1956 Topps #273 Walker Cooper
1956 Topps #273 Walker Cooper
About Walker Cooper
Robert William "Walker" Cooper, an Atherton, Missouri native, debuted for the St. Louis Cardinals on September 25, 1940 and went on to a rugged 18-season career (1940-1957) as one of the National League's premier catchers. Big and durable, he formed a celebrated brother battery with pitcher Mort Cooper, the 1942 NL MVP, and together they helped the Cardinals capture two World Series titles (1942 and 1944); Walker hit .300-plus in each of his three Fall Classic appearances. He earned eight All-Star selections and passed through seven franchises, including the Giants, Reds, Braves, Pirates and Cubs. On July 6, 1949, playing for Cincinnati, he became the only catcher in big-league history with a 10-RBI game, going 6-for-7 with three homers in a 23-4 rout of the Cubs. Cooper retired with a .285 average, 1,341 hits, 173 home runs and 812 RBI across 1,473 games. Card #273 is a scarce Series 4 high number.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
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 | 617 | 0 | 12 | 194 | 194 | 121 | 60 | 36 | 0 |
| SGC | 42 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 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 Walker Cooper card?
It is card #273 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 St. Louis Cardinals player.
Is the 1956 Topps Walker Cooper 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.