1957 Topps #337 Rene Valdes
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 Rene Valdes
René Gutiérrez Valdés was a Cuban right-handed pitcher, born June 2, 1929, in Guanabacoa, Cuba. Standing 6-foot-3, he adopted his mother's maiden name, Valdés, for baseball because it was easier to pronounce and spell. He entered pro ball in 1952 with the Indios de Ciudad Juárez, then joined the Brooklyn Dodgers organization, dominating the minors with double-digit win totals for ten straight seasons (1952-1961), including a Pacific Coast League-leading 22 wins in 1956. That earned him a 1957 promotion to Brooklyn, where he debuted April 21 at Ebbets Field and appeared in five games, going 1-1 with a 5.54 ERA over 13 innings. His lone big-league season came in the Dodgers' final year before their move to Los Angeles. He later pitched in the Mexican League and died March 15, 2008, in Miami. This 1957 Topps issue, a scarce high-number Series Four card, is his only Topps rookie card.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 566 | 0 | 11 | 146 | 214 | 110 | 60 | 25 | 0 |
| SGC | 43 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 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 Rene Valdes card?
It is card #337 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 Rene Valdes, Brooklyn Dodgers.
Is the 1957 Topps #337 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 Rene Valdes #337 a rookie card?
Yes - it carries the rookie-card designation in the 1957 Topps set.
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.