1956 Topps #154 Dave Pope
1956 Topps #154 Dave Pope
About Dave Pope
A left-handed-hitting outfielder born in 1921 in Talladega, Alabama, and raised in Liberty, Pennsylvania, Dave Pope attended Liberty High School and the University of Pittsburgh, served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and began his pro career in 1946 with the Negro leagues' Homestead Grays (later the Pittsburgh Crawfords). He starred for Farnham in Quebec's Provincial League (.361 with 23 home runs in 1948), signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1950, and dominated the minors before debuting in the majors on July 1, 1952. Pope played parts of four MLB seasons (1952, 1954-1956) with Cleveland and Baltimore, batting .265 with 12 home runs and 73 RBI over 230 games. As a reserve and pinch-hitter he hit .294 for the 1954 Indians club that won an American-League-record 111 games and the pennant. He is best remembered for Game 1 of the 1954 World Series: playing right field, he leaped but came up just short of Dusty Rhodes's game-winning walk-off home run for the Giants. He later won an MVP award with San Diego of the Pacific Coast League and retired in 1961; he died in 1999. This #154 card, like others in the second series, exists with both the scarcer white-stock and more common gray-stock backs.
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 | 794 | 2 | 28 | 232 | 213 | 156 | 82 | 80 | 1 |
| SGC | 68 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 20 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 0 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 714 · White Back 80
SGC by variation: Gray Back 59 · White Back 9
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 Dave Pope card?
It is card #154 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 Baltimore Orioles player.
Does the 1956 Topps Dave Pope 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 Dave Pope 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.