1956 Topps #138 Johnny Antonelli
1956 Topps #138 Johnny Antonelli
About Johnny Antonelli
A hard-throwing left-hander from Rochester, New York, Johnny Antonelli became one of baseball's first celebrated "bonus babies" when the Boston Braves signed him in 1948 for a then-record bonus of more than $50,000, a deal that forced the 18-year-old straight onto the major-league roster with no minor-league seasoning. He pitched for the Braves in Boston and Milwaukee before a February 1954 trade (in the deal that sent Bobby Thomson to Milwaukee) landed him with the New York Giants, where his career took off. In 1954 Antonelli went 21-7 and led the majors with a 2.30 ERA, earning The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year honors and a third-place MVP finish, then starred as the Giants swept the Cleveland Indians in the World Series: he outdueled Hall of Famer Early Wynn to win Game 2 and saved the clinching Game 4, posting a 0.84 ERA for the Series. A six-time National League All-Star (1954 and 1956-1959), he finished a 12-year career (Braves, Giants, and a final 1961 season split between Cleveland and Milwaukee) with a 126-110 record, a 3.34 ERA, 25 shutouts, and 1,162 strikeouts. As card #138, his 1956 Topps issue is a second-series card found with both the scarcer white and the more common gray back stock.
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 | 889 | 1 | 28 | 240 | 255 | 176 | 100 | 88 | 1 |
| SGC | 74 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 19 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 0 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 833 · White Back 56
SGC by variation: Gray Back 69 · 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 Johnny Antonelli card?
It is card #138 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.
Does the 1956 Topps Johnny Antonelli 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 Johnny Antonelli 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.