1956 Topps #126 Jim Brady
1956 Topps #126 Jim Brady
About Jim Brady
Card #126 is the rookie card of James Joseph "Jim" Brady Jr., a left-handed pitcher born March 2, 1936, in Jersey City, New Jersey. The Detroit Tigers signed him off the University of Notre Dame campus as a "bonus baby" in 1955, a status that under the era's bonus rule forced him to spend his first two seasons on the big-league roster; a 1955 injury cost him that entire season. Nicknamed "Diamond Jim" after the flamboyant Gilded Age figure of the same name, Brady made his major-league debut on May 12, 1956, retiring the Chicago White Sox in order for a perfect ninth inning at Briggs Stadium. That would be the highlight of a fleeting career: he pitched in just six relief games, all in 1956, going 0-0 with a 28.42 ERA over 6⅓ innings, surrendering 15 hits, three home runs and 11 walks while striking out three. Brady never appeared in another big-league game. He went on to a distinguished academic life, earning three degrees in economics from Notre Dame and later serving as the eighth president of Jacksonville University (1989-1996) before his death on August 18, 2024. As a Series 2 card, #126 exists with both the scarcer white and more common gray back stock.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 640 | 0 | 13 | 178 | 172 | 144 | 74 | 58 | 1 |
| SGC | 43 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 589 · White Back 51
SGC by variation: Gray Back 38 · White Back 5
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 Jim Brady card?
It is card #126 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 Detroit Tigers player, and is his first Topps card (rookie).
Does the 1956 Topps Jim Brady 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 Jim Brady 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.