1956 Topps #55 Wally Moon
1956 Topps #55 Wally Moon
About Wally Moon
Born April 3, 1930, in Bay, Arkansas, Wallace Wade "Wally" Moon earned a master's degree in educational administration at Texas A&M before the St. Louis Cardinals signed the left-handed-hitting outfielder for a $6,000 bonus, letting him finish his schooling while climbing through Omaha and Triple-A Rochester. He forced his way onto the big-league roster in 1954 and won National League Rookie of the Year that season, batting .304 with 12 home runs and 76 RBI and beating out Hank Aaron and Ernie Banks. Over a 12-year career with the Cardinals (1954-1958) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1959-1965), Moon hit .289 with 142 home runs and 661 RBI, earned All-Star selections in 1957 and 1959, and won a 1960 Gold Glove. After joining the Dodgers he learned an opposite-field stroke to clear the Los Angeles Coliseum's towering left-field screen; broadcaster Vin Scully dubbed the resulting drives "Moon shots," and Moon homered in Game 6 of the 1959 World Series as part of three Dodgers championship teams (1959, 1963, 1965). This card #55 exists with both white and (scarcer) gray back stock, the printing variation found on lower-numbered 1956 Topps cards.
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 | 886 | 0 | 23 | 227 | 261 | 199 | 91 | 85 | 0 |
| SGC | 70 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 18 | 1 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 221 · White Back 665
SGC by variation: Gray Back 34 · Gray Back (Overprint - Martin) 1 · White Back 35
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 St. Louis Cardinals cards
- Ken Boyer
- Nelson Burbrink
- Alex Grammas
- Luis Arroyo
- Harvey Haddix
- Larry Jackson
- St. Louis Cardinals Team
- Joe Frazier
- Red Schoendienst
- Bill Virdon
- Vinegar Bend Mizell
- Tom Poholsky
- Rip Repulski
- Bill Sarni
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Wally Moon card?
It is card #55 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.
Does the 1956 Topps Wally Moon 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 Wally Moon 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.