Those 1970 Topps baseball cards are sneaky sons of a gun.
At first glance, they look pretty boring — gray borders, small font, just about zero design elements.
*yawn*
But then … you really start to look at the things and you notice the photography is pretty darn good.
And the set is huge at 720 cards.
And those blue, yellow, white card backs with the incredible cartoons!
Throw in all the usual Hall of Famers and some solid rookie cards, and you have a winner — even all these years later.
So it’s really no surprise that this set has a strong following AND that it contains plenty of valuable cards within its walls.
What follows, then, is a list of the ten most valuable cards from the 1970 Topps baseball card set, as listed by the PSA SMR Price Guide for PSA 8 specimens (the most common grade PSA has handed out for the set).
Let’s dig in …
(Note: The listings below contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.)
1970 Topps Nolan Ryan (#712)
A third-year Nolan Ryan card showing him as he looked during the New York Mets Amazin’ run to the 1969 World Series title, and a high-numbered card to boot?
Yeah, that’s a pretty strong recipe for a popular card and a corresponding high price tag.
How high? Well…
Value: $1200-1400
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1970 Topps Roberto Clemente (#350)
Like Thurman Munson (below), Clemente was an absolute superstar whose flame burned even brighter in the years after his untimely death.
Unlike Munson, though, Clemente in enshrined in Cooperstown, and his 1970 card is a stunner. There stands Roberto with a bat in his hand, wearing his home Pittsburgh Pirates vest, and with sunny Forbes Field looming in the background.
It’s a combo that keeps this card’s value perking along.
Value: $700-900
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1970 Topps Thurman Munson Rookie Card (#189)
Sure, Munson shares his rookie card here with the inimitable Dave McDonald, but at least the New York Yankees captain gets top billing.
And, well, dude is a bona fide legend and has been since his death 40+ years ago.
With a strong contingent of folks who think Munson belongs in the Hall of Fame, you might never find his RC below its current price levels again.
Value: $625-675
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1970 Topps Hank Aaron All-Star (#462)
Everything that goes about the base Hank Aaron card (below) goes here, except that this All-Star version features the “exploding newspaper” design that you probably either love or hate.
Consider me in the former camp, especially since these cards give me the comic book feels as a bonus.
Value: $600-650
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1970 Topps Willie Mays (#600)
By 1970, Willie Mays‘ speed had long ceased to be a real asset on the basepaths, and his power was fading, as well.
But, wouldn’t you know it … the Say Hey Kid cranked it up a notch for his age-39 season and smacked 28 long balls, the last time he’d reach 20 homers in a season.
Then, for good measure in 1971, he stole 23 bases.
Take that, Father Time!
Of course, not long after that, Mays looked feeble for the New York Mets, but not before he scored a couple more solid slabs of cardboard, including his 1970 Topps issue.
Coming in way up at #600, the Mays beaut checks in well north of most mere mortals in the set.
Value: $550-575
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