25 Most Valuable 1966 Topps Baseball Cards

As you take a pass through the 1966 Topps baseball card set, you'll quickly pick up on a recurring theme:

There are lots of headshots and up-close poses and lots of color.

But some features of the set aren't as obvious.

For example, many collectors overlook that there are three Hall-of-Fame rookies in Fergie Jenkins, Don Sutton and Jim Palmer.

Right or wrong, these three rookie cards often fly under the radar compared to several others in the 1960s.

Collectors also sometimes underestimate the difficulty of locating the short prints and high-number series cards in top condition.

Additional quirks include the O-Pee-Chee and Venezuela Topps "parallels" printed in Canada and Venezuela, respectively, though their checklists are much smaller than their 1966 Topps counterparts.

Overall, this set has just about everything a vintage collector could want.

And in this guide, we'll take a look at the 25 most valuable.

1966 Topps #1 Willie Mays

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $3,250

A season removed from a career-high 52 home runs and a second NL MVP award, legendary San Francisco Giants center fielder put a cap on an unreal 13-year prime.

In his age-35 season, Mays crushed 37 home runs and tallied 103 RBIs.

Remarkably, those represented his lowest totals in both categories since the turn of the decade.

It also marked his eighth consecutive 100-RBI campaign.

Once again, the bridesmaid to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bride, the Giants fell two games short of an NL pennant for the second straight year, and it took a six-game season-ending winning streak to get that close.

Regardless of the team’s runner-up woes, Mays was predictably electric.

He slashed .288/.368/.556 with 29 doubles, four triples, 99 runs scored, and 70 walks (against just 81 strikeouts) in 629 plate appearances.

And while he’d lost a step from his high-speed twenties, the 17-time All-Star was still the clear choice for a tenth consecutive Gold Glove.

No one made the routine plays easier, and the spectacular plays more breathtaking than the Say Hey Kid.

Mays’ production would decline over his final seven seasons, making the 1966 season a ringing last hurrah of sorts.

1966 Topps #50 Mickey Mantle

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $3,000

1966 was a low point for a New York Yankees franchise just two years removed from the World Series stage.

A roster of aging veterans and a tumultuous management situation doomed the Bronx Bombers to the bottom of the American League standings, the franchise's first last-place finish since their last season as the New York Highlanders in 1912.

The Johnny Keane debacle ended 20 games into the season after a 4-16 start.

His replacement, Ralph Houk, fared better, but not by much.

And to make matters worse, the face of the Yankees (just like many others on the team) was on his last legs.

Mickey Mantle's body was a wreck in 1966, forcing him to miss 56 games with various injuries and ailments.

From the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, everything seemed to be troubling the 34-year-old superstar.

"Somehow I'd get myself up one more time, and still another, thinking that by some miracle, it would all come back," Mantle said. "No more hurting, no more wobbly knees, no sore shoulders, no aches and pains anywhere. Foolish, but that's how it was."

When Mantle played, he was still great.

A down-ballot MVP honorable mention, the Yankees center fielder slashed .288/.389/.538 with 23 home runs, 12 doubles, and 56 RBIs in 393 plate appearances (333 at-bats).

1966 Topps #500 Hank Aaron

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $1,400

In terms of OPS+ (142), Hank Aaron’s 1966 season was his worst in eleven years.

Considering just how good he was, it’s a remarkable testament to his consistent brilliance.

Finishing eighth in the NL MVP race and collecting his 16th All-Star appearance, Aaron hit to a .279/.356/.539 slash line with an NL-best 44 home runs, an MLB-best 127 RBIs, 23 doubles, 21 stolen bases, 76 walks, and 117 runs scored.

Yes, his .895 OPS marked his first campaign under .900 since his rookie season (1954).

And yes, his .279 batting average was the worst of his career thus far.

Despite all this, Aaron still lifted the Braves to 85 wins and a respectable fourth-place finish in their inaugural season in Atlanta.

And he was still the most feared slugger in the Major Leagues, providing a sudden jolt of run-producing, home-run power every time he stepped into the box.

This is who Aaron always was.

And it’s why he reached 400 home runs in the relative youth of his age-32 season, a torrid pace that made his chase-down of Babe Ruth’s hallowed homer mark possible.

1966 Topps #300 Roberto Clemente

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $1,250

After capturing his second consecutive batting title in 1965, you'd be forgiven to think there was nowhere to go but down for Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente.

Think again.

Clemente put together one of his finest individual seasons in 1966, a five-tool masterclass of clutch hitting, immaculate defense, and valuable intangibles that kept the Pirates in the pennant conversation for most of the year.

By the end of August, Pittsburgh was in a dead heat with the Giants for the NL lead.

Clemente was the catalyst.

His 2000th career hit came on his 23rd homer of the season; he had hit no more than 16 before this and had eclipsed ten home runs just once.

He ended the year with 29.

Clemente was also the ultimate big-moment producer, setting a career-high with 119 RBIs.

He had touched 90 RBIs just once before.

And while the 92-win Pirates ended up third behind the usual suspects of the Dodgers and Giants, Pittsburgh came up just three wins short of an NL pennant tiebreaker.

It was in large part thanks to Clemente.

Named NL MVP for the first and only time by a thin margin of ten votes, Clemente slashed .317/.360/.536 with 202 hits, 31 doubles, 11 triples, and 105 runs scored.

1966 Topps #91 Bob Uecker (Without Trade Statement)

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $1,000

Years before he'd become one of baseball's most beloved (and hilarious) voices, Bob Uecker was a light-hitting backup catcher with a wicked sense of humor.

In his fifth MLB season and first with the Philadelphia Phillies, Uecker rode the pine and turned it into some of the best media bytes of the era.

"My managers didn't want me in the game," Uecker quipped. "Heck, they didn't want me on the bench. Kids ask which club I played for. Nobody, but I sat for a lot."

Uecker was also ticketed for public intoxication during his time in Philly, jokingly claiming that he was fined "$50 for being intoxicated and $400 for being on the Phillies."

The Phillies finished fourth in the NL at 87-75 in '66, and Uecker's production peaked.

He played in a new career-high 78 games, smacked half of his fourteen career home runs, and drove in 30 of his 74 RBIs in one season.

Altogether, Uecker hit to a forgettable .208/.279/.338 slash line with six doubles and 15 runs scored in 237 plate appearances (207 at-bats).

At just 32 years of age, it was clear Uecker was running out of chances on the field.

Off the field, it'd be a different story.

1966 Topps #303 Cleveland Indians (No Dot)

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $1,000

The 1965 Cleveland Indians were an above-average ball club, finishing fifth in the American League at 87 - 75.

They boasted three All-Stars in their lineup in Rocky Colavito, Vic Davalillo and Max Alvis.

And their ace, Sam McDowell, also an All-Star, paced the American League in ERA (2.18) and strikeouts (325) while coming four wins shy of Minnesota's Mudcat Grant's AL-leading 21 victories.

Had a handful of McDowell's 42 pitching appearances gone a bit differently, he could've secured enough wins for the pitching Triple Crown.

Up and down their roster, the Cleveland Indians were pretty good.

Yet they finished 15 games behind the 102-game-winning Minnesota Twins for the AL Pennant.

So, why is this card worth so much?

Shouldn't the Twins' team card, or even the mighty Yankees (because of who they were) be worth more?

Well, it all comes down to a printing error.

Team cards in the 1966 Topps all showed their place where they finished in 1965, followed by a dot and then the American/National League designation along the bottom.

However, the Pirates, Braves and Indians team cards can all be found in one of two variations: the standard version containing the dot and the variation not.

All three "No Dot" variations can be worth a lot in top condition due to their rarity, but the "No Dot" Indians team card is the most challenging.

1966 Topps #100 Sandy Koufax

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $900

And just like that, Sandy Koufax's unparalleled Hall-of-Fame career was over at just 30 years of age.

Traumatic arthritis in his pitching elbow and bone spurs in the joint caused him pain every time he threw a pitch.

Somehow, Koufax gutted through in '66 to deliver perhaps the best of his three Cy Young seasons.

After securing the highest one-year salary in baseball in the offseason ($130,000), Koufax settled in and diced up the National League.

The unrivaled lefty ended the year with career bests (and MLB bests) in ERA (1.73) and ERA+ (190).

He also topped the Majors in several other categories, including wins (27), complete games (27), starts (41), shutouts (5), innings pitched (323.0), and strikeouts (317).

And when the reigning World Series champs needed him most, he came up huge.

With the Giants nipping at their heels, Koufax delivered a complete-game victory against Philadelphia on two days rest to bring home the Dodgers' third pennant in four seasons.

This time, though, the World Series was different.

After winning it all in 1963 and 1965, the Dodgers were rolled out of the Fall Classic in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles.

Koufax retired after the season, leaving a bitter October defeat as his last moment on a Major League Baseball mound.

1966 Topps #215 N.L. Batting Leaders

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $800

Typically, leader cards aren't among the most valuable in a given baseball card set.

Typically, they don't include Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.

So, it's easy to see what makes this card so special.

Three of the most iconic hitters and superstars of all time sharing the same cardboard real estate is an easy recipe for success.

During the 1965 MLB season, Roberto Clemente paced the National League with a .329 batting average, followed by Hank Aaron at .318 and Willie Mays right behind him at .317.

As it turned out, Clemente's .329 average led all of baseball, securing him a  third of four career batting titles.

Had Chicago's Billy Williams raised his .315 ever so slightly, this card may never have existed.

But it does.

And it's one of the most desirable cards in the set.

1966 Topps #30 Pete Rose

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $750

After five consecutive winning seasons and an NL pennant in 1961, the Cincinnati Reds imploded in 1966.

Owner/GM Bill DeWitt fired manager Dick Sisler for “psychological reasons” before the ‘66 campaign.

In truth, he had been undermining Sisler for quite some time.

The Sisler debacle was highly questionable at best.

However, the trade that sent Frank Robinson to the Orioles for Milt Pappas was truly unforgivable.

DeWitt gave up a Hall-of-Famer in his prime for nothing in one of the worst deals of the modern era.

Robinson went on to win the AL MVP in his first year with Baltimore.

The Reds tanked under new managers Don Heffner (fired midseason) and Dave Bristol, finishing seventh in the NL at 76-84.

While the franchise crumbled around him, Pete Rose put together another fine season.

The 25-year-old second baseman/third baseman finished 10th in the NL MVP race with a .313/.351/.460 slash line, 205 hits, 16 home runs, 38 doubles, five triples, 97 runs scored, and 70 RBIs.

Four years in, Rose was well on his way to greatness.

He’d make that ascent under new ownership.

Bill DeWitt ended a baffling year by selling the team in December, ushering in a new era of Cincy baseball that would soon give rise to the Big Red Machine. 

1966 Topps #126 Jim Palmer Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $750

Nicknamed "Cakes" for his routine of gobbling down pancakes on the morning of his starts, 20-year-old Jim Palmer proved to be a sweet investment for an Orioles franchise on the cusp.

In the wake of two third-place finishes with 94 wins or more, the O's had the roster depth and talent to finally get over the AL pennant hump.

Palmer pushed them over the top, leading one of baseball's best starting rotations with 15 wins.

The Arizona native pitched to a 3.46 ERA in 30 starts, tallying six complete games and just 176 hits surrendered in 208.1 innings pitched.

Walks were an issue (91) as they are with many young starters.

However, Palmer had a knack for coming up roses at the right times.

A prime example of that came on September 22nd.

Just a win away from bringing home the franchise's first pennant since they were the St. Louis Browns (1942), the O's looked to Palmer to deliver.

He obliged, spinning a five-hitter against Kansas City to propel Baltimore to the Fall Classic.

It only got better from there.

Palmer outdueled the great Sandy Koufax in Game Two of the World Series, holding a potent Dodgers lineup to just four hits.

The Orioles swept their way to the franchise's first World Series title, making Palmer a champion in only his second big-league year. 

1966 Topps #288 Don Sutton Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $450

Nicknamed "Little D" in a nod to "Big D" Don Drysdale, Don Sutton was a rookie hurler with a veteran's mastery of zone control.

Initially a Spring Training stopgap while Sandy Koufax and Drysdale held out in contract talks, Sutton earned his spot on the big-league club with a pinpoint fastball and devastating, knee-buckling curveball.

Feted by peers and members of the media for his ageless composure and unwavering confidence at just 21 years old, Sutton went from upstart to an integral part of the defending champions' rotation within weeks.

In 37 games for the '66 Dodgers, Sutton went 12-12 with a superb 2.99 ERA.

He also walked just 52 batters in 225.2 innings pitched, compiling a 1.081 WHIP.

He was the heir apparent to Koufax and Drysdale's West Coast throne. However, his October coronation would be delayed.

On September 5th, with Los Angeles fighting for their pennant lives, Sutton pulled a muscle in his throwing forearm.

He pitched four more times, compiling just 14.1 innings in his truncated starts.

Held out of the World Series, Sutton would have to wait eight years for his first taste of Fall Classic competition.

1966 Topps #110 Ernie Banks

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $400

1966 was a tipping point for Ernie Banks and the Chicago Cubs.

Over the venerable shortstop/first baseman's first thirteen years with the team (1953-65), the Cubs posted just one winning season and finished no higher than fifth in the National League standings.

Banks was tired of playing for the "lovable losers."

He wanted to win.

The hiring of "Leo the Lip" Durocher brought Banks a measure of hope about the franchise's future direction.

But, as the losses piled up in '66, that optimism quickly soured into acrimony between the two.

"I can remember Ernie and Leo were constantly feuding," Fergie Jenkins once said. "Leo was always giving Ernie Banks' job away. Ernie knew that Leo did not like him."

It was a doomed relationship from the start.

And it showed between the lines.

The Cubs lost 100 games (103) for the first time in franchise history, dating back to their first season as the Chicago White Stockings in 1876.

Banks was consistent, if not underwhelming, for baseball's worst team, slashing .272/.315/.432 with 15 home runs, 23 doubles, seven triples, 52 runs scored, and 75 RBIs.

1966 Topps #254 Fergie Jenkins Rookie Card

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $400

The Chicago Cubs pulled the trigger on a five-player deal early in the 1996 season that would have been a forgotten footnote if not for one Hall-of-Fame inclusion.

Lost in the shuffle with the Philadelphia Phillies, rookie hurler Fergie Jenkins was immediately plugged into a catch-all role for the Cubs.

He started, he relieved, and he filled any gap that manager Leo Durocher needed to be filled.

There were plenty of gaps.

The 1966 Cubs were a laughingstock.

Finishing with an MLB-worst 59-103 record, Chicago was the only team in baseball to surrender five runs per game.

The pitching staff was held together by baling wire and chewing gum.

More often than not, it was Jenkins' job to save the day when games got out of hand.

With that in mind, the 23-year-old righty's stat line in '66 reads much better.

Jenkins appeared in 60 games (12 starts) for Chicago, pitching to a 3.31 ERA in 182.0 innings.

In comparison, the Cubs' staff pitched to an MLB-worst 4.33 ERA, over an entire run worse than Jenkins' mark.

Jenkins gave up just 147 hits with a strong 1.096 WHIP, eating innings and mitigating daily disasters at Wrigley.

Without him in tow, the Cubs would have scraped underneath the bottom of the barrel.

1966 Topps #555 Ron Perranoski

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $400

When people think of the great Dodger pitchers of the 1960s, most will likely mention Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Johnny Podres.

But few may mention Ron Perranoski.

While those three guys earned most of the glory as big-name starters, Perranoski did his magic out of the bullpen.

From 1961 through 1961, Perranoski built a reputation as one of the best relievers in the game.

He was so good in 1963, going 16-3 with 21 saves and a 1.67 ERA, that he finished in fourth place in the MVP vote, just slightly behind Hank Aaron but far from his MVP-winning teammate, Sandy Koufax.

That's what Perranoski was capable of producing.

He also helped them to two World Series titles in 1963 and 1965 and another appearance in 1966.

Several of the other Dodgers pitchers enjoyed the limelight, but Perranoski was consistently a key piece out of the bullpen.

After retiring, Perranoski joined the Dodgers as their pitching coach from 1981 to 1994, helping guys like Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, and Bobby Welch.

Because it's a short print and relatively tough to find in top condition, Perranoski's card may surprise you with its value.

1966 Topps #591 N.L. Rookies

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $400

Bart Shirley made his MLB debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers late in the 1964 season before bouncing around from the Minors, Mets, Dodgers and Japan from 1965 to 1972.

Unfortunately, he never could find a good landing spot.

Interestingly, Topps included Shirley on this Rookie Stars card as well as a Mets Rookie Stars card in their 1967 flagship set.

Grant Jackson found more solid footing in the Majors than Shirley did, spending 18 years as a reliever for the Phillies, Orioles, Yankees, Pirates, Expos and Royals.

He finished with an 86-75 record with 79 saves and a 3.46 ERA while making his only All-Star appearance for the Phillies in 1969 and helping the Pirates to a World Series title in 1979.

Overall, Jackson's career was objectively better than Shirley's but neither would turn out to be a big-name star like some of the other fellas on this list.

The value of this card primarily comes from the fact that it's one of the more difficult short prints to locate in high grade.

1966 Topps #598 Gaylord Perry

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $375

The master of the spitball found himself at an early-career crossroads in 1966.

Entering the '66 campaign, Gaylord Perry had a tenuous grasp on a roster spot with the San Francisco Giants.

It took a 5-0 stretch of Spring Training ball for him to even ensure a lesser role with the club.

Mixing his trademark work ethic with a few other substances, Perry added a hard slider to his already deep repertoire of pitches.

When he was finally given the nod for a start on April 21st, he made the best of it, defeating the Astros 2-1 with a dazzling four-hitter.

It just kept going from there.

Despite missing just over two weeks with a jammed foot suffered on a slide, Perry earned an All-Star nod with a 12-1 record and 2.51 ERA at the break.

By August 20th, he was 20-2 and a shortlist candidate for NL Cy Young.

With Perry breaking out, the Giants seemed like a favorite to wrest the pennant away from the hated Dodgers.

However, Perry faltered in the season's final five weeks and lost six decisions in a row.

The Giants could not weather the Los Angeles storm and lost the pennant to the Dodgers by a game and a half.

1966 Topps #195 Joe Morgan

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $350

What Joe Morgan lacked in size, he made up for in speed and baseball savvy.

Even in his early twenties, Morgan played well beyond his years, displaying instincts for situational hitting, base-running, and fielding that you wouldn’t expect from such a young player.

Case in point, Morgan’s second full year with the Houston Astros in 1966 was a testament to his all-around play.

A Sports Illustrated cover subject alongside teammate Sonny Jackson, the 22-year-old evolved into one of the league’s best second basemen in 1966.

A first-time All-Star, Morgan continued to master his flapping-arm batting quirk to hit .285 with five homers, 14 doubles, eight triples, 60 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, and 42 RBIs.

Ever the patient hitter, Morgan followed up his MLB-best 97 walks in ‘65 with 89 in ‘66.

The 72-win Astros struggled to capitalize on Morgan’s .410 on-base percentage, leaving the sophomore standout stranded over and over again.

It doesn’t make his breakout 1966 campaign any less impressive, though. 

1966 Topps #320 Bob Gibson

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $350

After winning the 1964 World Series on the arm of Series MVP Bob Gibson, the St. Louis Cardinals got stuck in the muck of mediocrity for the next two seasons.

Gibson was typically fantastic in those campaigns, winning 20 for the first time in 1965 and following it up with 21 victories in 1966.

However, the 30-year-old righty couldn't do it alone.

The Cardinals were top-heavy and lacked clubhouse chemistry, following their first losing season in four years with 83 wins and a sixth-place finish in '66.

You can't fault Gibson for the Cardinals' underachieving ways.

A four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glover, the Omaha, Nebraska native rattled opposing hitters with his top-tier pitch arsenal, grit, and pure aggression on the hill.

In 280.1 innings pitched, Gibson pitched to the best ERA of his career thus far (2.44) with an MLB-best five shutouts, 20 complete games, and 225 strikeouts in 280.1 innings pitched.

His 1.027 WHIP was the second-best mark of his career, only bested by his otherworldly 1968 NL MVP season.

1966 Topps #544 Cardinals Rookies

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $325

Of the three 1966 Cardinal Rookie Stars showcased on this card, Joe Hoerner found the most playing success in the Big Leagues.

George Kernek played 10 games for the Cardinals in 1965 and another 20 in 1966 before finishing his career in the Minors.

Jimy Williams (the spelling on his card is incorrect) played in 14 games for the Cardinals between 1966 and 1967 before finding more success as a head coach for Toronto, Boston and Houston from 1986 to 2004.

Hoerner spent 14 seasons in the Majors from 1963 to 1977, splitting time as a relief pitcher between the Houston Colts, Cardinals, Phillies, Braves, Royals, Rangers and Reds.

Hoerner was an All-Star for Philadelphia in 1970 and finished with a 39-34 record, 98 saves and a 2.99 ERA.

Like some of the other short prints in this set, finding an example of this card in top condition can be challenging.

And set builders will pay good money for an example in PSA 8 condition or better.

1966 Topps #72 Tony Perez

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $300

In 1964, Tony Perez lit up Triple-A to bring home the Pacific Coast League's MVP award.

The Cincinnati Reds prospect was at the top of his game and looked destined for a long, fruitful MLB career.

Just two years later, the Cuban native was struggling to adjust to life in the States without his family while mired in a platoon at first base with Gordy Coleman.

During the '66 season, Perez looked nothing like the perennial All-Star and MVP candidate he'd blossom into just a year later.

Whether it was growing pains or a bit of homesickness, the truth was that his bat hadn't quite gotten up to big-league speed.

The 24-year-old played 99 games for the Reds in 1966, slashing .265/.304/.381 with just four home runs in 257 at-bats.

That's one homer every 64.25 at-bats.

One year later, Perez was moved from first to third base and smacked a dinger every 23 at-bats or so.

1966 was a transitional point for a generational talent.

Come 1967, he'd be a star.

1966 Topps #70 Carl Yastrzemski

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $275

Between his first top-ten MVP finish in 1965 and an absolute banger of an AL MVP season in 1967, Boston Red Sox left fielder Carl Yastrzemski took a momentary step back in 1966, if only a relative one.

Still an All-Star and down-ballot AL MVP candidate, Yastrzemski was among the few highlights for an uninspiring 72-win Red Sox squad.

But he alternated hot stretches at the plate with over-eager periods in which he rolled over into weak groundouts and double plays with regularity.

Posting an OPS under .800 for the first time since his rookie season in 1961, Yastrzemski slashed .278/.368/.431 with 16 home runs, an AL-best 39 doubles, two triples, eight stolen bases, 81 runs scored, and 80 RBIs.

He was also well respected by opposing managers in pitchers, receiving ten intentional walks for what would be the first of three consecutive seasons.

In 1967, Yastrzemski went nuclear, leading the league in nearly every important offensive statistical category.

In retrospect, perhaps it was a direct response to the frustrating inconsistencies of the 1966 season. 

1966 Topps #125 Lou Brock

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $275

Moved to the lead-off spot in the St. Louis Cardinals order midway through the 1965 season, Lou Brock took his first step towards becoming the best one-hole hitter in the business in 1966.

Learning to master his fear of the inside pitch, the corner outfielder used his blazing speed and line-to-line hitting skills to great advantage.

Brock’s opening salvos helped the Cards shake off the cobwebs of their first losing season in a half-decade, pushing 83-win St. Louis to their sixth winning record in seven years.

And while the team was a year away from becoming a true World Series contender, Brock was already playing championship baseball for the NL’s sixth-place club.

Leading the Majors in stolen bases for the first time with 74, the down-ballot NL MVP honorable mention slashed .285/.320/.429 with 15 home runs, 24 doubles, 12 triples, 94 runs scored, and 46 RBIs in 678 plate appearances (643 at-bats). 

1966 Topps #365 Roger Maris

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $250

The controversies that swirled around Roger Maris' record-breaking season in 1961 transitioned into a deafening chorus of "I told you so" by the 1966 season.

Besieged by injuries and looking nothing like the single-season home run champ of five years ago, Maris was barely an average player in his final season with the Yankees.

As the Bronx Bombers put together perhaps the most embarrassing in team history, the critics doubled down on the distaste they held for Maris.

After all, here was the guy who unseated the untouchable Babe Ruth for the home run record.

And here he was, failing to live up to the hype and heights of his 1959-1962 peak.

New York has always been a pressure cooker for its baseball stars, and nothing compares to the spite directed at those who don't live up to the expectations of the fans and media.

In short, 1966 was miserable for Maris.

Beat up and disrespected despite playing hurt as often as possible, the 31-year-old right fielder contemplated retirement.

He hit just .233 in '66 with a .689 OPS, 13 home runs, 37 runs scored, and 43 RBIs in 119 games played, barely a shell of his production five years before.

Before Maris could hang them up, he was dealt to St. Louis in the offseason.

1966 Topps #550 Willie McCovey

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $250

The full-time return of Orlando Cepeda from an injury-plagued 1965 season left the San Francisco Giants in a pickle in '66.

Willie McCovey's bad feet and achy knees kept him out of the outfield and anchored him to first base.

Cepeda's injured knees made him a liability in the outfield, making first base the only landing spot that made sense.

Something had to give.

And since McCovey had established himself as one of the game's most fearsome hitters, Cepeda became expendable.

The Giants dealt the future NL MVP to the St. Louis Cardinals on May 28th for pitcher Ray Sadecki, locking McCovey in at first for the next eight years.

McCovey paid the second-place Giants back for their investment, parlaying a season-long power surge into his second All-Star appearance.

The 28-year down-ballot MVP honorable mention batted cleanup in the Midsummer Classic, following a murderer's row of Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, and Hank Aaron in the NL's lineup.

Altogether, McCovey hit .295 with 36 home runs, 26 doubles, six triples, 85 runs scored, 96 RBIs, and a 164 OPS+.

The Giants failed to topple the Dodgers for their first NL pennant since 1962, but they wouldn't have been there until the very end without McCovey's fireworks.

1966 Topps #410 Al Kaline

Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $225

In the most tragic season in Detroit Tigers history, Al Kaline did his best to lift the spirits of the team and the fan base.

71-year-old manager Chuck Dressen suffered his second heart attack in two years on May 16th, passing away less than three months later.

His immediate replacement, third-base coach Bob Swift, was hospitalized during the All-Star break for rapid weight loss.

What was initially expected to be food poisoning was actually lung cancer.

Swift passed away in October.

The distraction of a very good Tigers season wasn't much.

Yet, at least third-place Detroit hung in there long enough to stir some good feelings in an otherwise dark campaign.

Kaline played the biggest role in 88-win Detroit's third consecutive winning season, slashing .288/.392/.534 with 29 home runs, 29 doubles, 85 runs scored, 81 walks, and 88 RBIs.

The 31-year-old outfielder was exemplary from start to finish in '66, capturing his fifteenth straight All-Star appearance and his fourth top-nine AL MVP finish (7th) in six years.

1966 Topps Baseball Cards In Review

If you're looking for an example of how popular Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron and some of the other big-name Hall-of-Famers are, this set is a prime example.

Despite featuring three Hall-of-Fame rookies in Fergie Jenkins, Don Sutton and Jim Palmer, the big names mentioned previously outshine them in this set.

Still, despite where you want to "rank" them, all of the Hall-of-Famers in this set are highly desirable.

And Topps did a fantastic job capturing most of them in a more up-close and personal way than usual with the headshots and different poses.

Aside from the star cards, the short print high-numbers (#523 - 598) and cards of different variations (Bob Uecker, Don Landrum, etc.) also rank high on collector wishlists.

Within the set were also several different subsets, including:

• League Leaders (#215 - 226)
• Rookie Stars (throughout checklist)
• Topps All-Star Rookies (throughout checklist)
• Team Cards (throughout checklist)

• Checklists (throughout checklist)

Personally, I really enjoy this set but wouldn't rank it as my favorite of the 1960s.

Most vintage collectors would agree that this set has plenty of features to keep the interest high for years to come.