1953 Topps #262 Bob Oldis
1953 Topps #262 Bob Oldis
About Bob Oldis
A right-handed catcher born in 1928 in Preston, Iowa, Bob Oldis signed with the Washington Senators organization for no bonus after earning a contract at a 1949 baseball camp in Cocoa, Florida, then worked his way up through the minors at Charlotte and Chattanooga. He reached the majors with Washington in 1953 and, as a light-hitting, defense-first backup receiver, appeared in 135 big-league games over seven seasons (1953–55 with the Senators, 1960–61 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and 1962–63 with the Philadelphia Phillies), batting .237 with 1 home run and 22 RBI. His signature moment came as the third-string catcher on the 1960 World Series champion Pirates, backing up Smoky Burgess and Hal Smith; he entered Games 4 and 5 as a defensive replacement (no plate appearances) as Pittsburgh upset the Yankees in seven games. Nicknamed "Bucky," Oldis stayed in the game for decades as a coach and scout, was named a major-league scout of the year in 2002, and earned a second World Series ring with the 2003 Florida Marlins. This 1953 Topps card (#262, a high-number rookie card) captures him as a Senator early in that long baseball life; he died in 2025 at age 97.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Designations, variations & errors
High Number
Series 4 (#221-280). Printed in shorter supply and distributed late in the season, when retailers cut orders for the football months. The scarcest run in the set - holding #244 Willie Mays and the #258 Gilliam and #263 Podres rookies - and routinely 3-4x the price of low-number commons.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 444 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 63 | 119 | 117 | 102 | 0 |
| SGC | 56 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 27 | 1 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-26. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). PSA counts are straight-graded.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1953 Topps Bob Oldis card?
It is card #262 of the 1953 Topps Baseball set - one of the most beautiful sets ever made, with hand-painted color portraits numbered to 280 (274 cards issued). It pictures the Washington Senators player, and is his rookie card.
Why is this card scarce?
It is in the 1953 Topps high-number series (#221-280), released late in the season in shorter supply - the scarcest run in the set, routinely 3-4 times the price of low-number commons.
Is the 1953 Topps Bob Oldis valuable?
Value depends on grade and eye appeal. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.