1953 Topps #270 Vern Stephens
1953 Topps #270 Vern Stephens
About Vern Stephens
One of the greatest power-hitting shortstops the game has seen, Vern Stephens was signed by the St. Louis Browns in 1938 for a $500 bonus out of Long Beach Junior College and reached the majors in 1941. Over 15 seasons (1941-1955) he starred for the Browns (1941-47), Boston Red Sox (1948-52), and Chicago White Sox (1953, 1955), earning eight All-Star selections. As cleanup hitter he powered the 1944 Browns to the franchise's only American League pennant (they lost the World Series to the Cardinals), won the 1945 AL home run title (24), and captured three RBI crowns (1944, 1949, 1950). His 159 RBI in 1949 - tied with teammate Ted Williams for the league lead - set the single-season record for a shortstop and stood unmatched for 50 years. Known in baseball as "Junior," he batted .286 with 247 homers and 1,174 RBI. He died of a heart attack in 1968 at age 48 and was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006.
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 | 482 | 0 | 5 | 49 | 82 | 130 | 96 | 119 | 1 |
| SGC | 76 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 31 | 3 |
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 Chicago White Sox cards
- Joe Dobson
- Sherm Lollar
- Orestes Minoso
- Eddie Robinson
- Tommy Byrne
- Billy Pierce
- Harry Dorish
- Jim Rivera
- Bob Keegan
- Rocky Krsnich
- Freddie Marsh
- Bob Wilson
- Bob Boyd
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1953 Topps Vern Stephens card?
It is card #270 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 Chicago White Sox player.
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 Vern Stephens 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.