1957 Topps #288 Ted Lepcio
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 Ted Lepcio
A Utica, New York native and Seton Hall graduate, Ted Lepcio signed with the Boston Red Sox in 1951 for a reported $60,000 and debuted at second base on Opening Day 1952 — famously retrieving President Harry Truman's ceremonial first pitch and returning it to him. A versatile infielder at second, short, and third, he spent 1952-59 in Boston, where Ted Williams picked the rookie as his spring-training warm-up partner. On April 12, 1955, at Baltimore, Lepcio became the first Red Sox player ever to homer twice on Opening Day, and in 1956 he posted career highs of 15 home runs and 51 RBI — once matching Williams with a two-homer game that made the headline "Both Teds Hit Two Home Runs." He later played for Detroit, Philadelphia, the White Sox, and Twins, finishing with a .245 average and 69 homers over ten seasons (1952-61), then founded Boston's BoSox Club fan organization. His 1957 Topps card comes from the scarce fourth series, one of the set's toughest runs to find.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 463 | 0 | 9 | 151 | 148 | 85 | 36 | 34 | 0 |
| SGC | 31 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 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 Ted Lepcio card?
It is card #288 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 Ted Lepcio, Boston Red Sox.
Is the 1957 Topps #288 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 2026-10-13.