The Five Essential Baseball Cards of the 1970s

Collecting baseball cards in the 1970s was a very different enterprise than today's Hobby. For one thing, rookie cards were among the least exciting cards in the pack, right on par with checklists and manager cards. For another, there were no inserts, no parallels, no serial numbered rarities, no in-pack autos, or any of the other premium cards collectors covet today. In the 1970s, a pack's "hits" were generally just established stars, a favorite player, or anyone needed to complete your set. Finally, cards in the 1970s were almost entirely collected for fun, nothing else. The result is there's not a card on this list you couldn't have nabbed off a classmate for a Twinkie or Ding Dong from your lunch bag.

1971 Topps Thurman Munson

RELATED: The Five Essential Baseball Cards of 1971 Topps

This card of the Captain is one of the first great Topps action shots, not to mention one made infinitely cooler by the presence of the Topps All-Star Rookie trophy. Does it help that a cap-less pitcher in Oakland A's gold and green (Chuck Dobson, if you're curious) is sliding across the card's foreground into home? It sure does! And for those who stare at the card way too long, another detail to appreciate is how the trophy and Munson's signature dovetail Dobson's silhouette. Simply put, the 1971 Topps Thurman Munson is cardboard perfection.

1974 Topps Hank Aaron

RELATED: The Five Essentials Baseball Cards of 1974 Topps

While any baseball card of Hammerin' Hank has a place in the Essentials discussion, few cards ever produced match the history of his 1974 Topps card. Issued about a month before Aaron broke the most significant record in all of sports, this card was essentially Topps NOW before Topps NOW, a record breaker card collectors didn't need to wait a whole season for.

1975 Topps George Brett

In a decade full of Hall of Fame rookie cards, the first and only rookie card to crack the Essentials list is that of Kansas City legend George Brett. Not surprisingly, this card gets more Hobby love than the multi-player rookie cards of contemporaries such as Carlton Fisk, Mike Schmidt, and Gary Carter; and right or wrong, the card outshines even the solo rookie cards of superstars Dave Winfield, Robin Yount, and Eddie Murray.

1976 Topps Johnny Bench

RELATED: The Five Essential Baseball Cards of 1976 Topps

Is there any other decade where a 9th year catcher card would crack the Essentials list? Not a chance! Yet, this 1976 Topps Johnny Bench may well be the card of the decade. Hang it in the Louvre, right next to the Mona Lisa! Or at least throw it in a top loader.

1978 Topps Reggie Jackson

With apologies to Messrs. Munson and Bench, there may be no more beautiful piece of 2.5" x 3.5" cardboard ever created than the 1978 Topps card of Reginald Martinez Jackson. That the card was issued fresh off the Fall Classic that earned Jackson the nickname Mr. October only adds to the greatness of the card. And whether you love the Bombers or hate them, admit it. Those pinstripes are badass!