1959 Topps #30 Nellie Fox
About Nellie Fox
Born Jacob Nelson Fox, "Nellie" was signed by Connie Mack after his mother wrote requesting a tryout, and he broke in with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1947 before a trade sent him to the White Sox in 1950, where he became a fixture at second base for 14 years. A superb contact hitter at 5-foot-9, Fox choked up on a distinctive "bottle bat" and became instantly recognizable for the giant chaw of tobacco that bulged his cheek, striking out just 216 times in his career. His 1959 season, the very year of this Topps card, was his masterpiece: a .306 average powered the "Go-Go" White Sox to their first pennant since 1919, and Fox was named American League MVP that November, adding his 10th All-Star nod and a Gold Glove. He hit .375 in the World Series loss to the Dodgers. Fox finished with 2,663 hits and three Gold Gloves, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997 after a grassroots fan campaign; the White Sox retired his No. 2, and a bronze statue of him now stands outside their ballpark.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Variations & how to tell them apart
Venezuelan Parallel
Topps issued a partial parallel of the set for the Venezuelan market, printed on thinner card stock and credited "Impreso en Venezuela por Benco C.A." on the back. Hobby checklists most often list the run as cards 1-196, though sources disagree and the exact range has never been definitively documented. Venezuelan cards are far scarcer than their U.S. counterparts and usually surface with heavy wear; collectors treat them as a separate parallel, not part of the standard 572-card set.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 1,127 | 1 | 29 | 227 | 307 | 239 | 136 | 186 | 2 |
| SGC | 216 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 35 | 54 | 48 | 60 | 2 |
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 Nellie Fox card?
It is card #30 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 Chicago White Sox player.
Is the 1959 Topps Nellie Fox 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.