1956 Topps #47 Art Fowler
1956 Topps #47 Art Fowler
About Art Fowler
Right-hander John Arthur "Art" Fowler (July 3, 1922 - January 29, 2007) was signed by the New York Giants as an amateur free agent in 1944 and endured a decade-long minor-league apprenticeship - with stops at Bristol, Danville, Jersey City, Minneapolis, Jacksonville, Atlanta and Milwaukee - before finally reaching the majors with the Cincinnati Redlegs on April 17, 1954, at age 31. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, going 12-10 with a 3.83 ERA and ranking ninth in the National League with 227⅔ innings pitched. Fowler pitched for the Redlegs (1954-57), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1959) and the Los Angeles Angels (1961-64), moving from the rotation to the bullpen and finishing his career 54-51 with a 4.03 ERA, 539 strikeouts and 32 saves across 362 games. He earned no All-Star selections but was a durable, strike-throwing workhorse. Fowler gained his greatest fame after his playing days as Billy Martin's longtime pitching coach with the Twins, Tigers, Rangers, Yankees and Athletics, mentoring Ron Guidry to a 25-3 Cy Young season in 1978. This card is found with both white and gray back stock, the gray being the scarcer of the two.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 1 & 2 (cards 1-180)
Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
- White Back: Printed on white/cream card stock. The standard/common look on cards 1-100; the SCARCE, premium variation on cards 101-180.
- Gray Back: Printed on gray card stock. The scarcer variation on cards 1-100 (modest premium); the common look on cards 101-180; the ONLY back on cards 181-340.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 929 | 2 | 28 | 279 | 307 | 167 | 87 | 59 | 0 |
| SGC | 63 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 234 · White Back 695
SGC by variation: Gray Back 36 · Gray Back (Overprint - Dodgers) 1 · White Back 26
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 Art Fowler card?
It is card #47 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 Cincinnati Redlegs player.
Does the 1956 Topps Art Fowler have back variations?
Yes. Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
Is the 1956 Topps Art Fowler 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.