1955 Topps #174 Rudy Minarcin
1955 Topps #174 Rudy Minarcin
About Rudy Minarcin
A right-handed pitcher out of North Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, Rudy Minarcin signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an 18-year-old in 1948 and began his career with his hometown Class-C Vandergrift Pioneers. He climbed through the minors - winning 16 games for Buffalo in 1951 - with his path interrupted by U.S. Army service during the Korean War (1952-1954), where a knee injury sapped some of his power. Minarcin reached the majors with the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1955 and pitched three big-league seasons, adding two years with the Boston Red Sox (1956-1957) as both a starter and reliever. His signature outing came on June 4, 1955, when he threw a complete-game one-hit shutout to beat the Pirates 6-0 and drove in two runs himself; Dale Long's infield single was the only hit. Over 70 appearances (13 starts) he went 6-9 with a 4.66 ERA, three complete games, one shutout, three saves and 70 strikeouts. Nicknamed "Potato Head" as a boy, he later ran the family grocery in Vandergrift until 1995. This 1955 Topps #174 is his rookie card, a Series 2 high number.
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.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 675 | 0 | 11 | 136 | 180 | 181 | 93 | 73 | 1 |
| SGC | 61 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1955 Topps Rudy Minarcin card?
It is card #174 of 206 in the 1955 Topps set - Topps' first fully horizontal design. It pictures the Cincinnati Redlegs 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 Rudy Minarcin 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.