The 1973 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic issues in the modern era of card collecting. While it may lack the star power and hugely valuable rookie cards of some other vintage years, the ’73 Topps set featuring 660 total cards remains a favorite among collectors and contains several keys that can be worth thousands in top grades. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable 1973 Topps baseball cards that can really move the needle for serious vintage collectors.
One of the true blue-chip cards from 1973 is the Nolan Ryan rookie card (#534). As one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Ryan’s rookie card is always in high demand. PSA 10 gold label editions have cracked the $100,000 threshold in recent auction results, with mid-grade copies still fetching thousands due to Ryan’s unprecedented career totals and legend status. Another huge rookie from ’73 is Rod Carew (#11). As a 7-time batting champion, Carew made an instant impact and his affordable, fun-to-collect Topps rookie maintains strong collector interest. High-grade examples in the $5,000-$10,000 range are attainable, going higher for pristine PSA 10 specimens.
Aside from rookies, the ’73 set has a few interesting stars cards that rank among the most valuable. The Hank Aaron autograph card (#500) is an incredibly rare treasure worth north of $10,000 even in low grades due to how few are believed to exist. Meanwhile, Reggie Jackson’s card (#571) as a member of the Athletics also gains steadily as he cemented his Hall of Fame career and larger-than-life persona in the coming seasons. High-end examples sell for $1,000+ given Jackson’s popularity and legacy as “Mr. October”. Other big stars like Bench (#206), Morgan (#491), Fisk (#629), and Yastrzemski (#107) all have four figure and up potential in top condition as iconic players from that era.
Condition is king when it comes to value from the 1973 Topps set. A few scarce low-numbered inserts also represent opportunities for really boosting value into five figures or more. The Johnny Bench mini #1 insert (#601) has sold for as much as $13,500 in pristine PSA 10 shape due to its striking photo and limited print run. Another Bench mini (#605) commands similar money in top condition given its collector appeal as a numbered subset. The Dennis Eckersley autograph insert (#639) is one of the rare signed ’73s that can reach $5,000-$10,000 when found in great shape. The Mike Schmidt Future Star insert (#650) is an eye-catching hit for collectors, fetching $4,000 or better for high quality specimens of the Hall of Fame third baseman’s early card.
Beyond standouts, there are also several oddball short prints and errors in the 1973 Topps checklist that collectors hunt at shows and online in hopes of finding high end quality examples. The Johnny Briggs card featuring an upside down photo (#234) is one of the more famous printing mishaps. Known copies sell between $300-700 when found in sharp condition given its scarcity as an inadvertent error. The Carlton Fisk short print (#560) is another notable numbered card holding value potential above $100 in top shape. Meanwhile, the Ron Blomberg/Reggie Jackson combination photo (#646) is among the toughest SPs to track down in top condition, potentially yielding thousands for a pristine example of the one-of-a-kind photograph variation.
The 1973 Topps set maintains brisk collectability among vintage baseball fans for its fun format and memorable highlights like rookie cards of future all-time greats. Savvy collectors can profit nicely by pursuing high quality versions of keys like the Ryan, Carew, Bench and Jackson cards or harder to come by inserts, errors and short prints. While it may lack some of the stratospheric prices seen in older seasons, ’73 Topps still packs punch for fanatics willing to put in work tracking down top conditioned specimens of the most valuable 1973 Topps baseball cards. Condition rules in this vintage set, but history and desirability ensure its elite keys remain long term keepers for dedicated collectors.
