1952 Topps #396 Dick Williams
1952 Topps #396 Dick Williams
About Dick Williams
Richard Hirschfeld Williams (1929–2011) signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers straight out of high school in 1947 and reached the majors in 1951, making this high-number card his Topps rookie card. A versatile role player who moved among left field, third base, and first base after separating his shoulder in 1952, he spent 13 big-league seasons (1951–1964) with the Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, and Boston Red Sox, batting .260 with 70 home runs and 331 RBI over 1,023 games; he never reached a World Series as a player. Williams found his true calling as a manager, guiding the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Red Sox from near the AL cellar to a pennant and earning Manager of the Year honors, then leading the Oakland Athletics to back-to-back World Series titles in 1972 and 1973 and the San Diego Padres to the 1984 NL pennant. Over 21 seasons he won 1,571 games, and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 2008. As a card in the scarce #311–407 high-number series, printed in far lower quantities and often dumped, this rookie is genuinely rare 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 | 546 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 72 | 84 | 82 | 267 | 5 |
| SGC | 147 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 107 | 6 |
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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More Brooklyn Dodgers cards
- Andy Pafko
- Wayne Terwilliger
- Billy Loes
- Gil Hodges
- Duke Snider
- Jim Russell
- Chris Van Cuyk
- Preacher Roe
- Johnny Schmitz
- Clarence Podbielan
- Phil Haugstad
- Clyde King
- Billy Cox
- Rocky Bridges
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Dick Williams card?
It is card #396 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.
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 Dick Williams 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.