1954 Topps #22 Jim Greengrass
About Jim Greengrass
A power-hitting outfielder from Addison, New York, Jim Greengrass (1927-2019) signed with the New York Yankees in 1944 at age 16 and spent nearly seven years in the minors before the Yankees traded him to Cincinnati on August 28, 1952 in the deal for All-Star pitcher Ewell Blackwell. Greengrass reached the majors that year and played five big-league seasons (1952-1956) with the Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs and Philadelphia Phillies, mostly in left field. In 1953 he started 153 of the club's 155 games, hitting 20 homers with 100 RBI, and in 1954 he set career highs of 27 home runs and drove in 95 runs. On Opening Day 1954 he stroked four doubles, tying a major-league record shared with Pop Dillon. Phlebitis struck in 1955 and ended his career after 1956. He batted .269 lifetime with 482 hits, 69 home runs, and 282 RBI over 504 games.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 653 | 0 | 5 | 86 | 184 | 191 | 95 | 92 | 0 |
| SGC | 71 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 0 |
PSA by back: White Back 635 · Gray Back 18
SGC by back: White Back 69 · Gray Back 2
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-26. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8); totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1954 Topps Jim Greengrass card?
It is card #22 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the Cincinnati Redlegs player.
Does the 1954 Topps Jim Greengrass 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 Jim Greengrass 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 2026-07-01.