1952 Topps #284 Hank Arft
About Hank Arft
Henry Irven "Bow Wow" Arft was a left-handed-hitting first baseman who spent his entire five-season major-league career (1948-1952) with the St. Louis Browns. Signed by the Browns as an 18-year-old amateur free agent in 1940, he worked through their farm system before enlisting in the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the destroyer escort USS Goss, which was present for the formal Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Arft made a splash in his July 27, 1948 debut against the Yankees at Sportsman's Park, tripling in two runs off Tommy Byrne and homering off Frank Hiller, and he hit .400 over his first 19 games. His nickname "Bow Wow" was born the next day, when a newspaper turned crowd chants of "Arft, Arft" into a lasting moniker. His best year came in 1951, when he set career highs in nearly every offensive category while batting .261 with seven home runs. Over 300 games he compiled a .253 average with 13 home runs and 118 RBI before retiring; he later co-owned a funeral home in Ballwin, Missouri, and died in 2002. On this landmark first Topps flagship set, card #284 is a Series 5 short-print, printed in smaller quantity than the set's more common early numbers.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
Short Print
Cards 281-300 were single-printed relative to the rest of series 5 — EXCEPT #289 Holmes, #295 Cavarretta and #296 Rolfe. 17 SP cards in all.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 613 | 0 | 14 | 69 | 99 | 158 | 99 | 167 | 7 |
| SGC | 78 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 16 | 37 | 3 |
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 Hank Arft card?
It is card #284 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the St. Louis Browns player.
Is the 1952 Topps Hank Arft 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.