1955 Topps #178 Bobby Adams
1955 Topps #178 Bobby Adams
About Bobby Adams
Robert Henry "Bobby" Adams (1921-1997) was a right-handed infielder signed by the Cincinnati Reds in 1939 and sent to Ogden of the Class C Pioneer League alongside his brother Dick. His path to the majors was interrupted by World War II: he entered the Army Air Forces in January 1943 and played service ball with the likes of Joe DiMaggio before making his big-league debut on Opening Day, April 16, 1946. Adams spent 14 seasons (1946-1959) in the majors, primarily as a second and third baseman, with the Reds/Redlegs (1946-1955), White Sox (1955), Orioles (1956) and Cubs (1957-1959). His finest year was 1952, when he led the National League in singles (152), at-bats (637) and games played (154) while batting .283. Over 1,281 games he hit .269 with 1,082 hits, 37 home runs and 303 RBI. After retiring he coached for the Cubs, including their "College of Coaches." He was the brother of first baseman Dick Adams and father of outfielder Mike Adams. This card is a Series 2 high number, printed in shorter supply than the set's low numbers.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Variations & how to tell them apart
High Number (#161-210)
Series 2 (#161-210) shipped in the fall against the new football-card season, so retailers cut their orders and far fewer were printed. As a result the set's biggest high-number names - Roberto Clemente (RC), Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Gil Hodges and Duke Snider - are tougher than low-number stars such as Williams, Robinson and Aaron.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 547 | 0 | 1 | 79 | 125 | 150 | 107 | 84 | 1 |
| SGC | 58 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 26 | 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 Bobby Adams card?
It is card #178 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Cincinnati Redlegs player.
Why is this card scarce?
It is in the 1955 Topps high-number series (#161-210), which shipped in the fall against the new football cards, so far fewer were printed - the scarcest run in the set.
Is the 1955 Topps Bobby Adams valuable?
Value depends on grade and its scarce high-number status. 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.