1956 Topps #178 Joe Black
1956 Topps #178 Joe Black
About Joe Black
Joseph Black (1924-2002) was a right-handed pitcher from Plainfield, New Jersey who starred at Morgan State College before pitching in the Negro Leagues for the Baltimore Elite Giants (1943, 1946-1950). Signed into the Brooklyn Dodgers organization, he burst onto the scene in 1952 at age 28, going 15-4 with a 2.15 ERA and 15 saves in 56 games and winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award. That October he made history as the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game, throwing a six-hitter to beat Allie Reynolds and the Yankees 4-2 in Game 1; manager Chuck Dressen leaned on him so heavily he started three games in seven days. Black never recaptured that peak, and in June 1955 the Dodgers traded him to the Cincinnati Redlegs, the club he appears with on this card, before he finished with the Washington Senators in 1957. Over six big-league seasons he compiled a 30-12 record with a 3.91 ERA and 25 saves. Card #178 exists with both the scarcer white and more common gray back stock found on Series 2 of the 1956 set. After baseball Black became a Greyhound executive and a tireless advocate for Negro League pensions.
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 | 986 | 1 | 11 | 229 | 278 | 218 | 139 | 110 | 0 |
| SGC | 89 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 11 | 25 | 22 | 0 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 878 · White Back 108
SGC by variation: Gray Back 77 · White Back 12
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 Joe Black card?
It is card #178 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 Cincinnati Redlegs player.
Does the 1956 Topps Joe Black 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 Joe Black 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.