1955 Topps #118 Bob Purkey
1955 Topps #118 Bob Purkey
About Bob Purkey
A Pittsburgh native, right-handed pitcher Bob Purkey signed with his hometown Pirates out of high school in 1948 and worked his way up through the minors, reaching the majors with Pittsburgh in 1954. He is shown here on his Pirates card during a lean four-year stretch (1954-1957) before a December 1957 trade to Cincinnati remade his career. Reunited with Branch Rickey's knuckleball tutoring, Purkey blossomed as a Reds starter, going 103-76 over seven seasons and helping Cincinnati win the 1961 National League pennant; he threw a complete game in Game 3 of the 1961 World Series against the Yankees. His signature year was 1962, when he went 23-5 with a 2.81 ERA and led the majors with an .821 winning percentage. A multiple-time All-Star who also pitched for the Cardinals in 1965 before a final 1966 turn back in Pittsburgh, Purkey finished 129-115 with a 3.79 ERA and 793 strikeouts over 13 seasons, and was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1974.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 636 | 0 | 11 | 138 | 197 | 157 | 86 | 47 | 0 |
| SGC | 66 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 0 |
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 1955 Topps Bob Purkey card?
It is card #118 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Pittsburgh Pirates player.
Is the 1955 Topps Bob Purkey valuable?
Value depends on grade. 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.