The 1973 Topps baseball card set is one of the most iconic issues in the history of the hobby. It was the year that many future Hall of Famers reached the heights of their careers or made their debuts. This has led to some key 1973 Topps cards increasing exponentially in value over the decades. For avid collectors and investors, here are some of the most expensive 1973 Topps baseball cards that can fetch eye-watering prices at auction if graded and preserved in mint condition.
One of the true Holy Grails for collectors from any vintage is the #311 Mike Schmidt rookie card. Schmidt went on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Philadelphia Phillies, winning 10 Gold Gloves and 3 MVP awards. His rookie card in the 1973 set is one of the most sought after in the hobby. In a PSA 10 Gem Mint grade, it has sold for as much as $46,100, though average prices tend to be in the $20,000-$30,000 range for high grade examples. Even in slightly lower grades of PSA 8 or 9, Schmidt rookies can bring in five figures.
Another Phillies star, #98 Steve Carlton, also has an expensive card from the ’73 set. The four-time Cy Young Award winner and 272 game winner is pictured during one of his best seasons when he won 27 games and the Cy Young. High grade Carlton cards have reached $17,500 at auction. The lefty’s iconic windup and follow through pose make this one of the most visually striking cards in the set too.
A blockbuster trade in December 1972 brought pitching ace Nolan Ryan from the New York Mets to the California Angels. Ryan’s debut with the Angels is captured in his #110 Topps card from ’73. Known for his epic strikeouts totals and 100 mph fastball, Ryan went on to shatter virtually every pitching record. Mint condition examples of his first Angels card have sold for $12,000 and up. Even well-centered PSA 8s command $3,000+.
Rookie cards of future Hall of Fame starting pitchers are always going to be in high demand. One that has soared in recent years is #514 Bert Blyleven’s debut issue. The legendary curveball artist won 287 games over his 22 year career and was known for his durability and dominance on the mound. Pristine Blyleven rookies in PSA 10 condition have reached $15,900 at auction. In PSA 9, they still bring $6,000-$8,000.
Two star hitters making their rookie card bows in 1973 have also gained steadily in value. #625 Rod Carew, the legendary Twins hitter and 7-time batting champion, has seen PSA 10 copies surpass $15,500. Even in PSA 8, Carew rookies still change hands for $3,000-$5,000. Another potent offensive force was #640 Dave Kingman of the Mets. With his prodigious home run power and Hack Wilson-like strikeouts totals, Kingman was one of the game’s early slugging icons. His rookie in top grade sold for $10,900 last year.
While stars on winning clubs gain more attention, superstars on bad teams still have collectible cards. In 1973, a young slugger named Reggie Jackson played his first full season with the Athletics. Despite the A’s finishing in last place, #98 Reggie Jackson exploded onto the scene by leading the league with 32 home runs. High grade copies of his sophomore Topps card topped $9,300 at auction recently. Graded examples in the PSA 8 range still make over $2,000.
No card from the 1973 Topps set has grown in value quite like the short print variation of #642 Bill Madlock. For years, the Pirates third baseman’s short print was hardly noticed and could often be acquired for under $100. As the hobby evolved and more collectors sought after rare inserts, the Madlock short print skyrocketed. High grade PSA 10 copies have sold for an incredible $38,900. Even in PSA 8 condition, examples are moving for $6,000-$8,000 today compared to a few hundred dollars just 5-10 years ago.
The 1973 Topps baseball card set had some true future legends making their cardboard debuts or reaching their statistical peaks. Combined with the growth of the collector market over the past few decades, cards like Schmidt, Carlton, Ryan, Carew, Kingman, Madlock and others have increased exponentially in value. For patient investors and knowledgeable collectors, pristine examples of these cardboard stars from ’73 can be seen as long term assets worth tens of thousands today and holding blue chip status in the hobby. While out of reach for most, the top graded examples in auctions show there is still strong demand and room for 1973 Topps greats to potentially appreciate further in the years ahead.
