1953 Topps #256 Les Peden
1953 Topps #256 Les Peden
About Les Peden
A right-handed catcher out of Azle, Texas, Leslie Earl "Gooch" Peden attended Texas A&M and served in the U.S. Army's European Theater during World War II before grinding through roughly 18 minor-league seasons, mostly in the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Athletics chains. Washington claimed him in the 1952 Rule 5 draft after a strong Pacific Coast League year for the Los Angeles Angels (.279 with 18 home runs in 153 games), and he reached the majors at age 29. Peden's entire big-league career was nine games with the 1953 Washington Senators, starting eight behind the plate. He hit .250 (7-for-28) with a double, one home run — a solo shot off the White Sox's Saul Rogovin on April 29 that stood up in a 3-0 Washington win — and one RBI before being returned to the Cubs organization in early May. He went on to spend about ten years as a playing manager in the Cubs and A's farm systems, skippering the Triple-A Portland Beavers and Tacoma Cubs, then scouted for Chicago. Card #256 is his lone Topps issue, a scarce high-number rookie card in the 1953 set. He died in 2002 at age 78.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 428 | 1 | 4 | 32 | 55 | 120 | 106 | 110 | 0 |
| SGC | 57 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 14 | 27 | 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 Les Peden card?
It is card #256 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 Washington Senators 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 Les Peden 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.