1954-55 Topps #5 Red Kelly
Red Kelly, the Norris Trophy’s first winner (1954), in the heart of Detroit’s dynasty years.
About Red Kelly
Card #5 catches Red Kelly at the perfect moment — fresh off winning the inaugural James Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman for 1953-54, a landslide with 162 of a possible 180 votes. A farm kid from Simcoe, Ontario, Leonard Patrick Kelly got his nickname when teams picked "the red-headed kid" by his hair rather than his name. A Leafs scout predicted he wouldn't last 20 games; instead the St. Michael's Majors graduate joined Detroit in 1947 and built two careers in one — a clean, elegant defenseman who won four Lady Byng Trophies (1951, 1953, 1954, 1961) and six First-Team All-Star berths, then, after a 1960 trade, a center Punch Imlach deployed against Jean Béliveau. Eight Stanley Cups followed, four each with Detroit and Toronto — the most ever by a player who never wore Canadiens colors — and he even served as a Member of Parliament while playing. Not a rookie card; he was a seven-year veteran here. Hall of Fame, 1969.
Sources: Wikipedia · Hockey-Reference · Hockey Hall of Fame
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 319 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 66 | 70 | 57 | 74 | 3 |
| SGC | 80 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 3 |
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 Detroit Red Wings cards:
- #4 Johnny Wilson
- #8 Gordie Howe
- #9 Benny Woit
- #16 Glen Skov
- #27 Marcel Pronovost
- #34 Marty Pavelich
- #39 Alex Delvecchio
- #45 Tony Leswick
- #46 Bob Goldham
- #51 Ted Lindsay
- #52 Dutch Reibel
- #57 Bill Dineen
- #58 Terry Sawchuk
- #59 Marcel Bonin
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954-55 Topps Red Kelly card?
It is card #5 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 Red Kelly with the Detroit Red Wings.
Is Red Kelly in the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Yes - Red Kelly was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969. Sixteen of the set's 60 cards picture Hall of Famers.
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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