The 1970s produced some of the most iconic and valuable baseball cards in the history of the hobby. Groundbreaking players like Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Hank Aaron, and Reggie Jackson had Hall of Fame worthy careers during this decade and their cards from the era are among the most sought after. While the sheer number of cards produced in the 1970s may seem high compared to earlier decades, there are still several standouts that are considered quite rare. Let’s take a look at some of the rarest and most valuable baseball cards from the 1970s.
One of the true holy grails of the baseball card hobby is the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner. While it’s not from the 1970s, it set the standard as the most valuable trading card ever produced. During the 1970s, the rarest and most valuable cards started gaining recognition as truly valuable collectibles. The 1973 Topps #660 Nolan Ryan rookie card is considered one of the key Ryan cards from his early career with the California Angels and Mets. It’s rare for its sheer low print run as Topps only produced around 100 of the cards that year. In gem mint condition, the 1973 Nolan Ryan has sold for over $250,000, making it one of the most valuable cards of the decade.
The 1975 Topps #1 George Brett rookie card had an extremely limited print run and even more have sustained damage over the years. In impeccable gem mint condition, the 1975 Brett rookie has sold at auction for over $100,000, which is astronomical for a mid-1970s baseball card. The 1959 Topps #506 Wes Covington is arguably one of the rarest mid-range cards produced in the 1950s or 1960s. The Covington resides in the same conversation as the famed 1969 Bazooka Joe Comics Reggie Jackson sticker, which is one of the true Holy Grails for any vintage baseball card enthusiast. Both cards are so difficult to find in high grade that they rival the legendary T206 Honus Wagner in terms of rarity and valuation.
Speaking of the 1969 Bazooka Joe Reggie Jackson sticker, it’s about as rare as they come from the late 1960s/early 1970s period. Very few of these stickers survived in high grade for nearly 50+ years since their original distribution. As a true ‘one-of-a-kind’ style card, a gem mint example can bring six figures at auction today. The 1951 Bowman Color Mickey Mantle is arguably the single most valuable post-war card issued prior to the late 1950s. The pastel photo and design make for a visually striking and historic piece of cardboard trivia. Fewer than 50 are known to exist in gem mint condition, and the ones that grade above a 9 are considered true treasures that could rise above the $1 million valuation point.
Two extremely rare and valuable cards from the 1970 Topps set are the #130 Don York and #159 Ed Kirkpatrick. These two rookie cards are the biggest culprits in a famously small print run that has made 1970 Topps a very tough set to complete in high grades. The York and Kirkpatrick rookies are regarded as two of the most difficult cards to locate in any condition at all. Less than a dozen high grade examples are known to exist for each. Condition census 1970 Topps rookies have reached the $20,000+ range and those prices figure to steadily rise as the set gains more recognition among collectors. The 1972 Topps #660 Nolan Ryan is also revered for its extreme scarcity. As Ryan’s first issued Topps card as a member of the California Angels, the ‘72 sits right alongside the 1973 as among his most epic early career cards. In a true mint state, it has achieved auction prices above $100,000 due to the minute population that survives in high grades.
One of the most visually stunning and elusive cards from the 1970s is the 1979 O-Pee-Chee #139 Wayne Gretzky rookie card. Not only marking ‘The Great One’s’ first NHL season, the Canadian released O-Pee-Chee version utilized a unique action photo and design that set it apart from the 1979 Topps issue south of the border. The scarcity and condition census on high grade Gretzky ’79 O-Pee-Chee rookies is minuscule, with true gem examples being almost unobtainable. Even well-worn low grade copies can fetch four figures due to the rookie card’s iconic status in the hockey card world. As one of the most important rookies in any sport, condition census 1979 O-Pee-Chee #139 Wayne Gretzky rookies that crack the 9.0+ threshold on the all-time valuable list and routinely break records when pristine copies surface. For collectors seeking an unattainable trophy card from the 1970s, this has to sit near or at the top of the want list.
So in conclusion, the rarest and most valuable baseball cards from the 1970s include the ultra-low population 1973 Topps Nolan Ryan and 1972 Topps Nolan Ryan rookies, the 1975 George Brett rookie, the 1959 Wes Covington, and the elusive 1969 Bazooka Joe Reggie Jackson sticker. Also quite rare are the 1970 Topps Don York and Ed Kirkpatrick rookies, as well as the 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie which holds iconic status for hockey cards. While print runs were higher overall than earlier decades, discerning collectors continue to covet these scarce gems that represent the early years of some all-time great players. With the popularity of collecting cards from the 1970s only increasing over time, their rarity and value figures to grow even more in the future.
