1953 Topps #258 Jim Gilliam
1953 Topps #258 Jim Gilliam
High-number rookie card of Jim Gilliam, the 1953 National League Rookie of the Year.
About Jim Gilliam
A switch-hitting infielder out of Nashville, Tennessee, Jim Gilliam broke in with the Negro leagues' Baltimore Elite Giants in 1946, where teammates dubbed the teenager "Junior" for being the club's youngest player. The Brooklyn Dodgers bought his contract, and after two seasons at Triple-A Montreal (1952 International League MVP) he debuted on April 14, 1953, opening a path to this high-number rookie card. That first year he won National League Rookie of the Year, batting .278 with a rookie-record 100 walks and a league-leading 17 triples. Gilliam spent his entire 14-year career (1953-1966) with the Dodgers in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, playing second and third base, earning two All-Star nods (1956, 1959), and helping win four World Series (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965). He hit .265 with 1,889 hits, 65 home runs, and 558 RBI. He later became one of baseball's first Black coaches, and the Dodgers retired his No. 19 in 1978 after his death from a brain hemorrhage at age 49.
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 | 955 | 0 | 3 | 49 | 88 | 160 | 219 | 430 | 6 |
| SGC | 406 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 19 | 31 | 65 | 257 | 28 |
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 Jim Gilliam card?
It is card #258 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 Brooklyn Dodgers 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 Jim Gilliam 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.