1956 Topps #61 Bill Skowron
1956 Topps #61 Bill Skowron
About Bill Skowron
Signed by the New York Yankees in 1950 after a scout spotted the former Purdue athlete playing semipro ball, William Joseph "Moose" Skowron earned The Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year honors in 1952 before reaching the Bronx in 1954. A powerful right-handed first baseman, he anchored the Yankees' lineup from 1954 to 1962, hitting behind Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, and later played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels across 14 big-league seasons. Skowron was an eight-time All-Star who won five World Series titles—four with the Yankees (1956, 1958, 1961, 1962) and one with the 1963 Dodgers. In the very year of this card, he capped the 1956 Fall Classic with a seventh-inning grand slam off Roger Craig at Ebbets Field, powering New York's 9-0 Game 7 clincher over Brooklyn. He retired with a .282 average, 1,566 hits, 211 home runs and 888 RBI. His nickname traced to a boyhood haircut said to resemble Benito Mussolini, shortened by family and friends to "Moose." As a Series-1 card (#1-180), #61 exists with both the common white and scarcer gray back stock. Skowron died in 2012.
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 | 1,210 | 0 | 22 | 182 | 293 | 315 | 196 | 201 | 1 |
| SGC | 183 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 31 | 34 | 47 | 61 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 369 · White Back 841
SGC by variation: Gray Back 89 · White Back 94
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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More New York Yankees cards
- Andy Carey
- Joe Collins
- Bob Turley
- Bob Grim
- Johnny Kucks
- Yogi Berra
- Phil Rizzuto
- Mickey Mantle
- Tommy Carroll
- Hank Bauer
- Billy Martin
- Elston Howard
- Tommy Byrne
- Gil McDougald
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Bill Skowron card?
It is card #61 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 New York Yankees player.
Does the 1956 Topps Bill Skowron 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 Skowron 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.