The 1973 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic issues of all time. While it may not contain the biggest stars or most valuable rookie cards compared to other years, several high-value gems make certain 1973s very desirable for collectors. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the priciest 1973 Topps cards that fetch thousands of dollars today.

One of the all-time prize cards from any year is the 1973 Topps Nolan Ryan rookie card. While Ryan had made his MLB debut in 1966 and appeared in Topps sets starting in 1968, the 1973 was considered his true rookie card since it was the first time he was on the front of a card as a regular starting pitcher. Only about 110-150 PSA 10 Gem Mint copies are known to exist in a set with over 700 cards issued. In auction, high-grade 1973 Ryan rookies have sold for upwards of $150,000, making it one of the most expensive baseball cards ever.

Another Texas native, Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds, has one of the most visually striking cards from the 1973 set. Bench is shown leaping to catch an outside pitch as his catcher’s mitt arm is extended skyward in the action image. Around 100-150 PSA 10 copies exist, and benchgraded examples in this pristine condition have sold for $20,000-$30,000 at auction. Even moderately played copies still fetch $1,000+.

Reggie Jackson’s monster 1973 season with the Oakland A’s made his card extremely collectible as well. Known as “Mr. October” for his clutch postseason heroics, Jackson slammed 32 home runs in 1973. High-grade versions of his card have exceeded $10,000 at auction due to both his on-field dominance and iconic “Reggie! Reggie!” call from A’s broadcaster Monte Moore. Like Bench, many collectors prize Jackson’s card for its eye-catching action photograph.

Hank Aaron’s 1973 is special not just because he is a true living legend, but because it was the last card produced while he was still an active player with the Atlanta Braves before retiring after the 1974 season. Aaron finished out his remarkable 24-year career with 755 career home runs, making him baseball’s all-time home run king at the time. Top-graded ’73 Aarons have been auctioned for over $7,500. Even worn, poor condition copies still sell for a few hundred due to his iconic status in the game.

Pitchers Don Sutton and Jim ‘Catfish’ Hunter, both valuable veterans on the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland A’s in 1973 respectively, have cards that routinely achieve prices above $1,000 in top condition. Hunter won the AL Cy Young award that season while Sutton was a reliable workhorse, and their cards remain very collectible pieces for team and player collectors.

Rookie cards are rarely the most expensive in any given year, but the 1973 set contained future Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt’s debut. Though he did not break out as one of the game’s all-time great sluggers until a few years later, mint Schmidt rookies today sell in the $500-700 range. Dave Winfield, Gary Matthews, Jeff Burroughs, and Doug Rader were other notables who had their first MLB cards in 1973 as well.

Condition is king when evaluating the investment value of any vintage sports card. For the1973 Topps set, examples grading a perfect Gem Mint PSA 10 can appreciate exponentially compared to lower graded coins. But even in well-worn Poor-Fair condition, the historic signature cards of superstars like Aaron, Bench, Jackson, and Nolan Ryan will demand prices beyond most common players decades later. For famous seasons, legendary players, and iconic photographs, the 1973 Topps baseball card set endures as one of the most visually striking and financially valuable issues in the hobby’s history books. Savvy investors would do well to seek out high-quality examples of these prized cards to hold long-term.

While it lacks some of the true rookie card superstars of other vintage years, the 1973 Topps set stands out for memorable action shots and chronicling the final seasons of iconic players like Hank Aaron. Headlined by the $100,000+ Nolan Ryan rookie and four-figure gems of Bench, Jackson, and others, it contains many blue-chip investments even after nearly 50 years. Condition is paramount, and the steep multiples achieved by pristine mint examples reveal the long-term potential for appreciation for holders of these classic cardboard pieces of baseball history.