1955 Topps #168 Duane Pillette
1955 Topps #168 Duane Pillette
About Duane Pillette
Duane Xavier "Dee" Pillette was a right-handed pitcher and a second-generation big leaguer: his father, Herman Pillette, won 19 games as a Detroit Tigers rookie in 1922, the year Duane was born in Detroit. A Yankees scout arranged a scholarship to Santa Clara University, and New York signed him in 1946 with a $10,000 bonus. Pillette debuted with the Yankees in 1949 and pitched eight major-league seasons (1949-1956) for the Yankees, St. Louis Browns (1950-53), Baltimore Orioles (1954-55) and Philadelphia Phillies. Working mostly for second-division clubs, he went 38-66 with a 4.40 ERA and 305 strikeouts over 188 games. His best year came in 1954, when he posted a 3.12 ERA with 11 complete games for Baltimore and became the first winning pitcher in the modern Orioles' history. He also started the St. Louis Browns' final game on September 27, 1953, before the franchise moved to Baltimore. Nicknamed "Dee" from his first initial, he was later inducted into Santa Clara's Athletic Hall of Fame and died in 2011 at age 88. This is a high-number-series card; its back carries an error, listing an incorrect birth date (it should read July 24, 1922).
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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.
Card-back note
Uncorrected error on the back: Birth date should be July 24, 1922.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 545 | 0 | 15 | 104 | 138 | 136 | 79 | 73 | 0 |
| SGC | 48 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More Baltimore Orioles cards
- Hal Smith
- Fred Marsh
- Bob Kennedy
- Billy O'Dell
- Gus Triandos
- Chuck Diering
- Harry Brecheen
- Willie Miranda
- Joe Coleman
- Don Johnson
- Don Ferrarese
- Gene Woodling
- Ray Moore
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1955 Topps Duane Pillette card?
It is card #168 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Baltimore Orioles 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 Duane Pillette 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.