Top 6 Most Iconic and Valuable 1968 Topps Baseball Cards
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After utilizing a basic and understated design for its 1966 and 1967 sets, Topps changed things dramatically in 1968. The company went with a rustic brown design that reminds many collectors of a burlap sack or 1960s kitchen wallpaper. While the 1968 design was an unusual choice, many of the photographs inside the speckled brown borders were much more familiar.
The familiar photographs resulted from a dispute between Topps and the Major League Baseball Players Association. Players were instructed not to pose for new photographs while the two sides worked toward a new agreement, forcing Topps to reach into its photo archives and reuse older images of players.
But reused photographs were far from the only unusual thing about Topps baseball cards in 1968. Some cards were distributed through Milton Bradley’s ‘Win-A-Card’ board game rather than through traditional packs. These Milton Bradley versions have brighter yellow backs and, in some cases, traces of the white borders from the 1967 Topps football cards that shared the same printing sheets.
Topps was also experimenting with an extremely scarce 3-D ‘test set’ in 1968. It consisted of just 12 cards, with each card covered by a plastic layer that created a three-dimensional effect. More than 50 years later, surviving examples are extremely rare and expensive.
There was also the 1968 Topps Game subset. The 33-card subset was modeled after Topps’ 1951 Red Back and Blue Back sets, with each card representing an outcome such as a single or home run. This was one of the earliest TCG games in the hobby, but this Topps subset never really caught on. The cards were inserted into third-series packs and were also available as complete boxed sets.
For most collectors, however, the regular 598-card 1968 Topps set is remembered for its Hall of Fame stars and important rookie cards. Below are the six most iconic and valuable cards from the 1968 Topps baseball set.
6. Tom Seaver 1968 Topps #45
PSA 7 Value: $350
PSA 3 Value: $45
PSA Population: 9,344
Card Info: This is Seaver’s second-year card, but it is the first standalone card of “Tom Terrific.” It is much more affordable than his 1967 Topps rookie, which recently sold for $1,100 in a PSA 3. This card was also produced for Milton Bradley’s Win-A-Card game, giving collectors another variation to pursue.
1968 Context: Seaver was already the face of the Mets by the time this card was released. He won National League Rookie of the Year in 1967 and followed it with another excellent season in 1968, going 16-12 with a 2.20 ERA and earning his first of 12 career All-Star selections. Seaver went on to become the greatest Mets player of all time and a top-10 pitcher.
5. Hank Aaron 1968 Topps #110
PSA 7 Value: $360
PSA 3 Value: $73
PSA Population: 7,001
Card Info: Only five PSA 10 copies of this classic card exist because the dark borders are very prone to chipping. The last PSA 10 sale took place in 2023, when a copy sold for $174,000. Another PSA 10 copy sold for just $10,600 in 2017.
1968 Context: Hank Aaron was 34 years old in 1968 but remained one of the game’s best hitters. In 1968, he hit .287 with 29 home runs, 86 RBI, and 28 stolen bases. “Hammerin Hank” was still five years away from breaking Babe Ruth’s career home run record.
4. Roberto Clemente 1968 Topps #150
PSA 7 Value: $520
PSA 3 Value: $70
PSA Population: 6,467
Card Info: Roberto Clemente hated being called “Bob,” but Topps used this name for Roberto anyway. A PSA 10 copy of this card (pop. 5) sold for $50,400 in 2021.
1968 Context: Clemente was coming off one of his best offensive seasons when this card was released, hitting .357 in 1967. His average fell to .291 in the pitching-dominated 1968 season, but he still hit 18 home runs with an .838 OPS.
3. Johnny Bench 1968 Topps Rookie Card #247
PSA 7 Value: $735
PSA 3 Value: $156
PSA Population: 16,116
Card Info: Bench shares this rookie card with Reds pitcher Ron Tompkins. During the 1960s, most Topps rookie cards featured multiple players like this one. Ron Tompkins was not a successful Major League pitcher (0-2 career record), but Bench makes this one of the most iconic cards of the decade.
1968 Context: Bench was only 20 years old in 1968, but he hit .275 with 82 RBI, made the All-Star team, won a Gold Glove, and was named National League Rookie of the Year. Bench won his first MVP just two seasons later. He is considered by many to be the greatest catcher in baseball history.
2. Mickey Mantle 1968 Topps #280
PSA 7 Value: $1,214
PSA 3 Value: $330
PSA Population: 18,921
Card Info: This is actually Mickey Mantle’s final card from his playing career. “The Mick” has a 1969 Topps card, but he only showed up to Spring Training in 1969 and officially retired before the ’69 season. A PSA 10 copy (pop. 11) sold for an incredible $510,000 in 2023. In 2009, a PSA 10 copy sold for just $8,815.
1968 Context: Mantle was 36, and 1968 was his final season. He hit only .237 with 18 home runs, but his ability to reach base remained extraordinary. He drew 106 walks and finished with a .385 on-base percentage.
1. Nolan Ryan / Jerry Koosman 1968 Topps Rookie Card #177
PSA 7 Value: $6,100
PSA 3 Value: $1,227
PSA Population: 21,151
Card Info: Nolan Ryan’s rookie card is not just the most iconic card in 1968 Topps. It is recognized by many as the most iconic card of the 1960s. Ryan shares the card with fellow Mets pitcher Jerry Koosman, who was actually a better pitcher than Ryan when this card was released.
Four distinct versions of this rookie card exist: Topps, Milton Bradley, O-Pee-Chee (a Canadian Topps version), and the rarest, the Venezuela Topps. These four cards are nicknamed “the Nolan Ryan Four Horsemen.” Below is a quote from nolanryanfourhorsemen.com.
“With only 51 Venezuelan Nolan Ryan rookie cards known to exist and only 14 Nolan Ryan collectors on the U.S. National Registry for Nolan Ryan Four Horsemen Collectors, achieving your own Nolan Ryan Four Horsemen, you can be part of this small group of 'ultimate' Nolan Ryan collectors.”
1968 Context: Nolan Ryan pitched only three major league innings before the 1968 season. In 1968, the 21-year-old went 6-9 with a 3.09 ERA while striking out 133 batters in 134 innings. The overpowering stuff was evident early on, but the young “Ryan Express” sometimes struggled with his control. Meanwhile, Koosman won 19 games as a rookie in 1968 and made the All-Star team.
Nolan Ryan retired with 5,714 strikeouts, seven no-hitters, and one of the longest careers in baseball history (1966-1993).
5 Iconic Honorable Mentions and Their PSA 7 Prices
- Willie Mays 1968 Topps #50: $350
- Super Stars Harmon Killebrew Willie Mays Mickey Mantle #490: $550
- Pete Rose 1968 Topps #230: $273
- Rod Carew 1968 Topps #80: $229
- Bob Gibson 1968 Topps #100: $209
- Ernie Banks 1968 Topps #355: $135
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David is a collector based in Georgia and a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and New York Knicks. He is an avid sports card collector with a strong passion for vintage baseball cards and vintage on-card autographs. David enjoys obtaining autographs through the mail and loves connecting with other knowledgeable collectors to discuss the history and evolution of the hobby. He also previously wrote about the New York Giants for GMENHQ.com