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Wolfman's Topps Sets of the 70s

Topps Sets of the 70's

The following is a list of the 1970s that I have completed.  Also included is information regarding each of the Topps baseball sets issued in the 1970s.

Wolfman's Complete Sets of the 70s

1970 Topps - Completed

1971 Topps - Completed (2)

1973 Topps - Completed

1974 Topps - Completed (2)

1975 Topps - Completed (2)

1976 Topps - Completed (2)

1977 Topps - Completed (2)

1978 Topps - Completed (2)

1979 Topps - Completed (2)

Topps 1970

  • Set Size: 720 cards.

  • Design: The cards feature a "straight-laced" design, with a color photograph framed by a thin white border and a distinct gray outer edge. Team names are in block lettering at the top right, with player names and positions at the bottom.

  • Key Rookies: Thurman Munson (card #189) is considered the most significant rookie card in the set. Other notable rookie cards include Bernie Carbo, Vida Blue, and a multi-player card featuring Ted Sizemore.

  • Key Stars: The set includes key cards of Nolan Ryan, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Pete Rose, Tom Seaver, Carl Yastrzemski, Brooks Robinson, and Reggie Jackson.

  • Subsets: League Leaders (Cards 61–72), Playoff Highlights (Cards 195–202), World Series Highlights (Cards 305–310), All-Stars (Cards 450–469.

  • High Numbers: Released in seven series with high-number cards (Series 7, cards 663–720).

  • Inserts: Topps included three different inserts to justify a price increase to 10 cents: player biographic booklets, posters, and Scratch-Off game cards.

  • Fun Fact:  Despite the team moving to Milwaukee and becoming the Brewers, Topps continued to issue cards with the Seattle Pilots designation throughout all seven series.

Topps 1971

  • Set Size: 752 cards.

  • Design: The cards feature a color photograph within a white frame on a black border. The front includes player details and a facsimile signature, while the back provides biographical information and statistics. This set was notable for including more action shots

  • Key Rookies: Key rookie cards in the set include individual cards of Bert Blyleven (#26), Dave Concepcion (#14), Steve Garvey (#341), and Ted Simmons (#117), as well as a multi-player rookie card featuring Dusty Baker and Don Baylor (#709). 

  • Key Stars: Key star cards feature players like Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench, Roberto Clemente, Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays, Thurman Munson, Pete Rose, and Nolan Ryan. 

  • Subsets: Subsets include League Leaders, Playoffs (195–202), and World Series highlights.

  • High Numbers: The set was released in seven series, with the high-number cards (644-752) being particularly scarce and some short-printed.

  • Inserts/Other Products: Other related products from 1971 Topps include a 153-coin set and various other issues such as tattoos, scratch-offs, and super box toppers. 

Topps 1972

  • Set Size: 787 cards.

  • Design: The cards are known for their distinct, vibrant, and somewhat controversial design, often referred to as "psychedelic tombstones. Unlike the 1975 set, which had randomized, chaotic colors, the 1972 set was organized, with all players on a specific team sharing the same color scheme.In Action" Cards: These cards (interspersed throughout the set) featured action shots, often with a more creative, candid feel than the standard portrait shots.

  • Key Rookies: Carlton Fisk / Cecil Cooper / Mike Garman (#79): The only Hall of Fame rookie card in the set, featuring a young Carlton Fisk who would go on to win the AL Rookie of the Year award that season. 

  • Key Stars: Key Hall of Fame cards include Nolan Ryan (#595), Roberto Clemente (#309), Hank Aaron (#299), Willie Mays (#49), and Pete Rose (#559).

  • Subsets: The set included League Leaders (85–96), Playoff cards (221–222), World Series cards (223–230), and "Boyhood Photos of the Stars" (341–348/491–498). Traded Cards: Cards 751–757 feature players in their new uniforms after being traded. 

  • High Numbers: Released in six series with high numbered 526–787, particularly those in the final series, are notoriously harder to find, with Steve Carlton (#751) being a key high-number card. 

  • Fun Fact:  This was the final year of Topps' exclusive licensing before competition from other manufacturers began.

Topps 1973

  • Set Size: 660 cards.

  • Design: The 1973 set features a clean, simple look with a large color photo on the front, bordered in white The card backs are printed in black ink on a muted orange background, featuring career statistics, biographical details, and a small trivia cartoon.

  • Key Rookies: The 1973 set contains major rookie cards, including Mike Schmidt (#615), Goose Gossage (#174), Ron Cey, and Davey Lopes.

  • Key Stars: The set features iconic cards of Willie Mays (his last "active" card), Hank Aaron, Pete Rose, Roberto Clemente, and Nolan Ryan. 

  • Subsets:  All-Time Leaders (#1–#8), League Leaders (#61–#68), Playoff & World Series Highlights (#201–#202), Highlights from the 1972 postseason.

  • High Numbers: Cards in the final series (#529–660) are known to be more difficult to find, making them more sought after. 

  • Fun Facts: 1973 was the final year Topps released its flagship set in staggered, multi-series waves throughout the season.

Topps 1974

  • Set Size: 660 cards.

  • Design: The 1974 cards feature color photos, featuring the player’s name, team, and position, often using a classic 1970s design aesthetic.

  • Key Rookies: The set includes the rookie cards of Hall of Famers Dave Winfield (#456) and Dave Parker (#252). Other notable rookies include Ken Griffey, Sr. (#598), Bucky Dent (#582), and Frank Tanana (#605).

  • Key Stars: The set includes key cards of superstars like Nolan Ryan (#20), Pete Rose (#300), Tom Seaver (#80), Johnny Bench (#10), Reggie Jackson (#130), and Brooks Robinson (#160). 

  • Subsets: The set included League Leaders (201-208), All-Stars (331-339), Playoffs (470-471), and World Series highlights (472-479).

  • Topps Traded: A 44-card "Traded" set was also issued later in the year, featuring players in their new uniforms (e.g., Lou Brock, Gaylord Perry). 

  • Fun Facts:  The 1974 set was released all at once, a change from the traditional, multiple-series release that started in 1952. 1974 was the first year Topps offered factory sets, which were sold exclusively through the J.C. Penney catalog.

Topps 1975

  • Set Size: 660 cards.

  • Design: The 1975 set is famous for its distinctive, colorful, two-tone borders that often corresponded with team colors

  • Key Rookies:   The 1975 set is renowned for containing the rookie cards of several Hall of Famers, making it a critical set for collectors: Robin Yount (#223), George Brett (#228), Gary Carter (#620), Jim Rice (#616), Fred Lynn (#622), Keith Hernandez (#623) 

  • Key Stars: Hank Aaron (Highlights #1 and #660), Nolan Ryan (Highlights #5 and #7), Pete Rose (#320), Mike Schmidt (#70)

  • Final Cards: The set features final cards for stars like Bob Gibson (#150), Harmon Killebrew (#640), and Frank Robinson (#580). 

  • Subsets:  The set begins with a "Highlights" subset (cards 1–7) featuring milestones from the 1974 season, including Hank Aaron’s 715th home run. It also includes League Leader cards (306-313), Playoffs (459-460), and World Series highlights (461-466).and MVP cards from 1951 to 1974 (189-212).

  • High Numbers: Cards in the final series (#529–660) are known to be more difficult to find, making them more sought after. 

  • Fun Facts:  Topps produced a parallel "mini" set in 1975, which measures

  • 2-1/4 x 3-1/8.  These were test-marketed primarily in Michigan and California and are now highly collectible.

Topps 1976

  • Set Size: 660 cards.

  • Design:  Mellow color combinations on white borders, often described as a blend of 1974 and 1975 styles, with a small graphic of a player in action on the front.  Back of cards feature a green-and-black, sometimes grayish, design with biographical info and statistics.

  • Key Rookies: Dennis Eckersley (#98): Considered the premier rookie card of the set.

  • Key Stars: Includes iconic veterans such as Nolan Ryan (#330), Reggie Jackson (#500), and George Brett (#19).

  • Final Cards: Hank Aaron (#1): Significant as his final "active" card with the Milwaukee Brewers.

  • Subsets: Record Breakers (#1-6), League Leaders (#191-205), Post-Season, Highlights (#461-466), Father and Son (#601-605), Checklists:(#132, #264, #396, #528, #660). Traded Subset: A 44-card subset (#1T–44T) featuring players who changed teams after the initial printing, such as Steve Carlton and Frank Robinson. Father/Son Cards: Features famous baseball families like Buddy Bell and his father Gus. 

  • Topps Traded: ​A 44-card subset (#1T–44T) featuring players who changed teams after the initial printing, such as Steve Carlton and Frank Robinson. Father/Son Cards: Features famous baseball families like Buddy Bell and his father Gus. 

  • Fun Facts:  The

Topps 1977

  • Set Size: 660 cards.

  • Design: Known for a bright, colorful design with the team name in large, block letters on the front. 

  • Key Rookies:  Mark Fidrych RC (#265), Bruce Sutter RC (#144), Andre Dawson RC (#473), Dale Murphy RC (#476), Jack Clark (#488).

  • Key Stars: Nolan Ryan (#650), George Brett (#20), Reggie Jackson (#10), Thurman Munson (#170), and Tom Seaver (#150). 

  • Final Cards: The set features final cards for stars like Bob Gibson (#150), Harmon Killebrew (#640), and Frank Robinson (#580). 

  • Subsets:  League Leaders (#1-8), Record Breakers (#231-234), 1976 LCS (#276-277), 1976 World Series (#411-413), Turn Back the Clock (#433-437) and Big League Brothers: Cards #631–634 featuring siblings in MLB.​

  • Fun Facts:  Expansion Teams: Features the first cards for the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays - whose players were famously airbrushed into their new uniforms because photographs in the new gear were not yet available.

Topps 1978

  • Set Size: 726 cards.

  • Design:  The cards often included team logos, player photos, and facsimile autographs on the front, with biographical information and statistics on the back.

  • Key Rookies: The set features the rookie cards of Hall of Famers Paul Molitor and Alan Trammell (shared card #707), as well as Jack Morris (#703), Eddie Murray (#36), and Lou Whitaker (#674).

  • Key Stars: Notable cards in the set include George Brett (#100) and Nolan Ryan (#6). 

  • Subsets:  Record Breakers (#1–7), League Leaders (#201–208), Postseason (#411–413).

  • Fun Facts:  Production Notes: Due to the 726-card size, 66 cards were double-printed, including notable players like Pete Rose and Jack Morris.

Topps 1979

  • Set Size: 660 cards.

  • Design: A "clean and direct" layout featuring a large player photo, the player's name below, and the team nickname in a colored banner. The card backs replaced the previous baseball game with a "Baseball Dates" quiz.

  • Key Rookies:  The set features the highly sought-after rookie card of Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith (#116).

  • Key Stars: Key cards include Nolan Ryan (#115), Pete Rose (#650), Reggie Jackson (#700), and Mike Schmidt (#610).

  • Final Cards:  It features the last regular-issue card of New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson before his death.

  • Subsets:  Features including League Leaders (#1–8), Record Breakers (#201–206), All-Time Stat Leaders (#411–418), and multi-player Rookie Prospects (#701–726). ​

  • Fun Facts:  Sold in wax packs (which dropped from 14 to 12 cards that year), cello packs, rack packs, and factory sets. Wax packs retailed for 20 cents.

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