1953 Topps #246 Roy Face
1953 Topps #246 Roy Face
About Roy Face
Signed by the Phillies in 1949 out of Stephentown, New York, right-hander Elroy "Roy" Face broke in with Class D Bradford before Branch Rickey drafted him twice—first for the Dodgers, then for the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he debuted in 1953 (this high-number card is his rookie issue). Over 16 major-league seasons, almost entirely with Pittsburgh (1953, 1955–1968) plus late stops with Detroit and the Expos, Face perfected the forkball and became one of baseball's first true relief aces, "The Baron of the Bullpen." He was selected an All-Star three times (1959–1961). In 1959 he went a staggering 18–1 in relief—a .947 winning percentage that remains the best single-season mark ever for a pitcher. He anchored the 1960 world champions, becoming the first pitcher to save three games in a single World Series (Games 1, 4, and 5). Face retired with a 104–95 record, 193 saves, a 3.48 ERA, and 877 strikeouts over 848 games, and is a member of the Pirates Hall of Fame.
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.
Double Print
Marked DP. Roughly 50% more of these cards were printed than their neighbors (the hobby calls it 'double-printed'), so they are the most plentiful cards in the set. TCDB flags 103 of them, concentrated in the low series. Five cards normally in the low run - #94, #107, #131, #145 and #156 - were also printed on the more-plentiful #166-220 sheet. A print-quantity designation, not an error or a separate card.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 628 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 81 | 166 | 129 | 206 | 1 |
| SGC | 144 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 38 | 67 | 7 |
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 Roy Face card?
It is card #246 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 Pittsburgh Pirates 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.
What does 'double print' mean for this card?
Roughly 50% more of these cards were printed than their neighbors, so double prints (DP) are the most plentiful cards in the set. It is a print-quantity note, not an error or a separate card.
Is the 1953 Topps Roy Face 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.