If you’ve got a shoebox in the attic filled with baseball cards from the early ’70s, you might be sitting on something amazing. The 1972 Topps baseball cards set stands out as one of the most colorful releases in baseball card history, and certain ones from this 787-card collection can fetch impressive prices today.
David Gonos from the Happy Hobby Newsletter recently highlighted what makes these 1972 Topps baseball cards special. So, I picked my five favorites to talk about in more detail below.
Editor’s Note: Looking to Sell Sports Cards? Here’s How to Do It Quickly & Easily
Five 1972 Topps Baseball Cards & What They’re Worth Now
Here are five of the 1972 Topps cards Gonos highlighted, along with PSA 10 value information based on Sports Cards Pro data:
Hank Aaron #299: Sports Cards Pro notes that the most recent sale of a PSA 10 example happened via Heritage Auctions in August 2022, selling for $32,400.
Roberto Clemente #309: Gem mint copies can fetch $22,410 on average, but it’s worth noting that a pair of 2022 sales via Heritage went for more than $40,000.
Willie Mays #49: This iconic Say Hey Kid card commands premium prices in top condition, with PSA 10 examples recently selling over $17,000.
Pete Rose #559: Charlie Hustle’s ’72 card is a fan favorite, most recently hammering for $66,000 via Heritage Auctions in 2022.
Tom Seaver #445: This interesting shot of Tom Terrific most recently sold for $30,000 in May 2022.
Hammerin’ Hank: The Crown Jewel of 1972 Topps
What’s fascinating is how much condition affects pricing for the Hank Aaron card (and most vintage cards, really). While a PSA 10 Aaron commands that jaw-dropping $32,400 figure, PSA 9 examples trade hands for around $3,105. Even PSA 8 copies, which are far more accessible to collectors, can still fetch $389.50.
Aaron’s legacy as baseball’s all-time home run king at the time of his retirement, and his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s record in the early ’70s cement this card’s historical significance. The photo captures Aaron looking youthful and powerful (and just a couple of years away from breaking Ruth’s record), despite being in his age-38 campaign.
I will say, though — my favorite Hank Aaron stat doesn’t have anything to do with the home runs. If you wipe all 755 dingers from his resume, he’d still have more than 3,000 career hits since he retired with 3,771 knocks.
Willie Mays: The Say Hey Kid’s Vintage Appeal
Willie Mays’ regular base card (#49) holds tremendous appeal. However, his “In Action” card (#50) from the same set sometimes outpaces it in certain grades. The Say Hey Kid was nearing the end of his incredible career in 1972, and this was one of his final cards as a Giant before getting traded to the Mets.
Mays hung up his spikes after hitting 660 home runs, accumulating 3,293 total hits, and posting a .301/.384/.557 lifetime triple slash. Although he last suited up for a big-league game more than 50 years ago, there are plenty of people still talking about his on-field accomplishments and being one of the best to ever play the game.
His 1972 card captures Mays in that distinctive psychedelic frame that makes this set so memorable. PSA 9 graded examples of this card recently sold for over $1,174.20, while PSA 8 copies trade in the $250-500 range, depending on market conditions.
The 1972 Topps Set: Design Legacy and Historical Context
The entire 1972 Topps set deserves recognition for the design choices that were made. This was Topps’ largest set to date at 787 cards, distributed across six series throughout the baseball season. The distinctive “psychedelic tombstone” borders featuring colors like orange, purple, and green made these cards instantly recognizable — for better or worse, depending on who you asked.
The set introduced several innovative features, including “Boyhood Photos” showing players as kids, “In Action” cards showing players mid-play, and “Traded” cards documenting players who changed teams. These subsets influenced baseball card design for years to come.
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