The Ten Essential Topps Baseball Cards of the 1970s

The 1970s were a glorious time to collect baseball cards, not that there's ever been a bad time! Having already looked at the decade's best sets in an earlier article, it's now time to look at the decade's best cards. Just be warned that this article is NOT about the decade's most expensive cards since that's information you can find just about anywhere. Instead, the cards selected here will bring far more to the table than dollar value. "But what else is there," some collectors may ask. Read on, and you'll get the idea.

RELATED: The Ten Best Baseball Card Sets of the 1970s

1971 Topps Thurman Munson

The decade's first iconic card is neither a rookie card nor a Hall of Famer. However, it does come awfully close on both those fronts. It's the second-year card of Yankee captain Thurman Munson.

Between the the top notch Chuck Dobson cameo, the jet black borders, and the O.G. All-Star Rookie trophy, this card is an absolute masterpiece. Is it the best card of the decade? I'll leave that for you to decide, but I will say this. It's undoubtedly the best card of 1971, and that's already saying quite a bit.

1972 Topps Roberto Clemente

What's so special about a 1972 card of Roberto Clemente? It's not his rookie card. It's not even his final card. Nevertheless, there is something beautiful and haunting about this card, the final one issued while the Great One was still alive. If a card can be a poem, here it is.

1972 Topps Dock Ellis (Registration Error)

Just like any 1980s list of essential cardboard is bound to include at least one NSFW entry, so too will this list. Can there be any trippier card than this one?

On June 12, 1970, Dock Ellis threw a no-hitter while tripping on acid. In 1972, a Topps printing error created perhaps the greatest misprint card ever, owned by my friend @imoMitchCards on Twitter.

📸: RedSoxNationMT#TheHobby pic.twitter.com/fGFWYtnNeQ
— KSP Cards (@KSPCards) July 13, 2022

1973 Topps Dick Allen

In 1972 Dick Allen was the baddest man in baseball, hands down. His 1973 Topps card, featuring his powerful swing, reflects this fully. Oh, and a note to the Hall of Fame, who will be enshrining Mr. Allen posthumously this summer. Did you even read the back of the man's baseball card? We need a Sox cap on Dick's plaque, and that's non-negotiable.

1974 Topps Hank Aaron

This card may not match the others on the list in aesthetics, but it laps the field in history. Even today, the number 715 remains among the most hallowed in the game, it's only competition being 42. "New All-Time Home Run King." 'Nuff said.

1976 Topps Johnny Bench

Next is a card many collectors, without hesitation, will declare the decade's greatest card. There's good reason for that too. The card is perfect.

1976 Topps Traded Oscar Gamble

For the card collector in "hirsute of excellence," have we got the card fro you! While Oscar's sizeable Afro is the card's hallmark feature, don't sleep on the headline's clever wordplay. Oh, and how many other Yankee cards feature facial hair?

No doubt some haters will find this card unworthy of Decade's Best honors, but in the immortal words of Oscar himself (and that's Gamble, not Wilde!): "They don't think it be like it is, but it do."

RELATED: Hairy Yankee Cards A Change in Legacy

1977 Topps Mark Fidrych

Yet another banger of a card featuring a guy with a 'fro, not to mention some hobby history here. You're looking at the first ever Topps All-Star/All-Star Rookie card. Honestly, "The Bird" was one of the greatest things to happen to sports ever, and you're looking at the man's signature piece of cardboard.

1978 Topps Reggie Jackson

Here is another utterly perfect card. A transcendent image of the game's biggest star coming off the most ridiculous World Series feat ever, deliciously complemented by a perfectly placed All-Star shield. "Hang it in the Louvre," as they say.