Although baseball cards outlive a majority of the global population today, the hobby of baseball card collecting is very much alive. Given that the first cards debuted in the 1860s and made it into the limelight four decades later, you’d expect every collector today, to be a baby boomer.
Surprisingly, that’s not the case as even the younger generation seems to have joined in the collecting craze. If you’re among this generation’s group of collectors, then you’re in good company because below are four valuable Topps cards of the 1970s that you need to add to your collection.
1970 Topps, Thurman Munson Rookie Card
Although he died tragically while practicing plane takeoffs and landings, Thurman Munson’s legacy is still alive four decades later. While his early years in baseball career weren’t quite promising, his career peaked during the 1970s when playing as a Yankees catcher. Thurman’s time at Yankees was so good, he ended up winning the title Rookie of the year, and later bagged two world-series. Had he been alive for at least 2-4 more seasons, his statistics suggest that he would have made it into the hall of fame.
Although he shares the card with David McDonald, this explains why his 1970 Topps #189 rookie card remains one of the most popular and also valuable baseball cards of 1970. Thurman remains one of the most legendary players not only of the 70s but also of all time.
1972 Roberto Clemente
Similar to Thurman Munson, Roberto Clemente was also one of the best players of the 70s and also met his untimely death in a plane crash in 1972. The player was on his way to Nicaragua for a humanitarian course when the plane crashed.
During his career, Clemente took home an MVP award, 15 gold gloves, and won 4 battle titles. He was likable both on the field and in real life and became even more popular after his passing. He was so good that the famous Commissioner’s award was renamed the Clemente award.
1974 Topps, Dave Winfield
In 1951, Bobby Thomson, a renowned baseball player, made the most winning home run hit. That same day, the legendary Dave Winfield was born, and two decades later became part of the baseball world. Thanks to his over-the-top athletic abilities, Winfield was among the few players of his era who went straight from college to the major leagues. As you would expect, he achieved great feats during his career and had 3,000 hits, 465 home runs, seven gold gloves, and a couple of silver sluggers under his belt.
Other than his #456 rookie card, other valuable baseball cards from the same year include Reggie Jacksons and Hank Aaron’s cards.
1978 Topps Eddie Murray
Our list wouldn’t be complete without Eddie Murray’s #36 Topps card. He is among the few players who made it to the 3000 hits and 500 home runs club. Murray was also among the few players who managed to keep a consistent track record of 90-100 RBI and 25-30 homers every year. Another great Topps card from the same year is the Paul Molitor and Allan Trammel card.
Although the 1970s weren’t as good as the previous and preceding decades for baseball, the decade brought about a string of significant changes that impact the game to date. For instance, the 70s were when players were once again allowed to don a mustache. It was also when turf began replacing grass in the pitch. Baseball cards are the best way to hold on to this era, and we’re glad to tell you that you can find most Topps cards from this era on Classic Pack Breaks.
You may never be able to own one of these valuable cards, but you can enjoy collecting baseball cards even today. You can learn a lot more about the great game of baseball at the The Baseball Stop.