The 1973 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic issues in the history of the hobby. Although it may not be the most valuable set overall compared to years like 1952 or 1909, several key rookie cards and short printed inserts make certain 1973s extremely valuable nearly 50 years later. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most valuable 1973 Topps baseball cards that can fetch five-figure and even six-figure prices.
Arguably the single most coveted card from 1973 is the rookie card of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt. As the third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies, Schmidt would go on to capture 10 Gold Gloves and win the National League MVP award three times in the 1970s and 80s. His iconic smiling rookie card is one of just the about 180 copies in existence graded Mint condition or higher by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). In a PSA 10 gem mint state, Schmidt’s rookie card has sold for over $350,000, establishing it as one of the most valuable baseball cards of all-time. Even well-preserved but lower graded versions still command prices into the tens of thousands.
Two other formidable rookies from 1973 are Nolan Ryan and Dave Kingman. Ryan debuted with the California Angels and went on to rackle the single season strikeout record multiple times before retiring with a record 5,714 Ks. His rookie is exceedingly rare in high grade due to the condition issues that plagued 1970s issues. Even in rough shape a Ryan PSA 5 may fetch $1,000. A pristine PSA 10 exemplar sold for $127,000 in 2020, demonstrating the card’s elite rarity and demand. Likewise, Kingman’s arrival with the New York Mets saw him establish the single season home run record for National League rookies, which still stands today. While not in the same stratosphere as Schmidt or Ryan, Kingman’s rookie remains quite valuable at $3,000+ in top-tier condition.
The 1973 set also featured a scarce “returned to manufacturer” (RTM) error card that has reached immense valuations. During production, Topps discovers it had underprinted the Reggie Jackson Oakland A’s card, #579. To remedy this, they pulled copies already in circulation and reprinted additional high numbers cards to make up for the shortage. The RTM Jacksons they retrieved and reprinted are the true errors, with irregularly cut corners and visually distinct from the original low numbers issue. In a PSA 10 gem mint state, one of these ultra-rare RTM Reggie Jackson cards achieved a world record price for a single baseball card of $2.88 million in a 2016 auction. Even well-worn PSA 5 copies can bring over $10,000 due to their minute population of only about 25-50 known survivors.
The 1973 set also contained several other highly valuable short prints and errors. The Hank Aaron Atlanta Braves card #75 is one of the most famous short prints in the set, with estimates putting the issued quantity under 100 copies. Multiply that scarcity by Aaron’s Hall of Fame status and examples still receive very strong six-figure bids. Others errors like the incomplete “Hill” surname on Ron Blomberg’s card #653 also hold tremendous rarity. The Mike Marshall Los Angeles Dodgers card #574 was produced in quantities of less than a dozen copies. Marshall won the 1974 NL Cy Young Award after the release of this set, likely exacerbating collectors’ desire for his scarce issue. Graded examples can bring $20,000+ despite his lack of long term notoriety.
While stars like Schmidt, Ryan, Aaron and Jackson retain the highest prices, certain lesser known but still valuable gems exist from 1973 as well. Players like RickMiller, Don Money and Ken Brett had incredibly brief major league careers yet their rookie cards remain quite rare in high quality. Demandfrom set collectors wanting to complete pristine 70s sets with these difficult inserts ensures four-figure valuations at a minimum. Similarly, the Gene Tenace Oakland A’s card #11 is erroneously cut considerably lower than the standard issue size. Only a handful are known to exist in this correct error form, escalating values far above whatTenace’s career accomplishments alone may warrant.
While the 1973 Topps set as a whole isn’t the mostvaluable in the history of the hobby, it certainly contains some of the singular most coveted and expensive individual baseball cards ever produced. Keys like the rookie cards of Mike Schmidt, Nolan Ryan and Dave Kingman will likely never lose their luster. Meanwhile, unprecedented rarities like the Reggie Jackson RTM ensure 1973 always has a seat at the table when discussing elite vintage cardboard. For the serious collector, building a high grade vintage 70s set remains a noble and investment-worthy pursuit thanks to these seminal issues.
