1979 Topps #440 Rusty Staub
About Rusty Staub
Staub scored 75 runs as Detroit's designated hitter in 1978. His 1979 Topps card, #440, shows him with the Tigers. On July 27, after returning to Montreal, he received a standing ovation from more than 59,000 spectators before pinch-hitting against Pittsburgh's Grant Jackson. He popped out.
Daniel Joseph Staub was born in New Orleans on April 1, 1944; a hospital nurse nicknamed him Rusty for the red fuzz on his head, and it stuck for life. A star at Jesuit High School, he signed with the expansion Houston Colt .45s in 1961 for a bonus reported at $100,000 and reached the majors at 19. A left-handed hitter, he grew into a six-time All-Star, closing 23 seasons with 2,716 hits, 499 doubles, 292 home runs and 1,466 RBIs. Traded to Montreal for the Expos' 1969 debut, he became the club's first star, took French lessons for its fans, and in 1993 was the first Expo to have his number retired. He later played for the Mets, Tigers and Rangers, retiring as the only man with 500 hits for four different franchises. Off the field he ran two Manhattan restaurants and founded funds for the families of New York police and firefighters and for city food pantries. Inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012, he died in 2018 at 73.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · Baseball Almanac · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 165 | 22 | 81 | 37 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| SGC | 7 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-10-19. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Shop 1979 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: #66 Detroit Tigers / Les Moss
More Detroit Tigers cards:
- #4 1978 Stolen Base Leaders
- #33 Dave Rozema
- #80 Jason Thompson
- #93 Phil Mankowski
- #123 Lou Whitaker
- #151 John Hiller
- #176 Aurelio Rodriguez
- #196 Steve Kemp
- #217 Steve Dillard
- #231 Johnny Wockenfuss
- #251 Jack Morris
- #272 Tim Corcoran
- #288 Milt Wilcox
- #316 Milt May
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1979 Topps #440 card?
It is card #440 of the 726-card 1979 Topps Baseball set, picturing Rusty Staub of the Detroit Tigers.
How many cards are in the 1979 Topps Baseball set?
726 cards, numbered 1 through 726 with none skipped and issued as a single series, tracked as 727 collectible states: #369 Bump Wills comes with a Rangers or a Blue Jays team banner, and the master set counts both.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA, BaseballCardPedia, Cardboard Connection, Baseball Almanac, 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 2026-10-25.