1968 Topps #556 Dick Selma
About Dick Selma
Card #556 is a high number from Topps' seventh series, issued with the Mets. Pressed into the rotation in May 1968 after an injury to Les Rohr, Selma won six straight decisions to open a team record streak, threw his first complete game in three years against the Cubs, and finished 9-10 with a 2.76 ERA and 117 strikeouts as one of the club's young pitching staff.
Dick Selma was a right-handed pitcher who spent ten seasons in the majors from 1965 to 1974 with the Mets, Padres, Cubs, Phillies, Angels and Brewers. Signed by the Mets out of Fresno City College in 1963, he broke in that September and threw a ten-inning shutout with 13 strikeouts in just his second career start, a Mets franchise record at the time. San Diego took him in the 1968 expansion draft, and he started the Padres' first-ever game before an April 1969 trade sent him to the Cubs, where he led cheers from the Wrigley Field bullpen during the club's pennant chase. Dealt to Philadelphia that winter, Selma was converted into a closer and had his best season in 1970, setting a club record with 22 saves. He finished his career with a 42-54 record and 31 saves before retiring to coach in his hometown of Fresno. He died in 2001.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 221 | 8 | 56 | 116 | 19 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| SGC | 16 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-09-04. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Slabs of the yellow team-letter #49 and #66 are 1968 Milton Bradley game cards and are not counted here.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1968 Topps 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: #401 New York Mets
More New York Mets cards:
- #27 Gil Hodges
- #45 Tom Seaver
- #63 Dick Kenworthy
- #92 Ed Kranepool
- #114 Ron Swoboda
- #132 Bud Harrelson
- #177 Mets 1968 Rookie Stars
- #191 Dan Frisella
- #211 J.C. Martin
- #236 Tug McGraw
- #254 Cleon Jones
- #277 Jerry Buchek
- #292 Art Shamsky
- #313 Al Weis
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1968 Topps #556 card?
It is card #556 of the 598-card 1968 Topps Baseball set, picturing Dick Selma of the New York Mets.
Is 1968 Topps #556 a scarce card?
It is a high number card from the seventh print series, #534-598, by the checklist-card division. The last two series together (#458-598) carry only a modest premium; no short-print list exists.
How many cards are in the 1968 Topps Baseball set?
598 cards, tracked as 606 collectible states. The numbers run from 1 to 598 without a gap and no printed number carries two different cards; eight cards - six of the seven checklists, #10 AL Pitching Leaders and #400 Mike McCormick - carry a catalogued print variation that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, Cardboard Connection, BaseballCardPedia, Baseball Almanac, Beckett, 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 2026-10-12.