The 1972 Topps baseball card set was the 21st series issued by Topps and featured cards of players from the American League and National League. Some key facts and highlights about the set:
Size: 660 total cards in the set. This includes 652 player and manager cards as well as 8 team cards.
Design: The design features a white border around the player photo with their team logo and colors in the bottom corner. The team logo also appears on the left side of the card. Player names and positions are printed in bold black text below the photo.
Rookies of note: Future Hall of Famer Robin Yount of the Milwaukee Brewers is featured in the set with card #234. Other top rookies included Ron Cey of the Dodgers (card #109), George Foster of the Reds (card #206), Don Money of the Brewers (card #234), and Bill Madlock of the Giants (card #412).
Notable veteran players: Stars depicted include Hank Aaron (card #1), Johnny Bench (card #11), Willie Mays (card #18), Roberto Clemente (card #27), Pete Rose (card #29), Willie Stargell (card #36), Tom Seaver (card #41), Rod Carew (card #45), and Nolan Ryan (card #56).
Serial numbers: The serial numbers on the fronts of the cards run from 1 to 660. The backs contain career statistics through the 1971 season.
Checklist: In addition to the player cards, the 1972 checklist includes cards for all 20 MLB teams at the time as well as the manager cards. Some of the managers featured include Walter Alston (#500), Leo Durocher (#511), Dick Williams (#553), and Earl Weaver (#554).
Variations: There are no true parallel sets in the 1972 issue. There are a few notable variations. Errors occurred in the photos on the Roberto Clemente (#27) and Orlando Cepeda (#28) cards, resulting in sticker or reprint versions. The Reggie Jackson (#352) card lists his team as the Kansas City A’s instead of the Oakland A’s.
Design quirks: Due to space constraints, the career records on the backs of some tall pitchers like Sonny Siebert (#103) are scrunched together. And Dave McNally’s (#224) head is noticeably cut off at the top of his card photo.
Rarity factors: High number cards starting around #550 tend to be scarcer in higher grades due to poorer centering quality control on late production run cards. Hall of Fame players are always in higher demand. And error/variation cards carry premiums.
Production notes: The 1972 set was printed by Bowman Gum/Topps and distributed through wax paper pack cigarettes, gum, and candy. Like earlier Topps issues of the 1950s/60s, the cards were mass produced but had no real collation/sorting process, leading to seemingly random distribution.
Cultural impact: While not quite as iconic or valuable as some previous decade’s sets, the 1972 Topps cards documented the careers of stars from that era and remain popular with collectors today. The cards provide a snapshot into the MLB player ranks and uniform designs of that period.
Price guide values: In top-graded PSA/BGS 10 condition, common Hall of Fame cards range from $50-300 depending on the player. Top rookies can reach $50-100. But most readily attainable cards in played/good condition sell for $1-5. The Nolan Ryan rookie PSA 9 just sold for $6,480 on eBay in January 2022.
The 1972 Topps baseball card set was the flagship issue that year. It captured the MLB players and teams of that season in the classic black-bordered Topps design. While not considered one of the most valuable sets, it remains popular with collectors due to its star players, rookie stars, and historical documentation of 50s/60s/70s baseball.
