Manufacturer: Topps
Set Size: 787 Cards
Card Size: 2-1/2” x 3-1/2”
Set Notes: The 1972 Topps baseball set features an interesting new design with lots of color and a psychedelic feel which fits perfectly with the era. This years set certainly stands out among prior years for Topps. The front of the cards feature a large player photo framed with a colorful boarder and team name with 3D text effect. Backs included stats and other information in black and orange ink. 1972 Topps is known to have centering issues. While 1971 Topps baseball is extremely difficult to find high grade cards because of the black boarders, 1972 can be also difficult because o print issues and centering.
Key Rookies From 1972 Topps: | 79 – Carlton Fisk | 198 – Charlie Hough | 761 – Ron Cey
Pricing chart includes raw card price & some graded card value estimates.
These values are collated from a variety of resources including recently sold listings, sales averages and a variety of other sports card pricing data sources. Please see full disclaimer on “Terms Page” for more information.
(Rookiecardprices.com only shows values for regular base set cards. No prices are shown for errors, parallels, subsets, misprints or other cards unless noted.)
DISCLAIMER: This data is not intended as financial advice and should not be used as such. Please do your own research before making any investment or selling/buying decisions.
(–) : No Pricing Data Available | ($) USD Price Value | (¢) USD Price Under $1
1972 Topps Rookie Card Prices
| Rookie | Card # | Raw | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillies Rookies - Koegel / Anderson / Twitchell | 14 | $2 | - | $15 | $62 | $380 |
| Twins Rookies - Gebhard / Brye / Haydel | 28 | $2 | $10 | $15 | $32 | $565 |
| Bill Bonham (YELLOW UNDER "C" AND "S") | 29 | $2 | $13 | $20 | $35 | $150 |
| Rich Chiles | 56 | $1 | - | $20 | $32 | $195 |
| Fred Stanley | 59 | $1 | - | $15 | $27 | $475 |
| Cubs Rookies - Hooton / Hiser / Stephenson | 61 | $1 | - | $20 | $95 | $370 |
| Pete Broberg | 64 | $1 | - | $10 | $25 | $200 |
| Ray Corbin | 66 | $1 | $7 | $12 | $30 | $140 |
| Jim York | 68 | $1 | $8 | $25 | $30 | $475 |
| Bruce Kison | 72 | $2 | - | $10 | $40 | - |
| Don Carrithers | 76 | $1 | $5 | $30 | $40 | - |
| Ron Theobald | 77 | $2 | - | $13 | $34 | $480 |
| Steve Arlin | 78 | $2 | - | $15 | $32 | $130 |
| Red Sox Rookies – Garman / Cooper / Fisk | 79 | $20 | $105 | $200 | $1,700 | $55,000 |
| Ross Grimsley | 99 | $1 | $10 | $18 | $40 | - |
| Astros Rookies - Greif / Richard / Busse | 101 | $2 | $20 | $34 | $155 | - |
| Toby Harrah | 104 | 75¢ | $20 | $42 | $75 | $730 |
| Jose Cruz | 107 | $2 | $15 | $18 | $60 | $785 |
| Ed Farmer | 116 | $1 | - | $15 | $20 | $155 |
| Cleo James (YELLOW UNDER "C" AND "S") | 117 | $2 | $10 | $25 | $52 | $400 |
| Larry Biittner | 122 | $1 | $10 | $15 | $35 | $190 |
| Yankees Rookies - Closter / Torres / Hambright | 124 | $1 | $10 | $15 | $37 | $335 |
| Mets Rookies - Capra / Stanton / Matlack | 141 | $2 | $10 | $15 | $45 | $565 |
| Chris Chambliss | 142 | $2 | $15 | $33 | $50 | $645 |
| Dave Kingman | 147 | $5 | $35 | $50 | $155 | $1,885 |
| Rick Auerbach | 153 | $1 | $10 | $20 | $35 | $735 |
| Brewers Rookies - Bell / Porter / Reynolds | 162 | $2 | $10 | $22 | $110 | $690 |
| Chris Speier | 165 | $1 | $10 | $30 | $35 | $305 |
| Jeff Burroughs | 191 | $2 | - | $30 | $155 | $400 |
| Kurt Bevacqua | 193 | $2 | $10 | $30 | $42 | - |
| Dodgers Rookies – Hough / O'Brien / Strahler | 198 | $3 | $20 | $30 | $60 | $800 |
| Ron Blomberg | 203 | $2 | $8 | $30 | $40 | - |
| Angels Rookies - Parker / Kusnyer / Silverio | 213 | $1 | - | $20 | $45 | $325 |
| Rennie Stennett | 219 | $2 | - | $50 | - | $650 |
| Giants Rookies - Arnold / Barr / Rader | 232 | $1 | $10 | $20 | $25 | $215 |
| Steve Braun | 244 | $1 | $10 | $25 | $42 | $450 |
| Tigers Rookies - Foor / Hosley / Jata | 257 | 75¢ | $12 | $20 | $75 | $1,130 |
| A's Rookies - Anderson / Floethe | 268 | $2 | - | $20 | $30 | $645 |
| Mickey Rivers | 272 | $2 | $20 | - | $50 | - |
| Bill Parsons | 281 | $1 | - | $25 | $30 | $150 |
| Cardinals Rookies - Bibby / Roque / Guzman | 316 | $1 | - | $10 | $32 | $160 |
| Steve Stone | 327 | $2 | $10 | $35 | $67 | $3,000 |
| Stan Swanson | 331 | $2 | - | $12 | $25 | $135 |
| Rangers Rookies - Fahey / Mason / Ragland | 334 | $2 | - | $18 | $20 | $300 |
| Braves Rookies - House / Kester / Britton | 351 | $2 | $10 | $20 | $32 | $300 |
| Jimmy Rosario | 366 | $2 | $7 | $22 | $80 | $276 |
| Royals Rookies - Clemons / Montgomery | 372 | $1 | $10 | $12 | $40 | $150 |
| Charlie Williams | 388 | $1 | - | $13 | $35 | - |
| Pirates Rookies - Cambria / Zisk | 392 | $2 | $10 | $17 | $60 | $695 |
| George Hendrick | 406 | $2 | $11 | $50 | $235 | $1,200 |
| White Sox Rookies - Eddy / Lemonds | 413 | $1 | $10 | $35 | $52 | $520 |
| Padres Rookies - Fast / Thomas / Ivie | 457 | $1 | $15 | $45 | $145 | - |
| Orioles Rookies - Baylor / Harrison / Oates | 474 | $2 | $18 | $35 | $62 | - |
| Lee Richard | 476 | $2 | $7 | $20 | - | $293 |
| Expos Rookies - Humphrey / Lampard | 489 | $1 | $7 | $32 | $300 | - |
| Indians Rookies - Ley / Moyer / Tidrow | 506 | $2 | - | $13 | $32 | $1,395 |
| Reds Rookies - Armbrister / Behney | 524 | $2 | $22 | $85 | $600 | - |
| Fred Kendall | 532 | $2 | - | $10 | $118 | $545 |
| Charlie Sands | 538 | $2 | $7 | $30 | $48 | $695 |
| Terry Forster | 539 | $3 | - | $16 | $32 | $350 |
| Doyle Alexander | 579 | $3 | $7 | $20 | $60 | $885 |
| Jim Magnuson | 597 | $2 | $8 | $20 | $30 | $450 |
| Joe Ferguson | 616 | $2 | $25 | $30 | $50 | $500 |
| Denny Riddleberger | 642 | $2 | $10 | $20 | $35 | $725 |
| Fran Healy | 663 | $5 | $13 | $35 | $190 | $930 |
| Ray Newman | 667 | $5 | $10 | $22 | $40 | $600 |
| Steve Luebber | 678 | $5 | $10 | $25 | $34 | $285 |
| Astros Rookies - Bob Fenwick / Bob Stinson | 679 | $6 | $10 | $20 | $62 | $400 |
| Hal Breeden | 684 | $7 | $20 | - | $35 | $685 |
| AL Rookies – Curtis / Hinton / Scott | 724 | $12 | $45 | $50 | $85 | - |
| Len Randle | 737 | $7 | $10 | $65 | $360 | - |
| AL-NL Rookies - Hutton / Milner / Miller | 741 | $15 | - | $25 | $60 | $655 |
| Jim Slaton | 744 | $6 | $8 | $20 | $32 | $225 |
| AL-NL Rookies – Oglivie / Cey / Williams | 761 | $30 | $95 | $100 | $215 | $1,890 |
| Twins Rookies - Albury / Dempsey / Strickland | 778 | $15 | $20 | $50 | $90 | $760 |
| Data Updated: April 2026 | ||||||
Overview of 1972 Topps Baseball Cards
The 1972 Topps baseball card set is a truly distinctive and memorable issue from the 1970s, known for its bold design and being the largest Topps set produced up to that point.
“Psychedelic Tombstones” Design: The most recognizable feature of the 1972 set is its vibrant and somewhat “psychedelic” design. Each card features a player’s photo set within a bright, two-tone colored arch, surrounded by an overall white border. The team name is prominently displayed above the picture in bold, three-dimensional block letters, and the player’s name appears in a white panel below the photo. This unique, almost “tombstone” or “gated” look is a significant departure from previous Topps designs and gives the set a very distinct 1970s aesthetic.
Large Set Size: At 787 cards, the 1972 Topps set was the largest produced by Topps to that date. This means more players, more variations, and more opportunities for collectors.
Multi-Series Release: The set was released in six series throughout the year, with the final series (cards #657-787) being “high numbers” and generally more difficult to find, increasing their value. There’s also an intermediate scarcity series (#526-656).
Card Backs: The card backs feature horizontal printing with biographical information, full career statistics, and often a small, simple cartoon illustrating a fact about the player.
Errors and Variations: Like many Topps sets from this era, the 1972 set has its share of errors and variations, including photo errors and different ink/underline colors on some cards, adding to the challenge and intrigue for master set collectors.
Notable Rookie Cards in the 1972 Topps Set: Carlton Fisk / Cecil Cooper (#79), Ron Cey (#761), Don Baylor (#56) and Dave Kingman (#147).
Condition Issues: The 1972 Topps cards, with their bold, colorful borders, are particularly susceptible to chipping and centering issues. Like many Topps sets from the era, centering issues are common, with many cards being off-center, impacting their grade.
The 1972 Topps set is a true product of its time – flashy, expansive, and filled with rookies. Its unique design makes it instantly recognizable and a favorite among vintage card enthusiasts.
Top Rookies From 1972 Topps Baseball
