If you’re a fan of baseball dynasties, then 1977 Topps baseball cards are probably right up your alley. After all, there was a lot to like about the summer of 1977 from the perspective of great teams.
Consider …
In the National League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers took down the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds to continue a run of success that began in 1974 and would last through the late 1980s, with six division titles, five pennants, and two World Series championships.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies would win their second NL East crown in a row en route to three straight before winning the 1980 World Series and losing the 1983 Fall Classic to the Baltimore Orioles.
In the AL West, the Kansas City Royals were a near-mirror-image of the Phils, logging their second of three straight division titles en route to a World Series loss in 1980, another division title in 1984, and a world championship in 1985.
In the AL East the New York Yankees were on the cusp of their second AL pennant, which would lead to the first of two Series titles in a row. They would also win another division title in 1980 and then squeeze through to the World Series in 1981 after exploiting the fouled-up playoff scheme of the strike-shortened 1981 season.
And what’s the best way to reminisce about all this royalty (Royalty?)?
Why, with 1977 Topps baseball cards, of course!
To celebrate this underrated classic, here are the ten most valuable cards from the set, culled from recent eBay sales of specimens in PSA 8 condition and starting at the bottom (well, at #10).
(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.
1977 Topps George Brett (#580)
When the 1977 Topps set debuted, George Brett was still just 23 years old, but he’d already won a batting title (.333 in 1976), made an All-Star team (1976), and garnered MVP votes for two years running.
The best was yet to come, of course, and Brett would pretty much cement his status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer before the 1980s were through.
Although not quite as iconic as his first two issues, the 1977 Topps card of this Kansas City Royals legend still sells regularly on eBay (and through other avenues) — less than $10 for raw copies, but a good hunk more in PSA 8.
Value: $60-80
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1977 Topps Reggie Jackson (#10)
When this 1977 Topps Reggie Jackson card was issued, Reggie was already something of a legend from his years with the Oakland A’s.
But it wasn’t until that fall, his first with the New York Yankees, when Reggie would really become Mr. October.
This card features a pretty bad airbrush job, but Topps did a rush job to get Reggie in his new togs after one year with the Baltimore Orioles — proof of their late change exists in the form of an almost mythical Reggie-with-Orioles proof card.
This “normal” Reggie is popular in its own right, pulling in about $5 in raw condition.
Value: $65-80
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1977 Topps Pete Rose (#450)
Pete played all over the diamond for the Reds, but he was at third base for the peak of the Big Red Machine in 1975 and 1976. That’s were we find him on his 1977 Topps cards, too, fresh off a .323 campaign that netted him one of his many All-Star appearances and a fourth-place finish in NL MVP balloting.
This dandy will set you back less than ten bucks raw most of the time, but a PSA 8 ramps up the stakes.
Value: $70-75
1977 Topps Mark Fidrych Rookie Card (#265)
In many ways, Mark Fidrych helped to lay the groundwork for the modern game and chart the course of the hobby.
When he exploded onto the scene for the Detroit Tigers in 1976 with a 19-9 record and 2.34 ERA, “The Bird” infected an entire nation with his big personality, love for the game, and generally joyous outlook.
The next spring, collectors everywhere tried their best to lay their hands on the 1977 Topps Fidrych rookie card in a preview of the rookie card mania that would grip the hobby a decade later.
Though The Bird found himself grounded by injuries within just a few years, and though a freak accident claimed his life way too early (in 2009), Fidrych remains a popular character today.
His rookie card, available for under $10 ungraded most of the time, but several times that in PSA 8.
Value: $80-85
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1977 Topps Dale Murphy Rookie Card (#476)
For most of the years that Andre Dawson (below) was making hay with the Expos, Dale Murphy was sowing his own grain with the Atlanta Braves.
After a slow start to Major League life as a catcher, Murph moved to center field and became an All-Star … and then a two-time NL MVP (1982, 1983).
Murphy’s decline was steep in the latter stages of his career, but there were few better during his 1980s peak, timing that helped his 1977 Topps rookie card hang in their with the big boys for most of the decade.
Today, it’s a $10 buy ungraded, with PSA 8 copies bringing …
Value: $80-90
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