Tony Kubek - 1957 Topps #312
1957 Topps #312 Tony Kubek
Tony Kubek's rookie card — the 1957 AL Rookie of the Year, in the scarce fourth series with a Beckett DP designation.
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 Tony Kubek
A Milwaukee native signed by Yankees scout Lou Maguolo for a $1,500 bonus in 1954, Tony Kubek arrived in the Bronx in 1957, hitting .297 while playing shortstop, third base, and outfield to win AL Rookie of the Year. That October the Series came to his hometown: in Game 3 at County Stadium he homered twice, one of five rookies to go deep twice in a Series game. New York's regular shortstop through 1965, he was an All-Star in 1958, 1959, and 1961 and played on seven pennant winners and three champions (1958, 1961, 1962). In 1960's Game 7, Bill Virdon's bad-hop grounder struck his throat shortly before Mazeroski's walk-off. He and roommate Bobby Richardson were dubbed “The Milkshake Twins” for their clean-living ways. A neck injury — doctors warned of paralysis risk — forced retirement after 1965; three decades of broadcasting followed, from NBC's Game of the Week to the Blue Jays and MSG, earning the 2009 Ford C. Frick Award. This scarce fourth-series card is his rookie.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 1,709 | 0 | 24 | 232 | 361 | 387 | 284 | 420 | 1 |
| SGC | 455 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 58 | 80 | 115 | 168 | 9 |
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 Tony Kubek card?
It is card #312 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 Tony Kubek, New York Yankees.
Is the 1957 Topps #312 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 #312 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.
Is the 1957 Topps Tony Kubek #312 a rookie card?
Yes - it is his Topps rookie card and one of the nine key rookies in the 1957 set.
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 2026-07-05.