1957 Topps #310 Max Surkont
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 Max Surkont
Matthew "Max" Surkont — the nickname came from his boyhood friends in Central Falls, Rhode Island — signed with the Cardinals at 15 in 1937, when scout Pop Kelchner needed only three pitches to offer the mill-town teenager a contract. After nine minor-league seasons and Navy service in World War II, he debuted with the White Sox in 1949, then pitched for the Boston/Milwaukee Braves (1950-53), Pirates (1954-56), Cardinals (1956), and Giants (1956-57). His signature moment came on May 25, 1953, when he fanned eight consecutive Reds — a modern record that stood until Tom Seaver broke it in 1970 — and Milwaukee's Polish community later showered him with gifts, including a year's supply of sausage. Acquired by New York for $20,000 in August 1956, he made his final appearance on May 1, 1957, finishing 61-76 with 571 strikeouts. This scarce Series Four card marks his last big-league season; he later ran Max Surkont's Café back home in Rhode Island.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 552 | 0 | 1 | 56 | 198 | 197 | 68 | 32 | 0 |
| SGC | 30 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
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 Max Surkont card?
It is card #310 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 Max Surkont, New York Giants.
Is the 1957 Topps #310 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 #310 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.