1956 Topps #322 Karl Olson
1956 Topps #322 Karl Olson
About Karl Olson
A right-handed outfielder from Ross, California, Karl Olson (born July 6, 1930) starred at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley before the Boston Red Sox signed him in June 1948, sending the teenager into their farm system, where he hit .321 with 23 home runs and 100 RBI for Birmingham in 1950. He debuted with Boston on June 30, 1951, then lost the 1952 season to Korean War-era Army service at Fort Ord and Camp Drake in Japan, never seeing combat. Converted from the infield to the outfield, Olson played parts of six major-league seasons (1951, 1953-57) for the Red Sox, Washington Senators, and Detroit Tigers, batting .235 with 160 hits, 6 home runs, and 50 RBI in 279 games. His 1956 Topps card (#322, a fourth-series high number) lists his club as the Washington Nationals, the franchise's official name though it was popularly called the Senators; he opened the 1956 season by homering twice against the Yankees. Among his oddities, Olson hit into two triple plays, in 1953 and 1954. After baseball he ran restaurants near Lake Tahoe and later a construction company, and he died on December 25, 2010, at age 80.
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 | 672 | 0 | 9 | 193 | 233 | 138 | 61 | 38 | 0 |
| SGC | 47 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 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 Karl Olson card?
It is card #322 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 Washington Nationals player.
Is the 1956 Topps Karl Olson 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.