Hank Aaron - 1957 Topps #20
1957 Topps #20 Hank Aaron
Famous uncorrected error: the photo is a reverse negative, showing the right-handed Aaron batting lefty. Never corrected, so no variation pair exists.
Uncorrected error: Reverse negative; Hank Aaron reverse-negative image; uncorrected It was never corrected, so there is only one version of the card.
The #176 "Bakep" error: the back header reads "EUGENF W. BAKEP," the whole name garbled on the printing plate. It is the ONLY error Topps corrected in 1957, which is why the error back carries the premium — a PSA population near 215, topping out at PSA 8.
Reverse-negative error: the photo was printed from a flipped negative, so the right-handed Aaron appears to bat left-handed. Never corrected, so there is no variation pair and no premium.
About Hank Aaron
Hank Aaron signed with the Negro American League's Indianapolis Clowns in 1951, hit .366, and saw his contract purchased by the Braves the following June. By 1957 the Milwaukee right fielder was the National League MVP, leading the league with 44 home runs and 132 RBIs, clinching the pennant with an 11th-inning walk-off homer on September 23, then batting .393 with three home runs as the Braves beat the Yankees in the World Series. Nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" as a rookie, he earned 25 All-Star selections and on April 8, 1974 broke Babe Ruth's record with home run No. 715 off Al Downing, enduring a torrent of racist hate mail during the chase. He retired in 1976 with 755 homers, 3,771 hits, and a still-standing 2,297 RBIs, entering the Hall of Fame in 1982 with 97.8 percent of the vote. His 1957 Topps card carries a famous uncorrected error: the reverse-negative photo shows the right-handed Aaron batting lefty.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 5,671 | 0 | 34 | 321 | 644 | 1,023 | 1,007 | 2,614 | 28 |
| SGC | 2,667 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 120 | 209 | 423 | 1,800 | 91 |
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).
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
More Milwaukee Braves cards:
- #4 Johnny Logan
- #28 Gene Conley
- #37 Frank Torre
- #48 Bill Bruton
- #68 Ray Crone
- #90 Warren Spahn
- #114 Milwaukee Braves
- #117 Joe Adcock
- #127 Bob Buhl
- #133 Del Crandall
- #143 Andy Pafko
- #188 Felix Mantilla
- #193 Del Rice
- #208 Lou Burdette
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Hank Aaron card?
It is card #20 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 Hank Aaron, Milwaukee Braves.
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.