1956 Topps #11 Chicago Cubs Team
1956 Topps #11 Chicago Cubs Team
About Chicago Cubs Team
Card #11 pictures the Chicago Cubs, whose 1955 club — the season this 1956 Topps team card commemorates — went 72-81 to finish sixth in the eight-team National League under manager Stan Hack. Though second-division finishers, the mid-1950s Cubs were built around a young star: shortstop Ernie Banks, who in 1955 batted .295 with 44 home runs and 117 RBI, a single-season home run record for a shortstop, and started his first of many All-Star Games. His double-play partner Gene Baker and third baseman Randy Jackson (21 homers) rounded out the infield, and right-hander Sam "Toothpick" Jones anchored the staff — on May 12, 1955, Jones no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates to become the first Black pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the major leagues. The franchise's glory lay in the past: the Cubs last reached the World Series in 1945 (losing to Detroit) and last won it in 1908, beginning a championship drought that would not end until 2016. Like other Series-1 cards, #11 exists with both white and (scarcer) gray back stock, and the team photo front is found in dated and undated layout variations.
Sources: Wikipedia
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 | 1,820 | 1 | 19 | 303 | 373 | 444 | 315 | 362 | 3 |
| SGC | 209 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 37 | 32 | 49 | 71 | 2 |
PSA by variation: No Date, Name Center-Gray Back 334 · No Date, Name Center-White Back 493 · No Date, Name Left-Gray Back 153 · No Date, Name Left-White Back 405 · With Date-White Back 435
SGC by variation: Dated 2 · Dated 1955 3 · Dated 1955 White Back 22 · Gray Back 11 · Gray Back, Name Centered 11 · Name at Left 9 · Name Centered 5 · Name Centered Gray Back 22 · Name Centered Gray Back (Overprint - Mathews) 1 · Name Centered White Back 30 · Name Left 2 · Name Left Gray Back 13 · Name Left White Back 11 · No Date, Name at Left 9 · No Date, Name Centered 3 · White Back 10 · White Back, Dated 1955 22 · White Back, Name Centered 5 · White Back, Name Left 9 · White Back, No Date, Name at Left 1 · With Date 7 · With Date, Name at Left 1
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 Chicago Cubs Team card?
It is card #11 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 Chicago Cubs player.
Does the 1956 Topps Chicago Cubs Team have front variations?
Yes - this first-series team card exists in three front layouts: dated 1955, no date with the name centered, and no date with the name at the left.
Does the 1956 Topps Chicago Cubs Team 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 Chicago Cubs Team 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.