1952 Topps #371 Bobby Hofman
1952 Topps #371 Bobby Hofman
About Bobby Hofman
Robert George "Bobby" Hofman (October 5, 1925 – April 5, 1994) was a St. Louis-born utility man and the nephew of early-1900s Cubs standout Solly "Circus Solly" Hofman, a World Series champion in 1907 and 1908. Signed by New York Giants scout Gordon Maguire out of American Legion ball in 1944 — where he was a boyhood teammate of Yogi Berra — Hofman served in the U.S. Army during World War II before debuting with the Giants in 1949. After returning to stay in 1952, he spent parts of six seasons (1949, 1952–1957) all with the Giants, filling in at second base, third, first, the outfield, and catcher. Over 341 games he batted .248 with 32 home runs and 101 RBIs, but his true specialty was pinch-hitting: in 1953 he went 13-for-35 (.371) off the bench and tied for the National League lead with three pinch-hit homers, and he retired tied for the career record for pinch-hit home runs. He was a member of the Giants' 1954 World Series championship roster, though he did not appear in the Fall Classic. Hofman later managed in the minors and coached for several American League clubs before serving as the Yankees' scouting and player-development director in the 1980s. His card is part of the scarce high-number series (#311–407), printed in far smaller quantities and heavily discarded, which makes any 1952 Topps high number tough to find 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 | 542 | 0 | 4 | 50 | 88 | 94 | 75 | 226 | 5 |
| SGC | 103 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 15 | 67 | 3 |
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 Bobby Hofman card?
It is card #371 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the New York Giants player.
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 Bobby Hofman 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.