have a duller, gloss-less front and are never found with gum stains.
- White Back: Standard issue. White/cream card stock, normal red-ink back. Sharper, glossier front.
- Gray Back — scarcer: Scarce parallel on gray card stock. Duller, gloss-less front; never gum-stained. #189 Pete Reiser is the rarest of the run; #146 Frank House appears with a pale/yellow Tiger logo. NOTE: long mislabeled 'Canadian' (borrowed from the genuinely-Canadian 1954 Topps issue) — there is no evidence the 1952 grays were a Canadian release. TCDB catalogs these as 'Grey Back' against the normal 'Red Back'.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 1,303 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 98 | 195 | 255 | 720 | 5 |
| SGC | 537 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 20 | 94 | 395 | 19 |
SGC by variation: Standard 536 · Red Back 1
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 Martin card?
It is card #175 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the New York Yankees player, and is his rookie card.
Does the 1952 Topps Billy Martin have back variations?
Yes. The third series exists on two different card stocks. The standard issue is on white/cream stock; a much scarcer parallel was printed on gray cardboard. The gray stock was used at the END of the series-3 run — leftover stock run through the same press, not a separate or foreign printing. Gray backs have a duller, gloss-less front and are never found with gum stains.
Is the 1952 Topps Billy Martin 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.