1956 Topps #72 Philadelphia Phillies Team
1956 Topps #72 Philadelphia Phillies Team
About Philadelphia Phillies Team
Card #72 pictures the Philadelphia Phillies, whose 1955 club — the season this 1956 Topps card reflects — went 77-77 to finish fourth in the National League under manager Mayo Smith. The franchise's most recent glory was the 1950 "Whiz Kids," a famously young roster that captured the Phillies' first pennant in 35 years when Dick Sisler's tenth-inning home run on the final day beat the Dodgers, before the club was swept by the New York Yankees in the World Series. That team's stars still anchored the mid-1950s squad: center fielder Richie Ashburn won the 1955 NL batting title at .338 (later elected to the Hall of Fame in 1995), while right-hander Robin Roberts led the staff with 23 wins and a 3.28 ERA (Hall of Fame, 1976). Outfielder Del Ennis paced the offense with 29 home runs and 120 RBI. As a double-printed team card, #72 also exists with both the common white and the scarcer gray back stock found across the 1956 set.
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 | 1,835 | 0 | 25 | 252 | 473 | 508 | 294 | 279 | 4 |
| SGC | 206 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 44 | 30 | 54 | 64 | 3 |
PSA by variation: No Date, Name Center-Gray Back 278 · No Date, Name Center-White Back 575 · No Date, Name Left-Gray Back 155 · No Date, Name Left-White Back 357 · With Date-White Back 470
SGC by variation: Dated 1 · Dated 1955 9 · Dated 1955 White Back 18 · Gray Back 11 · Gray Back, Dated 1955 1 · Gray Back, Name Centered 11 · Gray Back, Name Left 1 · Name at Left 8 · Name Centered 10 · Name Centered Gray Back 17 · Name Centered Gray Back (Overprint - Jensen) 1 · Name Centered White Back 24 · Name Left 6 · Name Left Gray Back 6 · Name Left White Back 13 · Name Left White Back (Overprint - Sandy Amoros) 1 · No Date, Name at Left 6 · No Date, Name Centered 14 · Team Card 1 · White Back 8 · White Back, Dated 1955 14 · White Back, Name Centered 5 · White Back, Name Left 9 · White Back, No Date, Name Centered 1 · With Date 10
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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More Philadelphia Phillies cards
- Ron Negray
- Mayo Smith
- Herm Wehmeier
- Wally Westlake
- Jim Owens
- Richie Ashburn
- Willie Jones
- Glen Gorbous
- Robin Roberts
- Stan Lopata
- Granny Hamner
- Murry Dickson
- Del Ennis
- Jack Meyer
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Philadelphia Phillies Team card?
It is card #72 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 Philadelphia Phillies player.
Does the 1956 Topps Philadelphia Phillies Team have front variations?
Yes - this first-series team card exists in three front layouts: dated 1955, no date with the name centered, and no date with the name at the left.
Does the 1956 Topps Philadelphia Phillies Team 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 Philadelphia Phillies Team 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.