1952 Topps #353 Bob Del Greco
1952 Topps #353 Bob Del Greco
About Bob Del Greco
The youngest of ten children raised in Pittsburgh's Hill District, Bobby Del Greco was signed to a Pirates contract by Hall of Famer Pie Traynor for $500 in 1950, after playing semipro ball to help support his widowed mother. A right-handed-hitting, defensively gifted center fielder, he made his major-league debut with his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates on April 16, 1952 — the same year as this card. Over nine seasons through 1965 he played for six clubs: the Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Kansas City Athletics. He batted .229 with 454 hits, 42 home runs, and 169 RBIs across 731 games. Though a light hitter, Del Greco earned a strong defensive reputation — Branch Rickey called him one of the finest instinctive outfielders he had seen — and was nicknamed "The Greek." In May 1956 Pittsburgh dealt him and pitcher Dick Littlefield to St. Louis for Bill Virdon. This is Del Greco's rookie card and falls in the scarce high-number series (#311-407, home to the famous #311 Mickey Mantle), the run printed in far smaller quantities and often dumped, making these cards elusive today.
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 | 482 | 0 | 7 | 46 | 62 | 67 | 97 | 201 | 2 |
| SGC | 108 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 24 | 56 | 5 |
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 Bob Del Greco card?
It is card #353 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Pittsburgh Pirates player, and is his rookie card.
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 Bob Del Greco 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.