1955 Topps #179 Jim Bolger
1955 Topps #179 Jim Bolger
About Jim Bolger
A Cincinnati native and three-sport star at Purcell Marian High School, Jim Bolger (James Cyril Bolger, 1932-2020) was courted by all 16 big-league clubs before signing with his hometown Reds, who called him the best outfield prospect the city had ever produced. He debuted on June 24, 1950, at just 18 years old - the youngest player in the majors at the time - and became the 1,000th man to appear for the Cincinnati franchise since 1876. A right-handed-hitting outfielder, he saw brief early time with the Reds (1950-51, 1954) before spending the bulk of his career with the Chicago Cubs (1955, 1957-58), finishing with the Indians and Phillies in 1959. His best year came in 1957, when he hit .275 as the Cubs' fourth outfielder in 112 games; the season before, he had earned Pacific Coast League All-Star honors with the Los Angeles Angels, batting .326 with 28 home runs. Over parts of seven seasons he played 312 games and hit .229 with 140 hits, 6 home runs, and 48 RBI. This high-number card (#179, Series 2) is his rookie card in the 1955 Topps set.
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 | 509 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 122 | 140 | 94 | 78 | 2 |
| SGC | 45 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 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 Jim Bolger card?
It is card #179 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Chicago Cubs player, and is his rookie card.
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 Jim Bolger 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.