Manufacturer: Leaf (Chicago Leaf Gum Company)
Set: 1948 Leaf Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Dave Philley
Position/Team: Center Field for White Sox
Card #: 85
Card Size: 2-3/8” x 2-7/8”
Card Value Snapshot: Raw/Ungraded: $200 | Grade 7: -
⬇️ See More Pricing Data Below
David Earl “Dave” Philley (nicknamed “Durable Dave”) was a rugged, highly respected switch-hitting outfielder and first baseman whose professional career spanned an incredible 18 seasons in the Major Leagues. He was the quintessential “survivor” of mid-century baseball, playing for eight of the original sixteen MLB franchises and carving out a legacy as one of the finest defensive outfielders of his era, a key piece of a 111-win pennant winner, and—as his career progressed—one of the greatest pinch-hitters to ever walk up to a plate.
Born in Paris, Texas, Philley was a natural left-handed hitter. However, after breaking his left arm around the age of eight, he learned to swing right-handed. Once his arm healed, he kept both approaches, turning him into a highly disciplined, versatile switch-hitter.
The World War II Interruption: Philley debuted briefly with the Chicago White Sox at age 21 in 1941. He then sacrificed nearly four crucial years of his prime to serve as a military policeman in the U.S. Army during WWII. He returned to the majors full-time in 1947.
Defensive Prowess: Long before the Gold Glove Award was established in 1957, Philley was considered an elite defender. Armed with a powerful throwing arm, he led American League outfielders in assists three different times (1948, 1950, 1953).
The 1954 Cleveland Pennant: In 1954, Philley served as the starting right fielder for the legendary Cleveland Indians, who won a then-AL record 111 games on their way to a matchup in the World Series.
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Pricing Data For This Rookie Card
Tracking the current market value for the 1948 Leaf Dave Philley Card #85. Below, find updated pricing data for ungraded (raw) copies, as well as verified PSA graded sales trends collected from secondary marketplaces.
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Raw/Ungraded: $200
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Grade 1: $250
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Grade 2: -
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Grade 3: -
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Grade 4: $700
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Grade 5: -
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Grade 6: $1,500
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Grade 7: -
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Grade 8: $2,200
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Grade 9: -
Data Updated: July 2026
➡️ See All 1948 Leaf Rookie Card Prices
Pricing data includes raw card price & some graded card value estimates.
These values are collated from a variety of resources including recently sold listings, sales averages and a variety of other sports card pricing data sources. Please see full disclaimer on “Terms Page” for more information. (Rookiecardprices.com only shows values for regular base set cards. No prices are shown for errors, parallels, subsets, misprints or other cards unless noted.)
DISCLAIMER: This data is not intended as financial advice and should not be used as such. Please do your own research before making any investment or selling/buying decisions.
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