The 1979 Topps baseball card set is considered by many collectors to be one of the most valuable issues from the 1970s. released at the tail end of the “Junk Wax Era”, the ’79 Topps set contained cards of many future Hall of Famers and stars from that era in baseball history. While the set has no true “gems” in the vein of the iconic 1952 Mickey Mantle or 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner, there are several key cards from the ’79 Topps set that can still fetch respectable sums today when graded and preserved in top condition.
One of the most desired rookie cards from any 1970s set is the 1979 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. card. As arguably the greatest shortstop in baseball history and one of the elite Iron Men with consectuive games played streak, Ripken’s rookie is extremely sought after. PSA/BGS Gem Mint 10 examples of this card have sold for over $2,000, with well-centered near-mint copies bringing $200-500 still. Another coveted rookie is thromb pitcher Orel Hershiser, who would go on to win the NL Cy Young in 1988. High-grade Hershiser rookies can reach $400-600.
The 1979 set also featured several future Hall of Famers and superstars in their baseball primes. A PSA 10 of Nolan Ryan’s card, depicting him as an Angel, has sold for well over $1,000 given his record seven no-hitters. The Carl Yastrzemski card, showing the Red Sox legend near the end of his career, can fetch $150-300 in top condition. The Dave Winfield Padres card has also cracked the $100-200 range for mint copies. Two-time MVP George Brett’s 1979 card is also in demand, with a PSA 10 recently selling for just under $400.
While stars of that era like Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson, and Gary Carter have cards from the ’79 set valued between $50-150 in top-pop PSA/BGS holders, there are also some more affordable, attainable stars to look for. Graded examples of a Lou Brock Cardinals card have sold in the $75 range. Former MVP and 20-game winner Burt Blyleven’s Twins card reaches the $50-75 range. Kenny Singleton’s Expos rookie has cracked $75 as well. Even role players like Jay Johnstone’s Phillies card or Tom Paciorek’s Phillies/Expos card can be obtained for $25-50 in high grades.
Beyond superstars and prospects, the 1979 Topps set also introduced several key designs and subsets that add nostalgia and collectibility. The first-ever Traded subset cards show players on their new teams post-trade, like Dave Kingman as a Yankees. High-grade traded cards reach $40-75. The Star Stickers subset, where a type of golden holofoil sticker was affixed semi-randomly, are popular among collectors. A complete star sticker subset set sold for over $400.
Perhaps most iconic were the design variations Topps introduced. The errors or ” photo variations ” remain highly sought. The Nolan Ryan Angels card mistakenly used a photo from his Mets days is valued over $150 PSA 10. Rich Dauer’s White Sox card was printed with a photo of teammate Mike Squires – examples exceed $100 raw. Other visual variations on checklist, photography style and even player names like Ken Brett add nuance to the full rainbow collections craved by 1979 Topps superfans.
While the 1979 Topps baseball set does not command the same prices as the true vintage stars of the 1950s or T206 era, there remains pockets of value even today for completing high-grade team and player sets. With so many future Hall of Famers and stars depicted early in their careers, the ’79 issue remains one of the most desired from the late 1970s/early Junk Wax years prior to the arrival of the Commons era. For the astute vintage collector or savvy investor, key rookie cards, high-grade stars, and coveted errors from the 1979 Topps set can still prove worthwhile additions to any baseball card portfolio some 40+ years later.
