1952 Topps #375 Jack Merson
1952 Topps #375 Jack Merson
About Jack Merson
Jack Merson was a right-handed second baseman born January 17, 1922, in Elkridge, Maryland, who first signed with the Washington Senators in 1940 before catching on with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 1947. After a strong minor-league apprenticeship—hitting .388 at Uniontown and earning a reputation as a fielding artist who led the American Association in double plays at Indianapolis—he debuted for Pittsburgh on September 14, 1951. He announced himself the next day with a 4-for-5 game (two doubles, a triple, six RBI) against Brooklyn and became the first player in major-league history to drive in ten runs in his first five games, a feat later matched only by Danny Espinosa (2010) and Yasiel Puig (2013). Handed the Pirates' starting second-base job in 1952, he played 111 of 154 games and batted .246 with 5 home runs and 38 RBI, though a wrist fracture blunted his season. He finished with a .257 average, 6 home runs, and 52 RBI over 125 big-league games, briefly appearing for the Boston Red Sox in 1953 before spending his final seasons in the Pacific Coast League. After baseball he ran an auto-parts business and worked for the Maryland House of Corrections, rising to captain, and died in his hometown on April 28, 2000. This card sits in the coveted high-number series (#311-407) of the landmark 1952 Topps set—the run headlined by the famous Mickey Mantle #311 and printed in far smaller quantities, making Merson's rookie card genuinely scarce 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 | 518 | 1 | 8 | 43 | 63 | 96 | 86 | 217 | 4 |
| SGC | 104 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 66 | 3 |
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 Jack Merson card?
It is card #375 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Pittsburgh Pirates 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 Jack Merson 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.