1954 Topps #83 Joe Collins
About Joe Collins
Born Joseph Edward Kollonige on December 3, 1922, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Joe Collins began semipro ball at 16, was spotted by bird-dog scout Bill Schroeder, and joined the Yankees' farm system in 1939. A left-handed first baseman (who also saw outfield duty), he spent his entire 10-year major-league career with the New York Yankees (1948-1957), a fixture on Casey Stengel's dynasty. Over 908 games he batted .256 with 596 hits, 86 home runs, and 329 RBI. Collins appeared in seven World Series and won five championships (1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1956). He shone in the Fall Classic, homering in the 1951 and 1953 Series, and famously hitting two home runs off Brooklyn's Don Newcombe in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series (a Yankee win, though Brooklyn took the series). Nicknamed "Old 97," a tag teammates pinned on him for his roughly 97 different batting stances, he legally changed his surname to Collins in 1954. He died August 30, 1989, in Union, New Jersey, where Joe Collins Park honors him.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 672 | 1 | 12 | 123 | 182 | 153 | 118 | 82 | 1 |
| SGC | 94 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 20 | 11 | 16 | 31 | 1 |
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 Joe Collins card?
It is card #83 of 250 in the 1954 Topps set, issued at the peak of the Topps-Bowman 'Card Wars'. It pictures the New York Yankees player.
Is the 1954 Topps Joe Collins 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.