1956 Topps #271 Foster Castleman
1956 Topps #271 Foster Castleman
About Foster Castleman
Foster Ephraim Castleman (January 1, 1931 - November 9, 2020) was a right-handed infielder from Nashville, Tennessee, who signed with the New York Giants in 1949 after Hall of Fame pitcher Carl Hubbell spotted him and arranged a tryout, landing him a Class C contract. He worked his way up through the Giants' farm system, including the Minneapolis Millers, and reached the majors on August 4, 1954, during New York's World Series championship season. Primarily a third baseman and shortstop, Castleman played parts of five big-league seasons for the Giants (1954-1957) and Baltimore Orioles (1958), batting .205 with 136 hits, 20 home runs, and 65 RBI over 268 games. His best year was 1956 - the season captured on this card - when he took over as the Giants' regular third baseman, started 97 games at the hot corner, and hit 14 home runs (tied for third on the club) while batting .226. Recurring knee trouble that required multiple surgeries eroded his effectiveness, and he was out of the majors after 1958. This is Castleman's rookie card, one of the scarcer fourth-series high numbers (#265-340) in the 1956 Topps set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Variations & how to tell them apart
High Number (Series 4)
Cards 261-340. Unlike most vintage sets, the 1956 high numbers carry NO series premium - they were distributed in similar quantities to the rest of the set.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 580 | 0 | 11 | 150 | 182 | 142 | 68 | 27 | 0 |
| SGC | 38 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
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 Foster Castleman card?
It is card #271 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 Giants player, and is his first Topps card (rookie).
Is the 1956 Topps Foster Castleman 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.