1956 Topps #14 Ken Boyer
1956 Topps #14 Ken Boyer
About Ken Boyer
Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1949 as a pitcher, Ken Boyer was converted to third base in the minors after his bat demanded a regular spot, tearing up the Texas League with Houston in 1954 (.319, 21 HR, 116 RBI) before reaching the majors in 1955. A right-handed slugger and slick fielder, he anchored the Cardinals' hot corner for eleven seasons (1955-1965) and finished a 15-year career with brief stops in New York (Mets), Chicago (White Sox), and Los Angeles (Dodgers). An eleven-time All-Star selection who won five Gold Gloves (1958-1961, 1963), Boyer captured the 1964 National League MVP Award, batting .295 with 24 home runs and a league-leading 119 RBI while playing all 162 games and driving St. Louis to its first pennant in 18 years. In the 1964 World Series against the Yankees he hit a dramatic grand slam off Al Downing in Game 4 and homered in Game 7 as the Cardinals won the title; brother Clete Boyer homered in that same game, the only time brothers went deep in a World Series contest (a third brother, Cloyd, also pitched in the majors). He retired with a .287 average, 2,143 hits, 282 home runs, and 1,141 RBI, later managing the Cardinals from 1978 to 1980. Boyer died in 1982; though never elected to the Hall of Fame (peaking at 25.5% in 1988), he is widely regarded as the finest third baseman in Cardinals history. This early first-series card (#14) is a double print and exists with both the common white and scarcer 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.
Double Print
An uncut Series-1 sheet (110 cards, 10x11) shows 20 cards were double-printed - modestly more plentiful than their series-mates. The list happily includes #30 Jackie Robinson and #31 Hank Aaron. The only print-quantity designation in the set (there is no recognized short-print run).
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 1,284 | 1 | 19 | 256 | 325 | 302 | 176 | 205 | 0 |
| SGC | 221 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 39 | 43 | 56 | 64 | 5 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 326 · White Back 958
SGC by variation: Gray Back 108 · Gray Back (Overprint - Slaughter) 1 · White Back 112
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 Ken Boyer card?
It is card #14 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.
Does the 1956 Topps Ken Boyer 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 Ken Boyer 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.