1954 Topps #5 Ed Lopat
About Ed Lopat
Born Edmund Walter Lopatynski in New York City in 1918 (d. 1992), Ed Lopat was a crafty left-handed pitcher originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1936; he spent seven seasons in the minors, converting from first base to the mound, before debuting with the Chicago White Sox in 1944. Traded to the New York Yankees in 1948, he became a cornerstone of Casey Stengel's dynasty, going 166-112 with a 3.21 ERA and 859 strikeouts over 12 seasons (1944-1955) with the White Sox, Yankees, and Baltimore Orioles. A 1951 All-Star, he led the American League in ERA (2.42) and winning percentage (.800) in 1953, and won five straight World Series titles with the Yankees (1949-1953), compiling a 4-1 record and 2.60 ERA in Series play. Nicknamed "Steady Eddie" and "the Junk Man" for a repertoire of slow, off-speed pitches thrown with identical motion, he baffled sluggers like Ted Williams. He later managed the Kansas City Athletics (1963-1964).
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 1 (cards 1-50)
Every card in the first series exists with the standard white/cream back (United States) and a scarcer gray back printed for the Canadian market. The grays were printed in Canada on a darker, gray cardstock and distributed in Canadian nickel packs; they exist for cards 1-50 only and carry a small-to-moderate premium. This is the genuine 'Canadian' issue from which the 1952 Topps gray-back 'Canadian' myth mistakenly borrowed its name.
- White Back: Standard United States issue. White/cream card stock - the common back for cards 1-50.
- Gray Back — scarcer: The Canadian printing. Printed in Canada on a visibly gray/darker cardstock and distributed in Canadian packs; exists for the first series (#1-50) only. Scarcer than the white back and carries a premium - modest on commons, meaningful on the stars (Williams, Robinson, Spahn, Snider, Ford, Berra, etc.). Tell: the back stock is uniformly gray - not to be confused with edge-toning on a white back.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 727 | 0 | 6 | 78 | 131 | 188 | 170 | 153 | 1 |
| SGC | 116 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 34 | 53 | 2 |
PSA by back: White Back 717 · Gray Back 10
SGC by back: White Back 115 · Gray Back 1
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-26. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954 Topps Ed Lopat card?
It is card #5 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the New York Yankees player.
Does the 1954 Topps Ed Lopat have back variations?
Yes. Every card in the first series exists with the standard white/cream back (United States) and a scarcer gray back printed for the Canadian market. The grays were printed in Canada on a darker, gray cardstock and distributed in Canadian nickel packs; they exist for cards 1-50 only and carry a small-to-moderate premium. This is the genuine 'Canadian' issue from which the 1952 Topps gray-back 'Canadian' myth mistakenly borrowed its name.
Is the 1954 Topps Ed Lopat valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back variation. 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 2026-10-05.