1957 Topps #315 Lou Berberet
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.
Double print (traditional designation): one of the 22 Series 4 cards Beckett lists as double prints. Press-sheet research (Net54 2025 / Topps Archives 2026) shows the 22 occupy exactly two full 11-card press rows and were NOT actually printed in greater quantity — the "DP" label is a catalog tradition kept because collectors expect it.
About Lou Berberet
Lou Berberet gave up a football scholarship at Santa Clara to sign with the New York Yankees for a $21,000 bonus in 1949, then lost two prime years to Army service before debuting in September 1954. Hailed in one headline as the “Next Berra,” the stocky left-handed-hitting catcher got only brief looks in New York before the February 1956 seven-player trade that sent Mickey McDermott to the Yankees made him Washington's regular backstop. His 1957 was special: he hit .261, broke up Ryne Duren's perfect-game bid with a sixth-inning homer on May 21, and fielded a perfect 1.000 — 397 chances without an error, just the third catcher in major-league history to go errorless in more than 350 chances. He finished with the Red Sox and Tigers through 1960 (.230, 31 home runs, 153 RBIs), then coached Long Beach American Legion ball to a 1963 national title. This card, #315, sits in 1957 Topps' scarce fourth series — issued during that flawless season.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 526 | 0 | 13 | 167 | 180 | 93 | 47 | 26 | 0 |
| SGC | 29 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-05. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Lou Berberet card?
It is card #315 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 Lou Berberet, Washington Senators.
Is the 1957 Topps #315 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.
Is the 1957 Topps #315 really a double print?
Beckett lists it among 22 Series 4 double prints, but press-sheet research shows those 22 form two full press rows and were not actually printed in greater quantity. The 'DP' tag is a catalog tradition; population and pricing show no real abundance.
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 2026-10-13.