1956 Topps #264 Ray Monzant
1956 Topps #264 Ray Monzant
About Ray Monzant
A right-handed pitcher born Ramón Segundo Monzant Espina on January 4, 1933, in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Ray Monzant entered pro ball in 1952 with the Shelby Farmers before the New York Giants purchased his contract, and he starred in the minors by winning 23 games for the Danville Leafs in 1953. He debuted with the Giants on July 2, 1954, at age 21, and pitched for the franchise through 1960 across its New York and San Francisco years (sitting out 1959 with a sore arm), finishing 16-21 with a 4.38 ERA and 201 strikeouts over 316-2/3 innings. He holds a notable place in Latin American baseball history as one of the first Venezuelan-born players in the majors and the first Venezuelan-born pitcher in the National League, and on April 16, 1958, he threw the first West Coast night game, facing the Los Angeles Dodgers after both clubs moved to California. His career ended in 1960 with Tacoma when he broke his leg sliding into second base. A hero at home, Monzant was later inducted into the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame (2006) and the Navegantes del Magallanes Hall of Fame (2012). This high-number card (#264) lists him by his Americanized name "Ray."
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 | 723 | 0 | 19 | 217 | 228 | 151 | 68 | 40 | 0 |
| SGC | 59 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 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 Ray Monzant card?
It is card #264 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 New York Giants player, and is his first Topps card (rookie).
Is the 1956 Topps Ray Monzant 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.