1963 Topps #456 Jim Coker
About Jim Coker
Number 456 falls in the 1963 set's semi-high sixth series, a tougher run than the low numbers, and lists Coker with the San Francisco Giants. Baltimore had bought him from the Phillies in November 1962, then moved him inside a month: on December 15 the Orioles sent Coker, Jack Fisher and Billy Hoeft to San Francisco for John Orsino, Mike McCormick and Stu Miller. The card follows a nearly blank 1962, most of which Coker spent on Air Force reserve duty before returning in September for a handful of pinch-hit trips. San Francisco optioned him to Toronto in May 1963, where he hit .309 and was picked as the International League's All-Star catcher.
Jimmie Goodwin Coker (born March 28, 1936, in Holly Hill, South Carolina) was a right-handed-hitting catcher who played all or parts of nine major league seasons. An All-State fullback at Holly Hill High School, he accepted a football scholarship to Furman University but gave up the gridiron as a freshman after a severe shoulder injury; Phillies scout Wes Livengood signed him for a $4,000 bonus on February 19, 1955. Coker was the Texas League's Rookie of the Year at Tulsa in 1957, and after Buffalo took the 1959 International League pennant The Sporting News called him the best catching prospect the league had produced since Roy Campanella. He debuted for Philadelphia on September 11, 1958, and opened 1960 as the Phillies' starting catcher, but he allowed 55 stolen bases that year, the most in the majors, and never worked his way back out of a reserve role. Between November 1962 and August 1964 he changed organizations five times before landing with Cincinnati, where he spent his last four seasons. He batted .231 with 137 hits, 16 home runs and 70 RBIs in 233 games, then retired in March 1968 to ranch in Throckmorton, Texas, where he died of a heart attack in 1991.
Sources: SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 274 | 1 | 39 | 128 | 63 | 20 | 17 | 6 | 0 |
| SGC | 18 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-09-24. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8), and PSA's qualified grades are counted separately from the straight-grade rows shown here.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Live auctions Buy It Now on eBay Sold prices
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Related cards
Team card: #417 San Francisco Giants
More San Francisco Giants cards:
- #3 1962 National League Home Run Leaders
- #7 1962 National League Pitching Leaders
- #9 1962 National League Strikeout Leaders
- #30 Harvey Kuenn
- #50 Bill Pierce
- #61 Ernie Bowman
- #85 Tom Haller
- #106 Bob Bolin
- #128 Matty Alou
- #138 Pride of the N.L.
- #143 World Series Game #2 - Sanford Flashes Shutout Magic
- #145 World Series Game #4 - Hiller Blasts Grand Slammer
- #147 World Series Game #6 - Pierce Stars in 3-Hit Victory
- #163 Don Larsen
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1963 Topps #456 card?
It is card #456 of the 576-card 1963 Topps Baseball set, picturing Jim Coker of the San Francisco Giants.
Why is #456 harder to find?
It is a semi-high card from the sixth print series, #447-511 - the run where the set's short prints sit. Scarcer than series 1-5, easier than series 7.
How many cards are in the 1963 Topps Baseball set?
576 cards, tracked as 583 collectible states. The numbers run from 1 to 576 with no gaps and no number used twice, and seven cards carry a catalogued print variation - three checklists, the two Rookie Stars cards also printed with a "1962" heading, and the #341 Jack Baldschun and #454 Art Fowler print states - that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, Cardboard Connection, BaseballCardPedia, The Topps Archives, Baseball-Reference, the SABR BioProject and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-03.