1953 Topps #260 Sam Calderone
1953 Topps #260 Sam Calderone
About Sam Calderone
Samuel Francis Calderone (February 6, 1926 – November 28, 2006) was a right-handed catcher out of Beverly, New Jersey, who signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945 and, after hitting .317, .293, and .316 in successive minor-league seasons, was selected by the New York Giants in the 1949 Rule 5 draft. He debuted on April 19, 1950, batting .299 in 34 games as the backup to regular Giants catcher Wes Westrum. Calderone then served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, losing the 1951 and 1952 seasons to military duty. He returned in 1953 — the year of this high-number rookie card — before being packaged with 1951 pennant hero Bobby Thomson in the January 1954 trade that sent them to the Milwaukee Braves for a haul including pitcher Johnny Antonelli, Don Liddle, catcher Ebba St. Claire, infielder Billy Klaus, and $50,000. Over three big-league seasons (1950, 1953–1954) he appeared in 91 games, batting .291 with 41 hits, 1 home run, and 25 RBI, and later managed briefly in the Giants' minor-league system.
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 | 402 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 55 | 97 | 101 | 116 | 1 |
| SGC | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 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 New York Giants cards
- Sal Yvars
- Hank Thompson
- Jim Hearn
- Monte Irvin
- Alvin Dark
- George Spencer
- Davey Williams
- Bill Connelly
- Hoyt Wilhelm
- Bobby Hofman
- Willie Mays
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1953 Topps Sam Calderone card?
It is card #260 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 New York Giants 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 Sam Calderone 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.