The 1970 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic issues in the company’s history. While it may not have the star power of some earlier decade’s rookie classes, the 1970 set featured established superstars like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente and became quite scarce in high grade condition over the decades. As a result, the most coveted star rookies and key vintage cardboard from the 1970 Topps set can fetch big money on today’s marketplace.
Leading the way is Nolan Ryan’s coveted rookie card, card #537 from the set. Widely considered the crown jewel of the 1970 issue, Ryan’s rookie introduced the flamethrower during his time with the New York Mets. Of course, Ryan would go on to have one of the most decorated careers in MLB history as arguably the greatest strikeout pitcher ever. Naturally, his rookie is the most valuable card in the set when found in pristine mint condition. A PSA 10 example recently sold for over $180,000, while most high grade copies still pull in five figures. Even well-centered PSA 8s can demand thousands.
However, Ryan’s isn’t the only 1970 Topps rookie worth a premium. Thurman Munson’s debut, card #160, has also gained legendary status over time thanks to the Yankees catcher’s stellar career and untimely death at a young age. While not as rare as Ryan’s, a Munson PSA 10 still fetches tens of thousands in auctions. His is one of just a handful of 1970 rookies that maintains serious collector demand regardless of condition.
Two other star rookie cards that retain substantial market value include Bobby Bonds (#240) and Richie Hebner (#542). Bonds, father of Barry, posted huge power numbers in his playing days and his early cardboard is highly coveted. Meanwhile Hebner, a key member of the 1971 World Series champion Pirates, also enjoyed a productive career. Top graded examples of their ’70 first year issues can command four figures or more.
Condition is obviously still paramount when determining a 1970 card’s asking price. Hall of Famers and stars like Hank Aaron (#1), Willie Mays (#33) and Roberto Clemente (#55) have their place in the set’s upper echelon too – but they were printed in such high numbers that poorer conditioned copies hold little beyond base value. It takes ultra high grades, usually PSA 9s or true gem mint 10s, for their prices to really start increasing substantially from a few hundred dollars.
Rookies and key stars aren’t the only ones worth a premium in the 1970 issue either. Some insert cards featuring action photos have gained cult followings as well. The Ted Williams double bat super (#590) and Johnny Bench catching his own foul tip (#305) can command over $1,000 in top condition due to their iconic photography capturing legends in their element. Meanwhile the all-stars subset cards like Hank Aaron (#AS-07) and Roberto Clemente (#AS-24) also hold additional value relative to base cards in pristine condition.
Beyond the high-end gems, there are still 1970 Topps cards that provide solid vintage cardboard investing opportunities even in lower grades. Players with Hall of Fame worthy careers like Reggie Jackson (#440), Tom Seaver (#528) and Steve Carlton (#540) start to gain significance around the PSA 7-8 range where copies become more abundant on the secondary market. Their popularity ensures decades of collector support.
When properly graded high the Nolan Ryan, Thurman Munson and Richie Hebner rookie cards represent the true crown jewels of the 1970 Topps set – routinely delivering five figure sums and greater for mint specimens. There remains solid mid-range value to be found throughout the set with stars and key inserts too when condition is sufficiently preserved. After all, it was a watershed year for Topps as the football monopoly ended and baseball remained king – ensuring this classic 1970 issue will retain relevance with collectors for generations to come. Condition is critical, but the vintage star power and photographic highlights ensure certain cardboard from the set will always be among the most valuable Topps cards from the entire colorful 1970s decade.
