1956 Topps #283 Hal Smith
1956 Topps #283 Hal Smith
About Hal Smith
Harold Raymond "Hal" Smith, a right-handed catcher born June 1, 1931, in Barling, Arkansas, signed with the St. Louis Cardinals after starring at the 1948 Arkansas American Legion state tournament and spent roughly seven seasons in the minors, beginning at Albany, Georgia, in 1949, before reaching the majors. This 1956 Topps card is his rookie card, issued the year he debuted (May 2, 1956) and took over as the Cardinals' regular catcher on a club that still featured Stan Musial and Red Schoendienst. Smith caught for St. Louis from 1956 through 1961 and was a two-time National League All-Star (1957 and 1959). Prized for his throwing arm, he led NL catchers in gunning down would-be base stealers in 1959 and 1960 and posted a .989 career fielding mark. Over seven seasons (a final four-game cameo came with the 1965 Pirates) he batted .258 with 437 hits, 23 home runs, and 172 RBI in 570 games. Nicknamed "the Barling Darling" for his Arkansas hometown, he was forced to retire in 1961 by a coronary condition at age 30 and was succeeded behind the plate by Tim McCarver; he later coached and scouted for decades. He is not to be confused with the contemporaneous catcher Hal W. Smith, a distinction the card's "Hal R. Smith" note reflects.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 582 | 1 | 12 | 162 | 172 | 136 | 67 | 31 | 1 |
| SGC | 38 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 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 Hal Smith card?
It is card #283 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 St. Louis Cardinals player, and is his first Topps card (rookie).
Is the 1956 Topps Hal Smith 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.