1952 Topps #407 Ed Mathews
Eddie Mathews' rookie card - the final card in the set and its marquee rookie.
About Ed Mathews
Signed by the Boston Braves in 1949 straight out of Santa Barbara High School in California, Eddie Mathews became one of the greatest slugging third basemen in baseball history. He debuted with the Braves in 1952 and played 17 major-league seasons, moving with the franchise to Milwaukee (1953-1966) before finishing with the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers in 1967-1968. A left-handed hitter, Mathews batted .271 with 2,315 hits, 512 home runs and 1,453 RBI, and in 1967 became just the seventh player to reach 500 career home runs. A nine-time All-Star, he won the National League home run crown twice (1953 and 1959) and twice finished runner-up for MVP. He anchored Milwaukee's 1957 World Series champions, winning Game 4 against the Yankees with a walk-off home run in the tenth inning, and won a second ring with Detroit in 1968. Alongside teammate Hank Aaron he formed one of the most fearsome duos ever, the pair combining for 863 home runs and surpassing the Ruth-Gehrig Yankees as baseball's all-time home run tandem. Mathews was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1978. This card holds a special place in the hobby: as #407, it is the final card of the landmark 1952 Topps set and Mathews' rookie card. Cards #311-407 make up the scarce high-number series, printed in far smaller quantities and often dumped, and unlike the iconic Mickey Mantle #311, the Mathews was not double-printed, leaving it even scarcer. As the last card in the set, it typically sat at the bottom of the stack and absorbed extra handling, making high-grade, well-centered examples especially prized today.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 824 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 29 | 75 | 105 | 537 | 62 |
| SGC | 309 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 28 | 198 | 63 |
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 Ed Mathews card?
It is card #407 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 Ed Mathews 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.