1959 Topps #514 Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson's rookie card — the Cardinals' Hall of Fame fireballer and one of the set's premier high-number rookies.
About Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and made his major-league debut in 1959, the season pictured on this rookie-era Topps card, launching a career spent entirely in St. Louis through 1975. A hard-throwing right-hander nicknamed "Hoot" (after cowboy film star Hoot Gibson) and "Gibby," he became one of the most dominant and intimidating pitchers in history. Gibson won the Cy Young Award in both 1968 and 1970 and was named the National League MVP in 1968, when he posted a 1.12 ERA and 13 shutouts — both modern records — during the so-called "Year of the Pitcher." A nine-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner, he won two World Series titles with the Cardinals (1964 and 1967) and set a still-standing World Series record with 17 strikeouts in Game 1 of the 1968 Fall Classic. Gibson finished his career with 251 wins, a 2.91 ERA, and 3,117 strikeouts, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981, his first year of eligibility.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Variations & how to tell them apart
High Number (Series 7)
The seventh and final series. High numbers carry a BLACK card-number box (the other six series use green) and were printed in the lowest quantity, so they are the scarcest cards in the set.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 5,980 | 3 | 32 | 392 | 758 | 1,171 | 1,090 | 2,509 | 25 |
| SGC | 2,760 | 0 | 10 | 56 | 141 | 233 | 480 | 1,741 | 99 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-05. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8); totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1959 Topps Bob Gibson card?
It is card #514 of 572 in the 1959 Topps Baseball set - Topps' largest set to that point, issued across seven series with a circular color photo on every front. It pictures the St. Louis Cardinals player, and is his rookie-era card.
Is the 1959 Topps Bob Gibson a rookie card?
Yes - #514 is Bob Gibson's rookie card, tucked into the scarce high-number series, which makes it one of the set's premier rookies.
Is the 1959 Topps #514 a high number?
Yes - cards #507-572 are the seventh-series high numbers, printed in the lowest quantity and identifiable by a BLACK card-number box instead of the green box used on the first six series.
Is the 1959 Topps Bob Gibson valuable?
Value depends on grade, the series (the high numbers run scarcer), and any variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, BaseballCardPedia, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data, images & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-10.