Manufacturer: Leaf (Chicago Leaf Gum Company)
Set: 1948 Leaf Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Vernon D. Stephens, Jr.
Position/Team: Infield for Red Sox
Card #: 161
Card Size: 2-3/8” x 2-7/8”
Card Value Snapshot: Raw/Ungraded: $275 | Grade 7: $875
⬇️ See More Pricing Data Below
Vernon Decatur Stephens, often known simply as Vern Stephens, and sometimes nicknamed “Little Slug” or “Junior,” was a prominent shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball from the 1940s into the mid-1950s. Stephens played for 15 seasons in MLB (1941-1955), primarily with the St. Louis Browns (1941-1947) and the Boston Red Sox (1948-1952). He also had stints with the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles. Stephens was ahead of his time as a power-hitting infielder. He consistently put up impressive home run and RBI totals for a shortstop. Stephens was an 8-time All-Star. After his playing career, Stephens was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006. He was considered for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 2009 but was not selected.
Due to his debut in 1941 and the limited baseball card production during World War II, Vern Stephens’ most recognized rookie cards come from the post-war era like this 1948 Leaf card.
Long before Cal Ripken Jr., Alex Rodriguez, or Ernie Banks redefined the shortstop position as a home run-hitting slot, Stephens was shattering the mold. Possessing a muscular, thick-set frame and a vicious, aggressive swing, he was an absolute RBI machine who dominated the American League, providing middle-of-the-order slugging that was virtually unheard of from a shortstop in that era.
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Pricing Data For This Rookie Card
Tracking the current market value for the 1948 Leaf Vern Stephens Card #161. 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: $275
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Grade 1: -
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Grade 2: $300
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Grade 3: $340
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Grade 4: $700
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Grade 5: -
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Grade 6: -
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Grade 7: $875
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Grade 8: $2,350
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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.
Did You Know? Stephens spent the first half of his career as the undisputed star and emotional leader of the St. Louis Browns.
The Lone Pennant: In 1944, Stephens led the American League with 109 RBIs while clouting 20 home runs, carrying the Browns to their only American League pennant in franchise history.
The Streetcar Series: This set up the historic 1944 “Streetcar Series” against their cross-town tenants at Sportsman’s Park, the St. Louis Cardinals. Though the Browns lost in six games, Stephens hit a clutch home run in Game 2 to secure a Browns victory
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