1956 Topps #317 Al Aber
1956 Topps #317 Al Aber
About Al Aber
Albert Julius "Al" Aber was a left-handed pitcher born July 31, 1927, in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1993). A hometown fan of the Indians, he signed with Cleveland for just $225 in 1945, turning down a larger Yankees offer, and worked his way up through the minors, going 24-8 with a 2.71 ERA at Class-B Spartanburg in 1949. Aber debuted for the Indians on September 15, 1950, then lost the 1951-52 seasons to military service during the Korean War, serving with the Fourth Division in Frankfurt, Germany. On June 15, 1953, he was dealt to the Detroit Tigers in the large multiplayer trade that also sent Ray Boone and Steve Gromek to Detroit. Working as a spot starter and reliever over six big-league seasons with the Indians, Tigers (1953-57), and Kansas City Athletics (1957), Aber compiled a 24-25 record with a 4.18 ERA and 169 strikeouts in 168 games. His best year was 1955 (6-3, 3.38), and in 1956 — the year of this high-number Series 4 card — he led the Tigers with seven saves, a decade before saves became an official statistic. After baseball he became a sales representative in Cleveland.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
High Number (Series 4)
Cards 261-340. Unlike most vintage sets, the 1956 high numbers carry NO series premium - they were distributed in similar quantities to the rest of the set.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 642 | 0 | 9 | 179 | 200 | 150 | 63 | 41 | 0 |
| SGC | 48 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-30. 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 1956 Topps Al Aber card?
It is card #317 of 340 in the 1956 Topps set - Topps' first set after buying out rival Bowman, and one of the most attractive issues in the hobby. It pictures the Detroit Tigers player.
Is the 1956 Topps Al Aber valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back or front variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, BaseballCardPedia, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data, images & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.