1952 Topps #393 Ebba St. Claire
About Ebba St. Claire
Edward Joseph "Ebba" St. Claire was a switch-hitting catcher born August 5, 1921, in Whitehall, New York, where he starred at Whitehall Central High School before playing at Colgate University. Signed as an amateur free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1942, he spent nearly a decade in the minors before reaching the majors with the Boston Braves, making his MLB debut on April 17, 1951. Over four big-league seasons he caught for the Boston Braves (1951-52), followed the franchise to Milwaukee (1953), and finished with the New York Giants (1954), batting .249 with 7 home runs and 40 RBI in 164 games. On February 1, 1954, Milwaukee packaged St. Claire with pitcher Johnny Antonelli, Billy Klaus, Don Liddle, and $50,000 to the Giants for 1951 pennant hero Bobby Thomson and Sam Calderone. He played his final MLB game on May 18, 1954, and later saw his son Randy St. Claire reach the majors as a pitcher (1984-94) and pitching coach. This #393 is his 1952 Topps rookie card and falls in the scarce high-number series (#311-407), the run printed in far smaller quantities and often dumped as leftover stock, which makes surviving examples considerably rarer 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 | 568 | 1 | 6 | 41 | 60 | 108 | 90 | 259 | 3 |
| SGC | 104 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 61 | 6 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-22. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Ebba St. Claire card?
It is card #393 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Boston Braves 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 Ebba St. Claire 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 2026-10-05.