1953 Topps #225 Bobby Shantz
1953 Topps #225 Bobby Shantz
About Bobby Shantz
Signed by the Philadelphia Athletics as a free agent in 1948 after starring in semi-pro and sandlot ball around Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Bobby Shantz reached the majors in 1949 following a single minor-league season with the Class A Lincoln club. A left-handed control pitcher who mixed curves, changeups and a knuckleball, he spent 16 seasons (1949-1964) with the A's, Yankees, Pirates, Colt .45s, Cardinals, Cubs and Phillies. His signature year came in 1952, when he went 24-7 with a 2.48 ERA to lead the AL in wins and capture the American League MVP Award for the last winning A's team in Philadelphia; in that summer's All-Star Game he struck out Whitey Lockman, Jackie Robinson and Stan Musial in succession. A three-time All-Star (1951, 1952, 1957) who also led the AL in ERA (2.45) in 1957, Shantz won the first-ever pitcher's Gold Glove in 1957 and eight in a row through 1964, and was a World Series champion with the 1958 Yankees. Listed at just 5-foot-6, the "Mighty Mite" finished 119-99 with a 3.38 ERA and 1,072 strikeouts, and became known as the last living Philadelphia Athletic. This card is a scarcer series-4 high number (#225).
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 | 622 | 0 | 4 | 49 | 104 | 164 | 150 | 150 | 1 |
| SGC | 135 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 31 | 67 | 2 |
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 Bobby Shantz card?
It is card #225 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 Philadelphia Athletics player.
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 Bobby Shantz 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.