The most valuable 1972 Topps baseball card is the Nolan Ryan card #536. This card is extremely rare in gem mint condition and has sold for over $50,000 in the past. Nolan Ryan was just starting to emerge as a pitching superstar in 1972 with the California Angels. He was still a few years away from breaking major strikeout records, but collectors recognized his huge talent even at this early stage of his career. Getting a Ryan rookie card in perfect centering, corners and edges is incredibly difficult and helps explain the astronomical prices this card can demand in the best of condition.
Another extremely valuable card from the 1972 set is the Johnny Bench card #500. Bench was already a 3-time All-Star and 2-time World Series champion at this point with the Cincinnati Reds. He won the National League MVP award in 1972 while batting .293 with 40 home runs and 125 RBI. Bench is considered by many to be the greatest catcher in MLB history, so his 1972 Topps rookie card holds a special significance for collectors. Like the Nolan Ryan, it must grade extremely well to have a chance at the $10,000+ price tag the top examples have achieved. Even well-centered copies in EX-MT condition trade in the $1,000+ range.
The 1972 Topps Thurman Munson rookie card #561 also demands big money, especially in top grades. Munson had just finished 2nd in AL ROY voting in 1971 while establishing himself as the Yankees’ starting catcher. He would go on to be a 7-time All-Star and 3-time Gold Glover over his stellar career. Tragically, Munson lost his life in a plane crash in 1979 at age 32. As a result, his rookie card has taken on greater significance over the years. Near-mint copies are $500-1000, with perfect examples rarely trading under $2500 and reaching as high as $5000 in auctions.
George Brett’s rookie card #591 also gains value due to his Hall of Fame career and his starring role on 1980s Kansas City Royals teams. Brett batted .282 with 19 home runs as a 21-year old for the Royals in 1972 to finish 5th in AL ROY voting. He went on to have a stellar 21-year career including a .305 lifetime average and over 3000 hits. Like Munson, demand for a pristine Brett rookie has only increased since he was inducted into Cooperstown. Near-mint copies bring $400-700, with mint copies reaching the $1000-1500 range or more.
The Hank Aaron #500 card holds iconic status and value due to his career home run record. Aaron passed Babe Ruth’s previous mark of 714 home runs in 1974 and finished with 755, a record that stood for over 30 years until Barry Bonds broke it in 2007. In 1972, Aaron was still slugging away for the Atlanta Braves at age 38, batting .279 with 27 home runs in his final 20/100 season. High-grade copies graded Mint 9 or Gem Mint 10 have sold for over $2000 before due to Aaron’s legendary home run milestone and significance in baseball history. Overall it’s one of the most historically valuable cards from the entire 1972 set.
It’s easy to see why the rookie and star cards of future Hall of Famers like Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench, Thurman Munson, George Brett, and Hank Aaron hold premium value in the 1972 Topps set. As generations have passed and nostalgia has grown, demand has only increased for their flagship rookie cards, especially in pristine preserved condition under professional grading. With the exception of multi-million-dollar specimens like the T206 Honus Wagner, it would be tough to find five cards that may collectively be worth more from any other single baseball card set released.
