1956 Topps #339 Rance Pless
1956 Topps #339 Rance Pless
About Rance Pless
Rance Pless (born December 6, 1925, in Greeneville, Tennessee; died there in 2017) was a right-handed-hitting corner infielder whose lone big-league summer is captured on this high-number card, his first and only Topps issue. After Navy service on a landing craft during World War II, Pless entered pro ball in 1947 in the New York Giants' farm system and spent nine seasons there, becoming one of the minors' best pure hitters. He won two batting championships, taking the 1952 Double-A Southern Association title at .364 and the 1955 Triple-A American Association crown at .337, and finished with a career minor-league average around .303. The 1955 title earned him a shot with the newly relocated Kansas City Athletics, and he debuted on April 21, 1956, appearing in 48 games at first base, third base and as a pinch-hitter. He collected 23 hits in 85 at-bats for a .271 average with three doubles, a triple and nine RBI, and never hit a major-league home run. Pless returned to the minors through 1960, playing in the Yankees, Cardinals and Tigers chains before retiring. As card #339 falls in Series 4, collectors will find it with either the white or gray back stock used on the set's high numbers.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
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 | 120 | 187 | 179 | 105 | 72 | 0 |
| SGC | 39 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 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.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More Kansas City Athletics cards
- Elmer Valo
- Hector Lopez
- Jim Finigan
- Gus Zernial
- Arnie Portocarrero
- Vic Power
- Bill Renna
- Joe Astroth
- Enos Slaughter
- Spook Jacobs
- Joe DeMaestri
- Alex Kellner
- Kansas City Athletics Team
- Harry Simpson
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Rance Pless card?
It is card #339 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 Kansas City Athletics player, and is his first Topps card (rookie).
Is the 1956 Topps Rance Pless 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.