The 1973 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic issues in the hobby’s history. Some of the most famous players of the 1970s are featured, including Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench, and Reggie Jackson. The set also captured Hank Aaron’s historic home run chase to break Babe Ruth’s all-time record. Not surprisingly, high-grade examples of key cards from this release continue to demand strong prices in the trading card market.
One of the true heavyweight cards from 1973 Topps is the Nolan Ryan rookie card. Ryan would go on to dominate MLB as arguably the greatest strikeout pitcher ever. His rookie is one of the most valuable in the entire hobby. In pristine mint condition, graded NM-MT 8 by professional grading services, the Ryan rookie has sold for over $50,000. Even well-centred examples in Excellent 5 condition can fetch four-figure prices.
What makes the Ryan rookie so desirable is that it was his only true Topps rookie card issued. Topps released Ryan in the 1967 and 1968 sets as a third-year player after he spent his first two MLB seasons in the New York Mets’ farm system. The 1973 is widely acknowledged as his true debut. Population reports show fewer than 10 graded examples rank above a 7. With such a legendary career attached and limited high-end supplies, the Ryan will remain a holy grail for many collectors.
Another Texas flamethrower, Fergie Jenkins, also has one of the 1973 set’s most coveted rookie cards. Jenkins would win 20 games three times in the 1970s and claim the 1971 NL Cy Young Award. Like Ryan, Jenkins’ 1973 is considered his true rookie by the collecting community. Mid-grade examples still sell for $1,000-2,000, with Mint 8s reaching $5,000-7,500. Given Jenkins’ place in Canadian baseball history and Hall of Fame career, his rookie remains quite collectible.
Switching gears, superstar sluggers also make 1973 Topps an incredible release. The Hank Aaron card picturing him in an Atlanta Braves uniform is highly sought after by Braves fans and players chasing career milestones. Just a year prior, Aaron homered number 715 broke Babe Ruth’s longstanding career home run record. In high grades, Aaron’s ’73 sells in the $500-1,000 range.
The 1973 set is also renowned for its action shot of Reggie Jackson of the Oakland A’s mid-swing. “Mr. October” would cement his postseason legend in October 1973 by winning World Series MVP. High-grade Jacksons command $300-500. Future Hall of Famer Johnny Bench, the 1972 NL MVP for the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds, also has an iconic card from this issue valued near $200-300 in top condition.
Baseball Cards from the early 1970s are recognized for their classic designs featuring simple team logo centered photography with no borders or boxing around images. The 1973 set marked the last year of this no-frills, back-to-basics aesthetic. While production and print runs were larger than 1950s/60s issues, proper preservation remains important. Over the decades, natural aging has thinned supplies of high-qualityAMPLES available to collectors today.
The 1973 Topps baseball card set holds a very special place in the history of the hobby. Iconic rookie cards of future all-time greats like Nolan Ryan and Fergie Jenkins continue to captivate collectors decades later. Key cards of Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, and Johnny Bench resonate with fans of their respective franchises and eras. Combined with its nostalgic photographic style, the 1973 Topps release has proven to stand the test of time. In top condition, particularly above-average examples, its most valuable cards maintain six-figure prices that show no sign of slowing appreciation any time soon.
