Amos Otis had a highly productive Major League Baseball career spanning from 1967 to 1983 while playing exclusively for the Kansas City Royals organization. As a result, Otis has a respectable collection of baseball cards that chronicle his playing days. Some of the more notable Amos Otis cards that collectors seek include:

1970 Topps #439 – Otis’s first baseball card was issued by Topps in 1970, depicting him as a member of the Royals’ farm system. This marks the start of Otis being included in annual card sets during his playing career. The design features a solid blue background with white borders and lettering. It shows Otis in a batting stance wearing his Royals uniform without a number displayed. The 1970 Topps set had 660 total cards and is a fairly common issue that can still be acquired in mid-grade condition for $5-10.

1972 Topps #557 – Otis broke out as an everyday player for the Royals in 1972 and was rewarded with his first major brand card in the flagship Topps set. The design uses a light blue background with dark blue borders and white lettering. It captures Otis making a running catch in center field while sporting the number “22” on his jersey. The 1972 Topps set had 660 cards and high grade examples of Otis’s card in this issue can be found for $15-25.

1973 Topps #438 – Otis continued his emergence as a star for Kansas City in 1973, appearing in his third straight Topps set. This card depicts him batting from the left side with a solid blue background and white borders/lettering. It was during this season that Otis began wearing number “20,” which is displayed on the card. High quality copies of this common issue can be acquired for $5-10.

1974 Topps #440 – Otis made his lone All-Star team appearance in 1974 while batting .312, leading to one of his most iconic card designs. The photo shows him swinging the bat with a blue sky backdrop. The borders and lettering are white with a blue tint. This card is readily available in worn condition for $3-5 but jumps up to $15-25 for a pristine near-mint copy.

1975 Topps #452 – Otis’s offensive production dipped a bit in 1975 but he remained a Topps series regular. This design has a light blue background with a solid blue border and white lettering. It captures Otis fielding a ball in centerfield. Near-mint copies in graded gem mint condition have sold for over $100 due to the high-quality photo and centering.

1976 SSPC #90 – In 1976, Otis appeared in the short-lived SSPC (Sweet Spot Pin Control) set in addition to Topps. The card shows him batting from the left side with a blue and white color scheme. Only 110 sets were printed, giving this a rare designation. Even well-worn examples change hands for $50-75 depending on the market.

1977 Topps #500 – Otis’s offensive numbers rebounded in 1977 to make this one of his stronger statistical seasons represented on a card. The design employs a light blue background with a solid blue border and white lettering. It shows Otis crouched in the on-deck circle, bat in hand. Near-mint copies can be acquired for the $5-10 range.

1978 Topps #470 – Otis was entering his late career phase when issued this card in the 1978 Topps set. The design employs a light blue and white color scheme with him depicted crouching in the batter’s box, bat on his shoulder. Near-mint copies remain quite affordable at $3-5.

1979 Topps #460 – Otis’s final card appearance while an active player was in the 1979 Topps set during the last season of his Kansas City tenure. The design utilizes a blue and white color scheme with him shown fielding a ball on the run in centerfield. This is a fairly common card found in collections for $2-4.

In summary, Amos Otis built a respectable 17-year career that warrants representation in the vintage card market. His early 1970s issues from his Royals breakout years seem to attract the most collector interest. But affordable copies of Otis cards spanning his entire playing tenure can still be found with a bit of searching. Any dedicated Kansas City Royals or vintage card collector would appreciate adding some Amos Otis cards to their holdings.