The 1970 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable sets produced by Topps. With 792 total cards issued, the 1970 set featured many of the game’s greatest players from that era such as Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Roberto Clemente. Some of the standout rookie cards from the 1970 set include Hall of Famers Jim Palmer, Lou Brock, and Billy Williams. While the set as a whole maintains value for collectors, there are several specific 1970 Topps cards that have sold for astronomical prices in recent years due to their rarity and the notability of the players featured. Here are some of the most expensive 1970 Topps baseball cards on the market today.
One of the true crown jewels of any vintage baseball card collection is the 1970 Topps Mickey Mantle card. Widely considered one of the most desirable vintage cards due to Mantle’s status as a Yankees legend and icon of the game, high grade 1970 Mantle Topps cards routinely change hands for six figures. In January 2017, a PSA Gem Mint 9 copy of the Mantlecard sold for an astounding $101,800 through Heritage Auctions, setting a new record price for the iconic Yankee outfielder’s 1970 issue. Only the 1952 Topps Mantle rookie surpasses it in value. Beyond the Mint 9 copy, PSA/BGS Excellent-Mint 8 1970 Mantles have sold for $60,000-$85,000 in recent memory.
Almost as sought-after as the Mantle for collectors is the 1970 Topps Nolan Ryan rookie card. Arguably the most legendary pitcher of all-time for his record seven no-hitters and 5,714 strikeouts, Ryan’s first Topps card is considered the crown jewel of any Ryan collection. High grade copies in PSA/BGS Gem Mint condition have sold at auction for record prices north of $50,000. A PSA 9.5 example, deemed the “finest known”, set a new record when it sold for $49,800 in October 2016 through Heritage. Even PSA/BGS 8s in Excellent-Mint condition can fetch in excess of $15,000 due to Ryan’s pitching dominance and the card’s obvious significance as his first ever rookie issue in the beloved 1970 set.
Continuing with pitching legends from the 1970 set, the card of Los Angeles Dodgers icon and future Hall of Famer Don Sutton is also one of the pricier options for collectors looking to splurge. Supplies of high grade Sutton’s are scarce, as the card was widely distributed in the early 1970s but has held value exceptionally well in the ensuing decades. PSA/BGS Excellent-Mint 8 copies have sold for as much as $13,500 in recent years, with the prices steadily rising each year as fewer top-graded examples become available. PSA 9 specimens approach the $20,000 threshold when they surface, signifying the demand for one of the Dodgers’ all-time greatest righties and his starting card from over 45 years ago.
Beyond the star pitchers of Ryan and Sutton, position players also command big money from the 1970 Topps checklist when they grade superbly. A prime example is the Hank Aaron card, depicting the future all-time home run king posing in his Braves uniform. Superbly graded PSA/BGS Gems in the 9-9.5 range have topped $10,000 in value due to Aaron’s iconic status. Likely the most expensive 1970 card overall featuring a batter is the Roberto Clemente issue. Graded PSA/BGS Gems routinely sell for $15,000-$25,000 depending on the nuances, given Clemente’s place among the game’s classiest ambassadors both on and off the field until his tragic death in a 1972 plane crash. High demand coupled with limited mint examples available pushes values of this beloved Pirates star through the roof.
Beyond the household names of Mantle, Ryan, Sutton, Aaron, and Clemente, several other 1970s have achieved lofty prices in the collecting market as well. These include a PSA 9 Rod Carew that sold for $8,200 in 2016 and a PSA 9 Reggie Jackson that same year at $6,500. Other examples such as PSA 9s of Willie McCovey ($5,500), Willie Stargell ($5,400), and Tom Seaver ($4,800) indicate the strong secondary prices for many of the set’s greatest players in top condition. All vintage collectors understand condition is critical – with same names featured on low-grade copies selling for mere hundreds. It’s the untapped supplies of high-quality specimens that continue to excite buyers and push auction prices to new heights each year.
The 1970 Topps set endures as one of the vintage issues most cherished by collectors worldwide. While complete commons and short prints can easily be acquired for under $100 total, the true treasures that garner five and six-figure bids are the impossibly attractive grading gems featuring the sport’s iconic players like Mantle, Ryan, Sutton, Aaron, and Clemente. As inventories of these condition rarities grow increasingly limited with each passing year, their financial values ascend to new rewarding levels for those patient and fortunate enough to uncover them. For vintage devotees, few sets compare to the iconic 1970 Topps collection – now cemented as one of the costliest and most renowned in the hobby’s history.
