1953 Topps #269 Duane Pillette
1953 Topps #269 Duane Pillette
About Duane Pillette
A tall right-handed pitcher out of Santa Clara University, Duane Pillette signed with the New York Yankees in 1946 for a $10,000 bonus and reached the majors on July 19, 1949, earning a ring as a member of the World Series-champion Yankees. Traded to the St. Louis Browns in June 1950, he became a workhorse starter for the lowly club shown on this 1953 high-number card, and moved with the franchise to Baltimore, pitching for the Orioles in 1954-55 before finishing with the Phillies in 1956. Over eight seasons he went 38-66 with a 4.40 ERA and 305 strikeouts in 188 games; he led the American League in losses in 1951, matching a feat of his father, Herman "Old Folks" Pillette (a 19-game winner for the 1922 Tigers), making them the only father-son pair to lead the AL in losses. Nicknamed "Dee," Pillette started the Browns' final game on September 27, 1953, a 2-1, 11-inning loss to the White Sox, and in 1954 became the first winning pitcher in Baltimore Orioles history. He died in 2011 at age 88.
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 | 481 | 0 | 8 | 39 | 73 | 134 | 106 | 121 | 0 |
| SGC | 82 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 19 | 29 | 4 |
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 Duane Pillette card?
It is card #269 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 St. Louis Browns 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 Duane Pillette 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.