The 1979 Topps baseball card set was issued during a time of transition in the hobby. While the 1970s still had the feel of the initial post-war boom years of baseball cards, the industry was starting to professionalize and focus more on mint condition and graded cards. This would set the stage for the modern collectibles market.
The 1979 Topps set contains 514 total cards including player cards numbering from 1 to 511, manager cards, checklists, and award cards. Some of the rookie cards featured included Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, Steve Balboni, Tim Raines, and Lee Smith. Despite star rookies, the overall player selection and photography were considered average for the time.
While raw copies of common 1979 Topps cards in played or Good/Very Good condition can still be found relatively cheaply in the marketplace, pristine Mint and gem PSA/BGS graded versions have seen strong overall price appreciation in the decades since issue. Here is an overview of some notable PSA pop report statistics and average prices realized for top 1979 Topps player cards across different PSA grade levels:
PSA 10 Population Report: Only a small handful of 1979 Topps cards have achieved the coveted black label Perfect 10 grade from PSA. Most notably, the Don Mattingly rookie at the top of the checklist has just 34 PSA 10s in existence out of the billions produced originally.
PSA 9 Populations: More cards have achieved the prestigious but still rare PSA 9 Mint+ grade. For example, the Mattingly rookie has 1,159 PSA 9s, Wade Boggs has 479, Steve Balboni 286, and Tim Raines 1,118. These scarce populations in the highest levels drive strong pricing.
PSA 8 Prices: Generally considered the breakpoint grade where condition exceeds the typical lightly played state most vintage raw cards end up in. PSA 8 1979 Topps stars can fetch $100-500 depending on player, with elite stars like Mattingly at the upper end.
PSA 7 Values: The grade where most high quality original mint copies that have survived fall. Common PSA 7 versions of stars run $25-150, with Mattingly and Boggs pushing $300-700 here due to their career achievements.
PSA 6 to PSA 5 Range: Even mid-graded “Very Good” versions retain value in the collectibles marketplace. PSA 6 stars go for $10-100 and PSA 5s around $5-50 depending on popularity.
Breaking it down further, actual auction sales and ask prices for some top 1979 Topps PSA graded rookie and star cards paint a more specific picture:
Don Mattingly Rookie PSA 9 – $15,000 average sales price
Don Mattingly Rookie PSA 8 – $1,250 average
Don Mattingly Rookie PSA 7 – $750 average
Wade Boggs Rookie PSA 9 – $4,000 average
Wade Boggs Rookie PSA 8 – $400 average
Steve Balboni Rookie PSA 9 – $1,100 average
Tim Raines Rookie PSA 9 – $1,500 average
Tim Raines Rookie PSA 8 – $250 average
Nolan Ryan PSA 9 – $400 average
Reggie Jackson PSA 9 – $300 average
For lower end population PSA 10 rookie cards, active auction ask prices can reach $50,000-100,000 or more depending on the player prestige factor and true demand. This underscores how achieving the highest possible professional grades is so vital to maximizing value long term in the vintage investment market segment.
Beyond the marquee rookies, common starter and middle reliever PSA 8 cards from the 1979 Topps set still realize prices of $20-100 depending on name recognition. And even bottom of the roster copies still have value in PSA 5-7 range at $5-25 each. This speaks to the strong overall retro collecting appeal and nostalgia surrounding 1970s sports card designs and players from the era in general.
The 1979 Topps baseball card set both exemplifies the transition phase it was issued in and also represents an early vintage investment opportunity in pristine PSA grade. While not at the same popularity level as 1960s or pre-war card sets, with under 500 certified PSA 10 examples across almost 500 player cards, a perfect condition 1979 Topps collection maintains tremendous scarcity that will hold long term collectible significance. For more affordable options, mid-grades remain budget choices to participate.
