1952 Topps #146 Frank House
1952 Topps #146 Frank House
About Frank House
Born 1930 in Bessemer, AL (d. 2005), Frank House was a left-handed catcher who debuted in 1950 and played 10 major-league seasons. He batted .248 with 494 hits, 47 home runs, and 235 RBI over 653 games.
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 3 (cards 131-190)
The third series exists on two different card stocks. The standard issue is on white/cream stock; a much scarcer parallel was printed on gray cardboard. The gray stock was used at the END of the series-3 run — leftover stock run through the same press, not a separate or foreign printing. Gray backs have a duller, gloss-less front and are never found with gum stains.
- White Back: Standard issue. White/cream card stock, normal red-ink back. Sharper, glossier front.
- Gray Back — scarcer: Scarce parallel on gray card stock. Duller, gloss-less front; never gum-stained. #189 Pete Reiser is the rarest of the run; #146 Frank House appears with a pale/yellow Tiger logo. NOTE: long mislabeled 'Canadian' (borrowed from the genuinely-Canadian 1954 Topps issue) — there is no evidence the 1952 grays were a Canadian release. TCDB catalogs these as 'Grey Back' against the normal 'Red Back'.
Tiger logo color + gray back
Exists with a yellow-and-orange Tigers logo, a yellow Tiger logo, and on gray stock. The fading red ink in House's logo across the run is the evidence that the gray stock was used at the very end of the third-series printing.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 787 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 107 | 166 | 150 | 307 | 9 |
| SGC | 133 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 18 | 25 | 72 | 4 |
SGC by variation: Standard 103 · Gray Back 1 · Yellow Tiger 28 · Yellow Tiger Gray Back 1
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 Frank House card?
It is card #146 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Detroit Tigers player, and is his rookie card.
Does the 1952 Topps Frank House have back variations?
Yes. The third series exists on two different card stocks. The standard issue is on white/cream stock; a much scarcer parallel was printed on gray cardboard. The gray stock was used at the END of the series-3 run — leftover stock run through the same press, not a separate or foreign printing. Gray backs have a duller, gloss-less front and are never found with gum stains.
Is the 1952 Topps Frank House 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.