The 1968 Topps baseball card set was a memorable one in the history of the sport. It featured future hall of famers like Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, and Nolan Ryan on the brink of superstardom. The design was cleaner and less cluttered than past issues as Topps moved towards a more simplified style.
1968 was a transitional year in many ways. The “Summer of Love” psychedelic era was winding down and a new modern age was emerging. In baseball, the dominance of the Milwaukee and Los Angeles Dodgers/Brooklyn Dodgers was over after their World Series matchup the prior year. New teams like the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers were poised to take over.
Topps issued a set of 714 total cards as was typical in the late 1960s. This set stands out for capturing many iconic players at crossroads in their careers. Aaron of the Atlanta Braves needed just 33 home runs to break Babe Ruth’s longstanding record. Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates was starting to emerge as a consensus best all-around player.
Ryan, just a raw rookie with the California/Los Angeles Angels, hinted at how dominant he would become with 306 career strikeouts, still the most ever by a first year pitcher. Future Hall of Famers like Reggie Jackson, Tom Seaver, and Johnny Bench had breakout seasons as well.
Design-wise, the 1968s have a very retro, almost Mad Men-era flair. Players are shown individually in portrait orientation against colorful solid backgrounds. Statistics are kept minimal. Names are written in bold all-caps at the top with team logo and position below. Photos have a crisp quality and size compared to grainier, smaller images of the 1950s/60s.
The iconic Ted Williams final card was issued, showing the recently retired Red Sox slugger in a suit. At the same time, it served as a passing of the torch to the next generation of sluggers like Aaron ready to smash records. Other notable rookie cards included pitchers Ferguson Jenkins, Diego Segui, and cash Richie Scheinblum as well as future all-stars Bill Melton and Cesar Geronimo.
In terms of condition and collectibility today, 1968 Topps remain extremely popular. High grade examples of the big stars can eclipse thousands of dollars. Even common players in near-mint or better condition often sell for hundreds on auction sites. The clean design has held up very well after 50+ years of existence. Card quality was also very high during this print run.
While production and sales totals for the 1968 Topps are not available, the brand was easily the biggest in the industry. They dominated the baseball card market that year and most collectors completed or tried to complete the full 714 card rainbow set. Over time, the 1968s have become one of the most iconic vintage issues alongside the 1952, 1954, 1957, and 1959 Topps sets which can be traced back to the post World War 2 baseball card boom.
The 1968 Topps baseball cards stand as a memorable snapshot of baseball during mid-late 1960s. Future Hall of Famers like Aaron, Clemente, and Ryan were featured prominently foreshadowing the superstar careers to come. Meanwhile, the clean, modern design has ensured the set maintained popularity with collectors for over half a century since issue date. Between the historical players featured and strong quality control in manufacturing, 1968 Topps cards remain a prized part of both baseball and collecting history today.
