1956 Topps #43 Ray Moore
1956 Topps #43 Ray Moore
About Ray Moore
Raymond Leroy Moore was a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher discovered by Brooklyn Dodgers scout Rex Bowen while playing service ball in Manila during his Army stint, and he signed with the Dodgers organization ahead of the 1947 season. After nearly six years in the minors, he debuted for Brooklyn on August 1, 1952, but found little room on the star-laden Dodgers and was traded to the Baltimore Orioles, where he finally got a real chance across 1955-57. His finest year was 1956, the season of this card, when he went 12-7 with a 4.18 ERA and a career-high nine complete games as a starter and spot reliever. Over 11 seasons (1952-63) with the Dodgers, Orioles, Chicago White Sox and Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins, he finished 63-59 with a 4.06 ERA, 612 strikeouts and 46 saves. Nicknamed "Farmer" for the tobacco and crops he raised and "Old Blue" after a favorite coonhound, Moore reached his only postseason with the 1959 White Sox, working one World Series inning against the Dodgers and yielding a home run to pinch-hitter Chuck Essegian. He later reinvented himself as one of the AL's top relievers in Washington. Like all Series 1 cards (#1-180), #43 exists with both white and gray back stock, the gray being the scarcer.
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.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 723 | 0 | 12 | 199 | 226 | 141 | 71 | 74 | 0 |
| SGC | 50 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 210 · White Back 513
SGC by variation: Gray Back 30 · Gray Back (Overprint - Rizzuto) 1 · White Back 19
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 Moore card?
It is card #43 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 Baltimore Orioles player.
Does the 1956 Topps Ray Moore 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 Ray Moore 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.