1954-55 Topps #55 Larry Popein
His first mainstream card, and a Topps exclusive - no Parkhurst card through 1954-55.
About Larry Popein
Larry Popein took the long road to Broadway — out of Yorkton, Saskatchewan, through junior hockey in Moose Jaw and starring years with the WHL's Vancouver Canucks, including back-to-back seasons of 66-plus points, before the Rangers bought his contract in 1954. That timing makes card #55 his rookie card, and a Topps exclusive — Parkhurst never printed him — so this is collectors' first look at "The Pope," the nickname the hockey world carved from his surname. The 5-foot-9 centre made it count, playing all 70 games as a 1954-55 freshman and finishing fourth in Calder Trophy voting. He settled in as the quiet, fearless pivot between Andy Bathgate and Dean Prentice on one of the late-1950s NHL's best lines, closing his career with 80 goals and 221 points across 449 NHL games — all but 47 as a Ranger, the rest with the expansion Oakland Seals. Popein later ran New York's bench for 41 games in 1973-74 and scouted for Calgary's 1989 Stanley Cup champions.
Sources: Wikipedia · Hockey-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 256 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 56 | 61 | 64 | 51 | 2 |
| SGC | 50 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 17 | 1 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-20. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Related cards
More New York Rangers cards:
- #2 Bob Chrystal
- #3 Harry Howell
- #10 Gump Worsley
- #11 Andy Bathgate
- #14 Jack Evans
- #15 Paul Ronty
- #22 Wally Hergesheimer
- #23 Danny Lewicki
- #29 Nick Mickoski
- #32 Camille Henry
- #41 Allan Stanley
- #44 Ivan Irwin
- #53 Don Raleigh
- #56 Edgar Laprade
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954-55 Topps Larry Popein card?
It is card #55 of the 1954-55 Topps Hockey set - Topps's first hockey issue, 60 cards at the larger 2-5/8 by 3-3/4 inch pre-1957 size. It pictures Larry Popein with the New York Rangers.
Is the 1954-55 Topps Larry Popein #55 a rookie card?
Yes. Larry Popein has no card in any Parkhurst issue through 1954-55, making this Topps card his first mainstream card - a Topps exclusive.
How many cards are in the 1954-55 Topps Hockey set?
60 cards - 15 each for the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers, interleaved through the numbering. Topps's first hockey set covered the four US-based NHL clubs; Parkhurst continued to cover all six teams. Topps's next hockey set came in 1957-58.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Cardboard Connection, hockeydb, the Hockey Hall of Fame roll call, Hockey-Reference, and the 1951-55 Parkhurst checklists, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.
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