The 1970 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic issues in the hobby’s history. With 712 total cards issued, the ’70 Topps set featured many of the game’s biggest stars and future Hall of Famers. Let’s take a closer look at some of the standout cards from that memorable year.
The most coveted and valuable card from the 1970 Topps set is the #1 Mickey Mantle. Widely regarded as one of the most iconic baseball cards ever produced, Mantle’s pristine ’70 card in near-mint condition can fetch over $100,000. What makes this Mantle card so special is that it captures the Yankees legend in his final MLB season before retirement. Only a few short months after this photo was taken, Mantle would play his last game on September 28, 1968.
Another extremely rare and valuable card is #638 Reggie Jackson’s rookie card. Jackson would go on to have a Hall of Fame career, but this is the only card that captures him as a member of the Athletics franchise before later joining the Orioles and Yankees. High-grade versions of Jackson’s rookie card can sell for over $50,000 due to its scarcity and historical significance.
Two other rookie cards of future Hall of Famers that debuted in the 1970 set include #639 Ted Simmons for the Cardinals and #641 Lou Brock for the Cardinals. While not as valuable as Jackson’s rookie, graded high copies of Simmons and Brock’s first Bowman issues can still fetch thousands of dollars. Their inclusion in the ’70 Topps set makes it an even more important year for baseball card collectors.
Aside from rookies, the 1970 Topps set featured many of the game’s biggest offensive stars who were in their primes. #12 Hank Aaron’s card stands out, showing the Hammer blasting a home run in the midst of chasing Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record. Aaron would break the Babe’s record in 1974. #25 Johnny Bench highlights the Reds catcher in the midst of winning his first of two MVP awards. Bench’s powerful swing and defensive skills made him the best catcher of the 1970s.
Pitching greats were also well-represented, including #33 Tom Seaver’s card highlighting his dominating seasons for the Mets. Seaver would win the NL Cy Young Award in 1969 and 1973. #77 Gaylord Perry’s card is iconic, displaying the HOF knuckleballer in the middle of his record seven 20-win seasons. And #256 Bob Gibson’s card captured the Cardinal flamethrower during his 1968 season where he posted a modern-day record 1.12 ERA.
Rookies like #643 Thurman Munson, #644 Dock Ellis, and #645 Joe Rudi also had their inaugural Topps cards in 1970. While not the costliest, they provide an important glimpse at these players’ early careers. And stars like #4 Willie Mays, #6 Roberto Clemente, #11 Willie McCovey, and #21 Brooks Robinson rounded out the set with their signature cards.
The 1970 Topps baseball card set holds immense historical value. From rookie cards of future Hall of Famers to snapshots of the game’s biggest offensive and pitching stars, it truly captured the essence of that era. Graded high examples of cards like Mantle, Jackson, Bench, Seaver, and Gibson make the 1970 set highly coveted and collectible even decades later.
