1952 Topps #356 Toby Atwell
About Toby Atwell
Maurice Dailey "Toby" Atwell was a left-handed-hitting catcher who signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers' organization in 1946 and spent years in the minors — including stops with the Montreal Royals, Fort Worth Cats, and St. Paul Saints — before reaching the majors with the Chicago Cubs in 1952. His rookie campaign was the finest of his career: he batted .290 with 105 hits, 16 doubles, and 31 RBI over 107 games and earned selection to the National League All-Star team, named the NL's backup catcher for the 1952 All-Star Game in Philadelphia (a contest rain-shortened to five innings before he could get in). Atwell was later a central piece of the blockbuster June 1953 deal that sent Ralph Kiner and Joe Garagiola from Pittsburgh to the Cubs, going the other way to the Pirates. He also played for the Milwaukee Braves, finishing a five-season MLB career (1952-1956) with a .260 average, 9 home runs, and 110 RBI across 378 games. This is his rookie card, and as card #356 it sits in the scarce high-number series (#311-407) — printed in far smaller quantities than the rest of the 1952 Topps set and famously scarce today — the same run that holds the hobby's iconic Mickey Mantle #311.
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 | 491 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 61 | 76 | 100 | 224 | 3 |
| SGC | 110 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 19 | 63 | 7 |
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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More Chicago Cubs cards
- Gene Hermanski
- Hank Sauer
- John Pramesa
- Dutch Leonard
- Willard Ramsdell
- Paul Minner
- Johnny Klippstein
- Bob Rush
- Bob Usher
- Walt Dubiel
- Eddie Miksis
- Roy Smalley
- Bob Ramazzotti
- Joe Hatten
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Toby Atwell card?
It is card #356 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Chicago Cubs 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 Toby Atwell 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.