The Seven Most Valuable Signed 1952 Topps Cards
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The 1952 Topps baseball set is not just the most famous baseball card set ever produced. It is the foundation upon which the entire hobby was built. It was the first set to include statistics and biographies on the back and team logos on the front.
The mythology surrounding the set only adds to its importance. The legend of the 1952 Topps is well-known in the hobby. Vast quantities of unsold inventory were dumped into the Hudson River and Atlantic Ocean by Topps executives.
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Even without autographs, the 1952 Topps set is synonymous with rarity. However, when a card from this set is signed, it moves into an entirely different category of scarcity. 273,910 cards from the 1952 Topps have been graded by PSA. Only 5,518 signed copies of the cards have been graded by the same company.
Of all the 1952 Topps cards authenticated by PSA, a mere 2% carry the added prestige of an on-card autograph. In today's “one-of-one” era, the hobby is driven in large part by the pursuit of rare cards. Signed 1952 Topps cards represent the most rare, unique, and hallowed versions of the most iconic baseball cards in the hobby.
As a result, signed 1952 Topps cards command an extraordinary market premium. That premium has only intensified in recent years, culminating in a record-setting signed 1952 Topps sale in August that redefined what a signed vintage baseball card could be worth. Below are the seven most valuable autographed cards from the 1952 Topps set ever sold, including the record-breaking example that now sits atop the signed vintage market.
7. Signed Tom Morgan 1952 Topps #331 PSA Authentic, Authentic Auto: $11,100
Unsigned PSA Population: 511
Signed PSA Population: 4
Market Context:Tom Morgan’s placement in the high-number series, and the fact that only 4 signed versions of this card have been graded by PSA explain the high price. Morgan was a solid pitcher, posting a 67-47 W-L record, a 3.61 ERA, 364 strikeouts, and 64 saves during his career.
He also won 3 World Series with the Yankees, including in 1952. The versatile pitcher passed away in 1987, before the modern era of organized card signing emerged. An unsigned PSA 8 copy of this card (population 24) recently sold for $6,710.
6. Signed Eddie Yuhas 1952 Topps #386 Rookie PSA 4.5, Auto 7: $11,290
Unsigned PSA Population: 453
Signed PSA Population: 3
Market Context: Yuhas also appears in the high-number series, which already carries built-in scarcity. He was a standout relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals in the early 1950s, but the high price of this card is explained by the fact that only two other PSA graded signed copies exist and it is a period signed autograph. A period signed autograph (often called a "vintage-ink" signature) is a signature that was signed by the player during or very near his playing days.
Yuhas finished his career with 10 consecutive wins, a Major League record. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury cut his promising career short after only two seasons. An unsigned PSA 8 copy of this card (population 32) recently sold for $2,487. An unsigned PSA 9 copy of this card (population 4) recently sold for $48,000.
5. Signed Sam Jones 1952 Topps #382 PSA Authentic Auto Authentic: $16,800
Unsigned PSA Population: 525
Signed PSA Population: 4
Market Context: The signed Sam Jones card is another in the high series that is extremely difficult to acquire. Sam "Toothpick" Jones was a two-time All-Star who became the first African American to pitch a no-hitter in MLB history in 1955.
In 1959 with the Giants, he led the National League with 21 wins. An unsigned PSA 8 copy of his 1952 Topps card (population 34) sold for $2,175 in September.
4. Signed Eddie Mathews 1952 Topps #407 Rookie PSA 2, Auto 8: $31,720
Unsigned PSA Population: 815
Signed PSA Population: 13
Market Context: Mathews is a Hall of Famer, and this 1952 Topps is his rookie card. The All-Time Great’s rookie autograph is extremely rare, especially when you compare the population count of this card to many modern rookie autos.
Matthews hit 512 home runs and won two World Series championships. He is the only player to have played for the Braves franchise in all three of its home cities: Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta. He was also featured on the cover of the very first issue of Sports Illustrated magazine in August 1954. An unsigned PSA 8 copy of his 1952 Topps card (population 14) sold for $68,000 in 2017.
3. Signed Willie Mays 1952 Topps #261 PSA 3.5, Authentic Auto: $93,570
Unsigned PSA Population: 2,556
Signed PSA Population: 38
Market Context: The market consistently places Willie Mays among the most desirable vintage players, and rightfully so. The “Say Hey Kid” is considered the greatest all-around baseball player of all time due to his exceptional combination of power, speed, and defense.
The 1952 Topps is easily Mays’ second-best card, after his 1951 Bowman rookie card. An unsigned PSA 9 copy of his 1952 Topps card (population 9) sold for $235,200 in 2017. An unsigned PSA 8 copy of his 1952 Topps card (population 40) sold for $106,800 in October, 2025.
2. Signed Jackie Robinson 1952 Topps #312 PSA 3.5, Auto 8: $216,000
Unsigned PSA Population: 1,229
Signed PSA Population: 9
Market Context: Jackie Robinson autographs remain among the most historically significant and tightly held in the hobby. After entering the MLB at age 28 and breaking the color barrier, Robinson established himself as an all-time great player by winning the rookie of the year award in 1947 and MVP in 1949.
Jackie Robinson has less than 15 cards from his playing days, and the 1952 Topps issue is among his most iconic. Collectors are in awe of the iconic design and beautiful red background of this card. An unsigned PSA 9 copy of his 1952 Topps card (population 11) sold for $960,000 in 2021. An unsigned PSA 8 copy of his 1952 Topps card (population 44) sold for $72,000 in 2024.
1. Signed Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps #311 PSA 5.5, Auto 8: $1.07 Million
Unsigned PSA Population: 1,671
Signed PSA Population: 21
Market Context: The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle stands at the pinnacle baseball card world. Signed examples occupy the very top of the vintage autograph hierarchy and now represent the highest price ever achieved for a signed vintage baseball card. This card sold for over one million dollars in August of 2025.
Even though Mantle signed more autographs than any athlete of his time, signed copies of his playing days cards are extremely rare. This is because it was a historical taboo for decades to get a valuable baseball card autographed. Signing a valuable vintage card was seen as "defacing" it. Very few owners were willing to risk the card's value for an autograph.
There are still many in the vintage baseball card hobby that prefer to keep their cards and autographs separate. This partially explains why high-grade copies can still be much more valuable than mid-grade autographed copies like this one. An unsigned PSA 9 copy of his 1952 Topps card (population 6) sold for $5,200,000 in 2021.
David is a collector based in Georgia and a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and New York Knicks. He is an avid sports card collector with a strong passion for vintage baseball cards and vintage on-card autographs. David enjoys obtaining autographs through the mail and loves connecting with other knowledgeable collectors to discuss the history and evolution of the hobby. He also previously wrote about the New York Giants for GMENHQ.com