1955 Topps #112 Nellie King
1955 Topps #112 Nellie King
About Nellie King
A tall, lanky 6-foot-6 right-handed relief pitcher, Nelson Joseph "Nellie" King (1928-2010) was signed out of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, by the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1946 and reached Pittsburgh after a long minor-league apprenticeship interrupted by U.S. Army service during the Korean War. He pitched all four of his major-league seasons (1954-1957) for the Pirates, working almost entirely in relief and finishing 7-5 with a 3.58 ERA and 72 strikeouts over 95 games. His best year was 1956, when he went 4-1 with seven saves for a young, rising club; the previous season he tossed seven shutout innings in relief against the Phillies. A curveball delivered against the Cubs in August 1956 injured his arm, and he was forced to retire in 1957 at age 29. King is best remembered in Pittsburgh for his second act: he joined Bob Prince and Jim Woods in the Pirates' radio booth in 1967, calling the team's 1971 World Series championship, before a long tenure as sports information director at Duquesne University. This 1955 Topps card is his rookie card.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 752 | 0 | 18 | 172 | 231 | 197 | 90 | 44 | 0 |
| SGC | 66 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 20 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 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 Nellie King card?
It is card #112 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Pittsburgh Pirates player, and is his rookie card.
Is the 1955 Topps Nellie King 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.