CGC Cards Certifies Iconic 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson Card
Posted on 1/23/2024
By
Christopher Haney
Another classic card has been entrusted to the CGC Cards™ experts, as an excellent example of a 1952 Jackie Robinson card was recently submitted for certification. One of the most famous vintage baseball cards ever produced, the 1952 Topps #312 Jackie Robinson - Type 2 earned a grade of CGC 6.5, making it the second-highest graded example in the CGC Cards Population Report. The recently submitted example is worth well into the five figures due to its rarity and popularity with collectors.
 |
 |
| 1952 Topps #312 Jackie Robinson - Type 2 graded CGC 6.5 Click images to enlarge. |
|
Few sports card sets garner the excitement that the 1952 Topps series invokes with collectors. The vibrant 407-card set was the largest ever produced upon its release in the early 1950s, and featured colorful, unique designs based on black-and-white photography used for the player images. A simple text box containing each player's printed name, a facsimile signature and a team logo sit at the bottom of each card, allowing the colorful player images to truly stand out in the attractive 1952 Topps set.
Numerous Hall of Famers are included in the set. However, two cards are the envy of the hobby: the 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle and its neighboring #312 Jackie Robinson. The Mantle card is one of the most popular and sought-after cards in collecting today, and it holds the crown for the most expensive sports card ever sold at auction, with a $12.6 million price realized at a Heritage Auctions sale in August 2022. But the Robinson card is another highlight of the iconic set, especially since it is the second baseman's first Topps-issued card.
There are two versions of the famous cards that are attributed as Type 1 and Type 2 by CGC Cards. Like the Mantle card, the Robinson card was double printed, meaning that two versions of these cards were printed on each sheet. To replicate a card design, the card image had to be physically cut and pasted into the second position. Because of the method used to duplicate the cards, the two "identical" cards are not truly identical, as there are slight but distinct differences between the two card designs on the sheet. These are:
| Type 1 | Type 2 |
|---|---|
| On the stitching of the baseball surrounding the card number, the stitches point to the left and are bold. | On the stitching of the baseball surrounding the card number, the stitches point to the right and are thinner than on the Type 1. |
| The top line of text in the bio on the reverse ends with a comma. The comma aligns below the "T" in "Right" above it. | The top line of text in the bio on the reverse ends with a comma. The comma aligns below the "H" in "Right" above it. |
| On the card's front, at the top left corner of the black border, the top border extends past the left border. | On the card's front, at the top left corner of the black border, the top border does not extend past the left border. |
As the second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947 to 1956, Robinson's impact reached far beyond the baseball diamond. He broke the color barrier his rookie season, becoming the first Black player in Major League Baseball. The California native integrated the sport, opening doors for future generations to play pro baseball.
As a player, he made an instant impact for the Dodgers upon joining the team. Robinson won the MLB Rookie of the Year award during his first year in Brooklyn and grew into an All-Star-caliber infielder. He is a six-time All-Star, the 1949 NL MVP and a 1955 World Series champion. Robinson is still revered for his impact to this day, which is evident each season on "Jackie Robinson Day" when every player from every team wears his famous No. 42 jersey number. Robinson's on-field accomplishments also earned him a place on the MLB All-Century Team, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
Related Links:
Stay Informed
Want news like this delivered to your inbox once a month? Subscribe to the free CGC eNewsletter today!
