1957 Topps #280 Alex Kellner
Scarce fourth series: #265-352 is the tough run of the 1957 set — roughly twice as hard to find as the other series ("tough, not rare"). No documented reason survives; the best-researched account is that Topps printed the hastily assembled final series in quantity and left Series 4 with the shortest run.
About Alex Kellner
A Tucson lefthander, Alex Kellner signed with Cincinnati's organization at 16 in 1941, then served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Callaghan in the South Pacific before joining the Philadelphia Athletics' organization in 1947 and debuting in 1948. As a 1949 rookie he went 20-8 with 19 complete games, earned an All-Star berth, and finished runner-up for Rookie of the Year — then lost 20 games in 1950, the only pitcher since 1920 to drop 20 as a sophomore after a 20-win rookie season. The A's workhorse moved with the franchise to Kansas City in 1955, throwing the first American League pitch in the city's history and its first shutout. He finished 101-112 with 816 strikeouts over 12 seasons, closing with Cincinnati and St. Louis. Off the field, he and brother Walt, a fellow Athletics pitcher, captured mountain lions and bears for zoos and circuses. This card hails from 1957's scarce fourth series.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 451 | 0 | 3 | 84 | 173 | 117 | 52 | 22 | 0 |
| SGC | 19 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-05. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8). PSA counts are straight-graded (the +/Q qualifier rows are excluded).
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Alex Kellner card?
It is card #280 of the 1957 Topps Baseball set - the 407-card, 2-1/2 by 3-1/2 inch set that was Topps' first at the modern standard card size, with full-color photography and complete career stats on the back. It pictures Alex Kellner, Kansas City Athletics.
Is the 1957 Topps #280 hard to find?
It is part of the scarce fourth series (#265-352), the toughest run of the set - roughly twice as hard to find as the other series. It is tough, not rare; there is no documented distribution reason, only that Series 4 had the shortest print run.
How many cards are in the 1957 Topps set?
407 numbered cards. Collectors usually count 408 because #176 Gene Baker exists in an error ('Bakep') and a corrected back. The PSA master set adds the 8 checklists, 4 contest cards and the Lucky Penny for 421 items.
Sources: PSA CardFacts, Beckett, BaseballCardPedia, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and hobby press-sheet research (Net54 / Topps Archives). Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-10.