1970s Topps


The 1970s saw Topps go largely uncontested in the sports card market. The decade featured full runs of baseball, football, basketball, and hockey. Aside from issues like Kellogg's cereal premiums which ran throughout the 70s there was not much in the way of major national card manufacturers to compete with. Topps maintained its license agreement with O-Pee-Chee in baseball and hockey. The company would have significantly more ground to cover given the growth of the professional sports leagues during the decade. Major League Baseball added four new teams in 1969 and two in 1977; the National Football League added two teams in 1976; the National Basketball Association gained three in 1970, one in 1974, and the American Basketball Association picked up one in 1972; the National Hockey League acquired two teams in each of 1970, 1972, and 1974. Soccer also made the Topps roster in the 70s, producing English and Scottish 'Footballers' for distribution in the United Kingdom. Domestic soccer was not to be forgotten with a North American Soccer League sticker set in 1979. The following are trading card sets issued by Topps in the 1970s. All cards listed are standard size. Exceptions are noted.

Baseball

Base sets

1 Pack type

Supplemental Issues

1 Pack type

Food/Retail

In the late 1970s, Topps produced promotional sets for Burger King fast food restaurants, Procter & Gamble and NBC.
The next year, Topps produced for Burger King issued sets of New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers for distribution at outlets in the home areas of the teams. The cards were almost identical to the 1978 Topps regular issue cards Some of the players had a different photo than their Topps counterpart including some who have changed teams, most notably the Yankees Goose Gossage. Also of note are single rookie cards for the Tigers Jack Morris, Alan Trammell, and Lou Whitaker, who all appeared on multiple player rookie cards in the Topps set. As with the previous year, only the checklist card featured any Burger King branding.
In 1979, the promotion was reduced to two teams, the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies. Again the cards were virtually identical to the 1979 Topps regular issue cards for distribution at outlets in the home areas of the teams. Some of the players had a different photo or photo cropping variation than their Topps counterpart and the card number on the back was in a different typeface. The Burger King set featured 22 cards plus a checklist card. Several cards reflected players changing teams, most notably Pete Rose and Tommy John.

1970

During the 1970s Topps issued cards featuring the two professional basketball leagues active at the time, the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association until they merged in 1976.

1970-71

Base set 264 cards Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches

1973-74

Base set 264 cards Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches

1975-76

Base set 144 cards Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches.

1977-78

Base set 132 cards Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches

1978-79

Base set 132 cards Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches

1979-80

Base set 132 cards Size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches

Ice hockey

During the 1970s Topps issued cards featuring the National Hockey League in conjunction with their Canadian partner O-Pee-Chee who issued larger sized sets in Canada.

1970-71

In 1974, Topps bought out A.&B.C. Gum of London, England, a company which had been a long time producer of English and Scottish soccer cards. A.&B.C. had a previous relationship with Topps by producing licensed versions of numerous non-sport sets. A.&B.C. also occasionally borrowed Topps cards designs for use on soccer sets. After the buyout Topps continued to produce soccer sets for distribution in the UK. Topps typically reused designs of US sets for the soccer cards. The design resemblances are mentioned below. In 1979 Topps produced a 33 card sticker sets of the North American Soccer League featuring primarily team logos.

1975

These sets share their design with 1975 Baseball.
These sets share their design with 1976 Baseball.
These sets share their design with 1977 American Football.
The English and Scottish sets share their design with 1978 American Football.

1970

Bobby Sherman Plaks Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches
Bugs Bunny Tattoos Size: 2-7/16 × 3-7/16 inches
Comic Cover Stickers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Disgusting Disguises reissue Size: various
Flags of the World Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Funny Doors Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Funny Lil Joke Books Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Hee Haw Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Mini-Toons aka Magic Rub-Offs Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches

Racing Track Cards/Soda Fountain Cards Size: 2 × 3⅝ inches

Stacks of Stickers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Valentine Foldees Size: 2½ × 4-11/16 inches
Valentine Postcards Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches
Way-Out Wheels Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches

1971

Bobby Sherman 'Getting Together' Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Brady Bunch Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Gum Berries Lids Size: 1⅞" diameter
Nasty Valentine Notes Size: 2½ × 4¾ inches
Nice or Nasty Valentines Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Partridge Family Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Partridge Family Posters Size: 9-7/16 × 18 inches
Pop Guns Size: irregular
Winners Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

1972

Fun Projects Size: 3 × 6¼ inches
Mod Initials Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
US Presidents Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

1973

Batty Buttons Size: 2" diameter
Kung Fu Test Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Kung Fu Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Monster Initial Stickers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
The Rookies Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Ugly Stickers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Wacky Packages Posters Size: 9⅝ × 18-7/16 inches
Wacky Packages Stickers Series 1,2,3,4 Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Wacky Packages Tattoos Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
Waltons Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Creature Feature Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

1974

Evel Knievel Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Far-Out Iron-Ons Size: irregular
Six Million Dollar Man Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Speed Wheels Size: 4¼ × 5½ inches
Wacky Packages Stickers Series 5,6,7,8,9,10,11 Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

1975

Bay City Rollers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Big Bad Buttons Size: 2¼" diameter
Comic Book Heroes Stickers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Fancy Pants Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Good Times Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Hysterical History Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Monster Tattoos Size: 1-9/16 × 3½ inches
Planet of the Apes Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Shock Theater test Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

Wacky Packages Stickers Series 12,13,14,15 Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Wanted Posters Size: 9-7/16 × 18-1/16 inches
Wanted Stickers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Zoo's Who Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

1976

Autos of 1977 Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

Dino-Mite Facts Size: 3½ × 6½ inches
Happy Days Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Happy Days A Series Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
King Kong Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Mad Ad Foldees Size: 3⅛ × 5¼ inches
Marvel Super Heroes Stickers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Star Trek Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
TV Cartoon Tattoos Size: 2-7/16 × 3-7/16 inches
Ugly Stickers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Wacky Packages Stickers Series 16 Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Welcome Back Kotter Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

1977

Charlie's Angels Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Monster Legends Size: 3½ × 6½ inches
Star Wars Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

1978

Battlestar Galactica Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Close Encounters Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Grease Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Jaws 2 Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Marvel Comics Size: 3-5/16 × 3¼ inches
Mork & Mindy Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Star Wars Movie Photo Size: 2⅞ × 3-5/16 inches
Superman The Movie Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Three's Company Size: 2½ × 3½ inches

1979

Alien Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Black Hole Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Buck Rogers Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Crazy Stick-Ons Size: 1⅛ × 3⅜ inches
Incredible Hulk Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Marvel Comics Size: 3 × 3¼ inches
Monstickers Size: 2 × 4¾ inches
Moonraker Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Rocky 2 Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Star Trek Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Superman Size: 2½ × 3⅝ inches
Scratch-Offs Size: 2½ × 3½ inches
Wacky Packages reissue Size: 2½ × 3½ inches