1953 Topps #206 Ed Bailey
1953 Topps #206 Ed Bailey
About Ed Bailey
Lonas Edgar "Ed" Bailey Jr. (1931-2007), a catcher from Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, signed with the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent in 1950 and reached the majors on September 26, 1953 -- the same season celebrated on this Topps rookie card. A left-handed-hitting, right-handed-throwing backstop, he anchored Cincinnati's staff through the 1950s before a 1961 trade to the San Francisco Giants, later playing for the Milwaukee Braves, Chicago Cubs and California Angels across a 14-year career (1953-1966). Bailey was a six-time National League All-Star (1956, 1957, 1960, 1961 and 1963) and one of the senior circuit's premier catchers of his era. He was among the seven Reds fans stuffed into the 1957 All-Star starting lineup, a scandal that pushed Commissioner Ford Frick to strip fans of the vote. With the Giants he reached the 1962 World Series, homering in Game 3 of a seven-game loss to the Yankees, and he caught Juan Marichal's 1963 no-hitter. He retired a .256 hitter with 915 hits, 155 home runs and 540 RBI over 1,212 games, and later served on the Knoxville city council.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 468 | 1 | 3 | 59 | 99 | 140 | 87 | 79 | 0 |
| SGC | 58 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More Cincinnati Reds cards
- Bob Borkowski
- Howie Judson
- Eddie Pellagrini
- Grady Hatton
- Bubba Church
- Willard Marshall
- Joe Nuxhall
- Herman Wehmeier
- Frank Smith
- Gus Bell
- Bobby Adams
- Andy Seminick
- Ted Kluszewski
- Jim Greengrass
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1953 Topps Ed Bailey card?
It is card #206 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 Cincinnati Reds player, and is his rookie card.
Is the 1953 Topps Ed Bailey 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.