1953 Topps #138 George Kell
1953 Topps #138 George Kell
About George Kell
A slick-fielding, right-handed third baseman from Swifton, Arkansas, George Kell debuted with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1943 and played 15 major-league seasons through 1957, starring for the Detroit Tigers (1946-52) before stints with the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles. A ten-time All-Star and one of the game's finest contact hitters, Kell batted .300 or better in nine seasons and finished at .306 with 2,054 hits, 78 home runs, and 870 RBI, striking out just 287 times in 6,702 at-bats and leading American League third basemen in fielding percentage seven times. His signature feat came in 1949, when he edged Ted Williams .3429 to .3427 to win the AL batting title on the season's final day, denying Williams a third Triple Crown by two ten-thousandths of a point. Kell never reached a World Series but later became the voice of the Tigers, broadcasting for 37 years, and was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1983. This 1953 Topps card (issued as a Red Sox, where he landed in a 1952 trade) exists with the back biography printed in either black or white text, a minor series-2 printing variation.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Designations, variations & errors
White-text biography
A minor printing variation: on some copies the back biography is printed in white text, on others in black text. Catalogued by TCDB (and noted by price guides for the series-2 range) but considered a minor variation, not a headline.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 828 | 3 | 9 | 87 | 148 | 198 | 164 | 218 | 1 |
| SGC | 191 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 40 | 102 | 6 |
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 George Kell card?
It is card #138 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 Boston Red Sox player.
Is the 1953 Topps George Kell 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.