1956 Topps #194 Monte Irvin
1956 Topps #194 Monte Irvin
About Monte Irvin
One of the greatest players of the segregation era, Monte Irvin (born February 25, 1919, in Haleburg, Alabama; raised in Orange, New Jersey) starred for the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League from 1938 to 1948, interrupted by wartime military service (1943-1945). A feared hitter, he won multiple Negro Leagues batting titles and hit .462 as the Eagles beat the Kansas City Monarchs to win the 1946 Negro World Series. The New York Giants purchased his contract, and he debuted in the majors on July 8, 1949, at age 30. His finest season came in 1951, when he batted .312 with 24 home runs and a National League-leading 121 RBI, finished third in the MVP vote, and helped form the majors' first all-Black outfield with Willie Mays and Hank Thompson; he then hit .458 in the World Series and famously stole home in Game 1 off Allie Reynolds, which he later called the biggest thrill of his career. Irvin was a 1954 World Series champion as the Giants swept Cleveland, and he mentored the young Mays. Over eight big-league seasons with the Giants (1949-1955) and Chicago Cubs (1956) he batted .293 with 731 hits, 99 home runs, and 443 RBI in 764 games; this card captures his final playing season with the Cubs. He later worked 17 years in the commissioner's public-relations office and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 1,300 | 3 | 15 | 191 | 254 | 305 | 233 | 299 | 0 |
| SGC | 378 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 33 | 54 | 82 | 188 | 2 |
SGC by variation: Standard 377 · Gray Back 1
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 Monte Irvin card?
It is card #194 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 Chicago Cubs player.
Is the 1956 Topps Monte Irvin 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.