1952 Topps #383 Del Wilber
1952 Topps #383 Del Wilber
About Del Wilber
Delbert Quentin "Del" Wilber was a right-handed catcher who signed with the St. Louis Browns organization in 1938 before being acquired by the Cardinals in 1940, then lost roughly four seasons (1942-45) to service in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, rising to the rank of captain. He debuted in the majors in 1946 and appeared in 299 games across eight seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (1946-49), Philadelphia Phillies (1951-52), and Boston Red Sox (1952-54), the club shown on this card. A backup backstop, Wilber batted .242 with 174 hits, 19 home runs, and 115 RBI. His signature moment came on August 27, 1951, when, as a Phillie, he became the only player in big-league history to hit three home runs and score and drive in all of his team's runs in a single game, connecting off Cincinnati's Ken Raffensberger to power a 3-0 victory. After his playing days he became a longtime minor-league manager, coach, and scout, and on September 7, 1973 he managed the Texas Rangers for the only game of his major-league managerial career, winning 10-8 over Oakland to finish a perfect 1-0. Issued in the coveted, short-printed high-number series (#311-407, the scarce final run famously headlined by the Mickey Mantle #311), this rookie-era card is far tougher to find today than the set's lower numbers.
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 | 477 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 53 | 83 | 96 | 209 | 4 |
| SGC | 106 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 62 | 9 |
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 Del Wilber card?
It is card #383 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Boston Red Sox 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 Del Wilber 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.