1973 Topps Baseball
Is it just me or does 1973 Topps Baseball have some of the worst photography of any major baseball set (the airbrush work wasn't very stellar either, LOL).
Comments
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I will die on the hill that the 70s had some of the most interesting,, unique and strange photography of any decade of cards. As a result I think it also makes it the best. The 73 set is one of my favorites BECAUSE of all the weird photos. I never get tired of looking at them and always seem to find new things I haven't noticed before.
Compared to the sanitized but technically accurate photos of the modern stuff the 70s blows them away.
But it's all subjective opinions so to each their own.
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It looks like a multi-player card. I like the ‘73 Steve Garvey….I mean the Wes Parker card.
mint_only_pls2 -
Love the 1973 set but not the ISO 100 they were forced to use for Action shots.
The Terry Crowley with Thurman Munson card is iconic.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)0 -
That card is Rusty Staub’s only appearance in the set… it is really a Mets photo that has been airbrushed.
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The Alvarado card with the parking lot behind the chain link fence is one of my all time favorites. I like the horizontal action shots in general.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.12 -
I’m a fan of quirky baseball pics and horizontal cards in general. 71-73 have some great pics.
Nice cellos BTW!👍
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Worst set of all time. Glad to see there are rational people in the hobby that agree with me.
Kiss me once, shame on you.
Kiss me twice.....let's party.4 -
My favorite was the "Dick Green Committing an Error" card.
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It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)4 -
"Tenace The Menace" Classic! Guest Starring Johnny Bench and George Hendrick
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)1 -
Wes Parker's 2nd card in the set. Holding on guest star Greg Luzinski:
I collect Sports cards of anyone who appeared on the Brady Bunch
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)4 -
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)0 -
and a non landscape card with a very sad airbrushing effort:
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)2 -
Love these 2 cards
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)2 -
Chris holding on a pitcher... Edit: It's Jim Kaat
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)0 -
@PaulMaul said:
That card is Rusty Staub’s only appearance in the set… it is really a Mets photo that has been airbrushed.
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It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)1 -
@1982FootballWax said:
Chris holding on a pitcher...
Never noticed that before but isn't that Jim Kaat he's holding on the bag? Sure looks like him.
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@BBBrkrr said:
@1982FootballWax said:
Chris holding on a pitcher...
Never noticed that before but isn't that Jim Kaat he's holding on the bag? Sure looks like him.
Never noticed it either...
Poking around that does appear to be the case:
https://whentoppshadballs.blogspot.com/2018/06/card-spotlight-1973-chris-chambliss.htmlIt's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)0 -
The photography is not great but that is oddly part of the reason it's my favorite 70's set
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1973 is a great set. Love it. the action shots are great.
Work hard and you will succeed!!3 -
The horizontal cards look framed like the new digital TV screens.
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great post. i am going to have to go and look at my 73 set again and look at all of the horizontal cards and action shots. i will say one thing i do not like the reggie jackson card that grimace on his face is terrible.
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The 1973 set is an iconic one. Don't listen to Nathaniel1960. He has no appreciation for the finer things in life
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.10 -
It was never really on my best sets of the 70's list but I got a complete set in a collection I purchased and it has really grown on me quite a bit. I like the action shots, and I like the horizontal cards, and you can get the majority of HOF'ers pretty cheaply for a vintage set. It also has a large amount of HOF'ers in it. You get some crossover from the 50's guys like Aaron, Mays, Clemente and a number of early cards of the next generation of guys like Ryan, Bench, Jackson, Schmidt, etc.
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I picked up this Match Print photo proof from the Topps Vault many years ago.
I thought Reggie looks like he's blowing a head gasket on this throw. When I was in school in NYC, I saw him play right field many times - I once saw him throw a dart on the fly to 3rd base!
Just read in a Beckett Vintage mag that Mike Epstein knocked Reggie out in a locker room brawl?Net result Finley traded Mike. Was all this true? Who knows?
Mike9 -
@1982FootballWax said:
Crowley running toward Thurman Munson. That must have been some collision!
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I'm so obsessed with this set. Not only do I have 2 completed hand-collated sets but I have a 5,000-count box full of duplicates. Also, I always purchase additional cards just to hoard them. I know there is medication available for me, but I refuse to take it.
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That was great!
I love the 1973 set. I need to upgrade four tough commons and the Hank Aaron total base leader card to have the set in PSA 9+. There are a lot of tough commons in the set with Del Unser being the toughest.
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Beautiful cards and packs, John!
This is one of my favorite cellos from 73. Was part of a full second series cello box from which I was fortunate enough to purchase several packs.
One more, subbed by me to PSA.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.10 -
gemint, that set is a blazer. Congrats on the Belanger PSA 10!
My favorite card from the set is the Hank Aaron. I also love the 76 Topps Aaron.
Successful coin BST transactions with Gerard and segoja.
Successful card BST transactions with cbcnow, brogurt, gstarling, Bravesfan 007, and rajah 424.1 -
Thanks Cakes and Tim. Nice packs, Tim! I need to pick up a cello and rack pack at some point.
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Nice set, gemint!
mint_only_pls0 -
Love this set, always have. The black backs are so tough around the edges and corners, even on the ‘22 Heritage cards. A truly mint back is a thing of beauty….
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1973 Topps has some of the best action shots. Topps photography in the early to mid 70's is as good as it gets.
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@grote15 said:
The Alvarado card with the parking lot behind the chain link fence is one of my all time favorites. I like the horizontal action shots in general.Cool packs n' all, Tim, but for us to truly appreciate the images on those cards, could you please bust open those packs and post scans of just the cards? Thanks!
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@CW said:
@grote15 said:
The Alvarado card with the parking lot behind the chain link fence is one of my all time favorites. I like the horizontal action shots in general.Cool packs n' all, Tim, but for us to truly appreciate the images on those cards, could you please bust open those packs and post scans of just the cards? Thanks!
At one time, when unopened prices were reasonable and sub fees were 5 bucks a card, I may have yielded to that temptation but those days are over and I've fully embraced my unopened collector side.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.2 -
Currently its $80 each then wait, and wait, and wait, to get raked with grades of 4,5,6, and the occasional 7 on pack fresh cards.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)0 -
@Stone193 said:
I picked up this Match Print photo proof from the Topps Vault many years ago.I thought Reggie looks like he's blowing a head gasket on this throw. When I was in school in NYC, I saw him play right field many times - I once saw him throw a dart on the fly to 3rd base!
Just read in a Beckett Vintage mag that Mike Epstein knocked Reggie out in a locker room brawl?Net result Finley traded Mike. Was all this true? Who knows?
Awesome pick up. Always like Reggie. ANd that card is fantastic.
Work hard and you will succeed!!0 -
Gemint - awesome 1973 topps set. all 9 wow. 100k plus set?
Work hard and you will succeed!!0 -
@olb31 said:
@Stone193 said:
I picked up this Match Print photo proof from the Topps Vault many years ago.I thought Reggie looks like he's blowing a head gasket on this throw. When I was in school in NYC, I saw him play right field many times - I once saw him throw a dart on the fly to 3rd base!
Just read in a Beckett Vintage mag that Mike Epstein knocked Reggie out in a locker room brawl?Net result Finley traded Mike. Was all this true? Who knows?
Awesome pick up. Always like Reggie. ANd that card is fantastic.
Thanx!
Mike0 -
Thanks. Not quite. Maybe after a few more years of inflation?
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@olb31 said:
Gemint - awesome 1973 topps set. all 9 wow. 100k plus set?It's a 1973 set, not a 1975 mini.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.0 -
73' is overlooked and underrated. It suffers from some quality issues as Topps were in a lull themselves and had trouble getting production out. Some of it was rushed. Excellent collection. I am trying to snap up any 5th and all Series Wax packs.
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the '73 set was and still is my first love. This is the card set I put together as a 9 year old kid and even lucked into 2 boxes of high numbers late in the season that was being blown out at the local Ben Franklin for 5 cents per pack. My dad, who didn't have allot of money knew they meant allot to me so my parents used that stack of packs as incentives for me to do my chores.
Some people may hate this set but when I see it I am 9 years old again. Ironically, I need about 50 high numbers to complete the rebuilt set I am working on now.
I am on a budget and I am not afraid to use it!!8 -
These are both well done, especially if you love 73’s as I do….
https://youtu.be/kGRRPIVbiUI?is=rUOpLEG1TW-6xBGV5 -
If you want photography, turn the clock back 20 years and check out the 1953 Bowman color set.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
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Beautiful all-color photography for the first time on sports cards…1953 Bowman Color set. I think cards in the set are undervalued.
When Topps made its first attempt at all-color photography on sports cards in 1957….pictures were relatively dark.
mint_only_pls0 -
great youtube videos for 73.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4KvW9RFZWg
https://youtu.be/_GG_bIHpsUo?is=ci0VJ0G7cyNgA-YC
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