1956 Topps #82 Bill Renna
1956 Topps #82 Bill Renna
About Bill Renna
A rangy right-handed outfielder, Bill Renna signed with the New York Yankees in 1949 after starring as a two-sport athlete at Santa Clara University, where he played both baseball and football and quarterbacked the West squad in the 1949 East-West college game; scout Joe Devine inked him for $5,000. He reached the majors with the pennant-winning 1953 Yankees, batting .314 in 61 games as a rookie, and though he earned a World Series ring that fall he was eligible but never used in the Series. That December he was dealt to the Athletics in an 11-player trade built around Vic Power, and 1954 became his fullest season: career highs of 13 home runs, 53 RBI, and 123 games for Philadelphia. He moved with the franchise to Kansas City, as this 1956 Topps card shows him, and later saw time with the Yankees again and the Red Sox. Over six seasons (1953-1959) the 6-foot-3, 218-pound slugger nicknamed "Big Bill" for his size hit .239 with 219 hits, 28 home runs, and 119 RBI in 370 games. He was among the first of several Santa Clara graduates to reach the big leagues. Renna was born in 1924 and died in 2014. Like other cards numbered 1-180 in the set, #82 exists with both the common white and scarcer gray back stock, and it is one of the set's double-printed cards.
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.
Double Print
An uncut Series-1 sheet (110 cards, 10x11) shows 20 cards were double-printed - modestly more plentiful than their series-mates. The list happily includes #30 Jackie Robinson and #31 Hank Aaron. The only print-quantity designation in the set (there is no recognized short-print run).
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 891 | 0 | 11 | 211 | 266 | 211 | 111 | 81 | 0 |
| SGC | 61 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 229 · White Back 662
SGC by variation: Gray Back 27 · Gray Back (Overprint - Snider) 1 · White Back 33
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 Bill Renna card?
It is card #82 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 Kansas City Athletics player.
Does the 1956 Topps Bill Renna 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 Bill Renna 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.