There's one thing about 1975 Topps baseball cards that should immediately jump out at you...
...those unforgettable bright, multi-colored borders.
Some collectors love the design...others hate it.
But what can't be argued is the amount of star power that this set packs.
Key rookie cards of George Brett, Robin Yount, Gary Carter and Jim Rice help headline a set loaded with legends like Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Mike Schmidt and Reggie Jackson to name a few.
While innovative, those multi-colored borders make this set extremely challenging to assemble in top condition since they are susceptible to showing even the slightest wear.
And in this guide, we'll take a look at the 25 most valuable.
Let's jump right in!
1975 Topps #228 George Brett Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $600
The George Brett rookie card is one of four key Hall of Famer rookie cards in this set, alongside those of Robin Yount, Jim Rice and Gary Carter.
It's also the most expensive of the four (and the entire set).
I've always loved the color combination of the borders on this card.
Many color combinations in this set seemed odd and over-the-top.
But the green and purple duo seemingly gives the card some extra eye appeal and nice pop overall.
One thing is for sure: George Brett could flat-out play as he would go on to win three batting titles, three Silver Sluggers, an MVP and a World Series title over his legendary career.
Since his retirement after 21 seasons with the franchise in 1993, no Kansas City Royals player has risen to the heights of the great George Brett.
In PSA 10, this card can sell for six figures.
1975 Topps #500 Nolan Ryan
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $500
Nolan Ryan is typically one of the biggest names in any set in which he appears.
This one is no exception...
Like me, you might be surprised that this card can sell for so much in PSA 8 condition but it's true.
His status as one of the game's most legendary fireballers and extreme popularity among baseball card collectors give this card quite a boost in value.
The purple and pink border combo may not be the most intimidating choice to fit Ryan's demeanor but his icy stare on this card more than makes up for it.
1975 Topps #660 Hank Aaron
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $375
Next on our list is one of the two Hank Aaron cards that bookended this set as a tribute to setting the career homerun mark the year before.
A couple of notable attributes of this card:
- Aaron was airbrushed into a Brewers uniform since he was traded from the Braves to the Brewers on November 2, 1974.
- Correctly forecasting his primary role as a new member of the American League, Topps listed him as a DH even though he'd never played a single game as DH before.
Many consider this to be one of Aaron's least appealing baseball cards but it's still a must have for any Aaron or 1975 Topps collector.
Finally, because this was the last card in the set it can be tough to find in high grade which gives it an extra boost in value.
1975 Topps #223 Robin Yount Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $325
The second key rookie card in this set belongs to Brewers legend and two-time MVP, Robin Yount.
The orange and brown borders of Yount's rookie don't give it quite the pop that Brett's rookie enjoys but they still somehow work.
It's crazy to think that Yount was only 18 years old in this image but that's just a sign of how much promise he showed from such an early age.
This card is one of the top rookies from the 1970s and its five-figure price tag in gem mint condition is proof that cards from that era can still fetch a pretty penny in top grade.
1975 Topps #1 Hank Aaron '74 Highlights
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $225
On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron sent one of Al Downing's pitches over the outfield fence during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
That home run would be his 715th, one more than Babe Ruth's career home run record of 714.
Topps commemorated the phenomenal achievement with this "'74 Highlights" card with Aaron in his Braves uniform.
I don't know what it is about this card but it just seems kind of...quiet.
It's just not what I would expect from a card meant to celebrate such an incredible feat.
It's a nice card but it could have been really nice had Topps been able to capture and use an action shot of him belting the record-breaking homer.
1975 Topps #150 Bob Gibson
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $160
The first thing I notice about this card is that it's one of the few in the set where the border color combo fits perfectly with the player's team colors.
In this case, the red and yellow were an outstanding choice for Gibson in his Cardinals uniform.
Another interesting thing about this card is that it would be Gibson's last mainstream card as he would retire after the 1975 season.
You can't say enough about Bob Gibson, the guy absolutely dominated on the mound throughout his career.
Especially that magical 1968 season when he'd win both Cy Young and MVP honors after posting a jaw-dropping 1.12 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 22 wins and 268 strikeouts.
Simply amazing...
1975 Topps #70 Mike Schmidt
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $150
Arguably the greatest third baseman of all time, Mike Schmidt was most known for his power at the plate.
In only his third full season in 1975, Schmidt was flashing signs of legendary greatness at the young age of 25.
That year he would go on to lead the American League in home runs for the second year in a row after sending 38 over the fence.
The bright color combo of the green and yellow borders give this card just the right amount of flash.
Of all of his mainstream cards, this is one of my personal favorite Mike Schmidt cards.
1975 Topps #300 Reggie Jackson
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $125
If you stick around this hobby long enough you'll realize that it was a Topps tradition to recognize some of the biggest stars by giving them cards with numbers that ended in a double zero.
This was the first time Reggie was recognized with that honor as Topps made his card number 300 in this set.
The card is very colorful and I've always liked the way Topps snapped this photo from up underneath him.
It made him look like a giant.
I love everything about this card: the blue/orange borders, the sunglasses, the bright green and yellow Oakland uniform.
Such a great card for one of the game's biggest sluggers that ever played.
1975 Topps #320 Pete Rose
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $120
Pete Rose never did anything halfway.
The controversial Cincinnati Reds legend was asked to move to third base full-time in 1975.
Rather than pitching a fit or sulking over to the hot corner, Rose doubled down.
He even went so far as to annoy coaches Alex Grammas and George Scherger, pestering them to hit groundballs in practice as much as humanly possible.
It all worked out to the Reds' advantage.
The 34-year-old played above-average defense while topping the Majors in runs scored (112) and doubles (47) for the second consecutive year.
Rose's .317 average placed second only behind NL MVP Joe Morgan on the team.
Rose got his MVP in the World Series, going 10-for-27 (.370), with two homers and five RBIs in Cincy's first Fall Classic win in thirty-five years.
Later named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, Rose remarked that the baseball "looked like a beach ball" during his epic Series tear.
1975 Topps #616 Jim Rice Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $115
Jim Rice's is the last of the four major rookie cards to make this list and it has pretty much the same look and feel as Carter's rookie above.
Four players, pink and yellow borders...
But, you gotta love all the moustaches and thick sideburns all over this card...such a sign of the times.
It's not quite as valuable as the other rookie card on this list but is still a key Hall of Famer rookie card to own.
The eight-time All-Star and one-time MVP award winner goes down as one of the greatest Red Sox of all-time.
1975 Topps #620 Gary Carter Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $115
If you ever got a chance to see Gary Carter in action on the field, it was easy to understand why they called him "The Kid".
Carter played the game with the joy and passion of a kid which would carry him through a Hall of Fame career.
That joy clearly shows through on his 1975 Topps rookie card.
His bright smile, along with the pink and yellow borders give the card some great pop.
Known for both his hitting and catching ability, Carter goes down as one of the greatest catchers to ever play the game.
1975 Topps #5 Nolan Ryan '74 Highlights
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $100
1975 Topps #260 Johnny Bench
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $100
Always the bridesmaids and never the brides, the Cincinnati Reds finally got their bouquet in 1975.
After two World Series losses and an NLCS ouster over a five-year span, the 108-win Reds steamrolled over the National League before clipping the Boston Red Sox in a classic seven-game Fall Classic.
It was a crowning achievement for Johnny Bench, the two-time NL MVP and longtime heart of the franchise.
However, it came with a lot of adversity.
The 27-year-old catcher/right fielder dealer had a shoulder issue for most of the year after an April collision at the plate and suffered from a nasty flu for most of October.
It didn't hurt his production, as Bench finished fourth in the NL MVP race with a .283/.359/.519 slash line, 28 home runs, and 110 RBIs in 142 games.
Bench scuffled mightily in the postseason, but it didn't matter.
The Reds legend was lost in the moment, as seen in his iconic Sports Illustrated cover embrace with teammate Will McEnaney.
1975 Topps #20 Thurman Munson
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $90
Thurman Munson's scorching 1975 season earned him the first New York Yankees captainship since Lou Gehrig.
After an off year at the plate in '74, the 27-year-old backstop rebounded with one of his career's most productive offensive seasons.
Munson slashed .318/.366/.429 with 12 home runs, 24 doubles, three triples, 83 runs scored, and 102 RBIs in 157 games.
"I don't wait for many pitches, and I rarely swing and miss," Munson said of his winning hitting strategy. "If I strike out, I really can't understand it."
Munson wasn't just an impact hitter for an 83-win Yankees team on the rise.
He was also the best plate general in the American League.
The now four-time All-Star won his third consecutive Gold Glove with little resistance, earning a seventh-place finish in the AL MVP race for his all-around mastery.
Within months, he'd be named the first Yankees captain in 37 years.
1975 Topps #400 Dick Allen
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $85
1975 was an emotional full circle for Dick Allen and the Philadelphia Phillies fan base.
A former Rookie-of-the-Year and AL MVP, Allen spent the first seven years of his MLB career as a stalwart of a potent Phillies lineup.
Allen racked up three All-Star appearances and multiple MVP votes in Philadelphia, yet it wasn’t enough for some of the city’s most racist fans.
Allen fought back the tireless insults and barbs, ultimately leaving for St. Louis via trade in 1970.
The 33-year-old first baseman bounced from St. Louis through Los Angeles to Chicago over the next half-decade.
Often criticized for his sensitive personality and off-the-field exploits, Allen emerged on the other side in 1975, returning to Philly a changed man after declining to play for Atlanta following an offseason trade.
Allen was happy to be back.
And the fans were happy to see him.
“The fans, through their applause, were saying they were sorry for what happened in the late ’60s,” teammate Mike Schmidt said. “They were asking for forgiveness and thanking him for returning to the place where he was mistreated because of the color of his skin.”
It was a heartwarming reunion, albeit one with diminished on-field results.
1975 Topps #75 Ted Simmons
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $75
Ted Simmons has a case as one of the most underrated players of his generation.
The St. Louis Cardinals backstop was an offensive terror throughout the 1970s.
He batted .300 six times during the decade and notched six All-Star appearances.
Simmons was also exceedingly durable, leading all 70s catchers with an average of 135 games played per season.
The 1975 season was a testament to Simmons' steady greatness.
The 25-year-old star hit a career-best .332 with 18 home runs, 32 doubles, 80 runs scored, 63 walks, and 100 RBIs in 157 games.
He was the most fearsome hitter in the third-place Cardinals' lineup and was rewarded with a sixth-place finish in the NL MVP race.
Yes, Simmons is a Hall-of-Famer with plenty of plaudits to his name.
Yet, he's often left out of the conversation when discussing the best catchers of the 1970s.
Names like Johnny Bench, Thurman Munson, and Carlton Fisk dominate the highlight reels and history books.
Simmons belongs beside them, even with his reputation as an average to below-average defensive player.
1975 Topps #600 Rod Carew
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $75
As Tony Gwynn was to the 1980s and 1990s, Rod Carew was to the 1970s.
Gwynn won eight NL batting titles from 1984-1997 and posted a .300 average in every one of his twenty seasons besides his rookie year.
Carew won seven batting titles and six within seven years from 1972 to 1978.
The Minnesota Twins second baseman/first baseman peaked in 1975, becoming just the second player in MLB history (Honus Wagner) to capture four consecutive league batting crowns.
Carew took the ‘75 AL title with an MLB-best .359 batting average while leading the league in on-base percentage (.421).
Carew wasn’t just a singles hitter, either. The 29-year-old hit double-digit home runs (14) for the first time in his career while tallying 24 doubles, four triples, 89 runs scored, and 80 RBIs in 143 games.
He also paced the Majors in intentional walks (18) and rounded it all off with the fourth-most steals (35) in the American League.
1975 Topps #623 Keith Hernandez Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $75
1975 Topps #61 Dave Winfield
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $70
San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium had a long-standing reputation as a house of horrors for hitters.
Balls went to die at the Murph's tracks, and the field space seemed to carry on forever, giving fielders ample room to turn would-be foul balls into routine outs.
Dave Winfield didn't care.
Moved to right field full-time by second-year manager John McNamara, the 23-year-old phenom put the ample dimensions of Jack Murphy to good use.
Winfield slashed .267/.354/.403 with 15 home runs, 20 doubles, two triples, 69 walks, 23 stolen bases, 74 runs, and 76 RBIs in 143 games.
Winfield also put a bad defensive year in '74 behind him, posting above-average marks in multiple advanced metrics.
He received a nice raise to $40,000 for the year and saw his salary balloon to $57,000 in '76 for his efforts.
Winfield used that money for the greater good, establishing a St. Paul scholarship fund for minority student-athletes that remains active to this day.
1975 Topps #580 Frank Robinson
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $70
Frank Robinson was the right man to carry on Jackie Robinson's legacy.
In 1975, the aging Cleveland Indians slugger was among the game's most respected men.
The 39-year-old DH remained steadfast and honorable in the face of racism and inequitable circumstances, even earning a few years as a manager in Puerto Rico.
As Jackie had done before him, Robinson pushed the color barrier farther into the distance in 1975 after he was named the first African-American manager in MLB history.
Robinson wasn't content with resting on historical circumstances.
He wanted to be held to the same standards as any other manager.
"I don't see any problem firing me or any Black manager," Robinson said succinctly.
There was no chance of that happening in '75. The legendary player-manager led Cleveland to their best record (79-80) since 1968.
He also played no favorites with himself, relegating himself to just 118 at-bats, hitting .237 with nine homers and 24 RBIs.
1975 Topps #370 Tom Seaver
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $60
Tom Seaver went from fearing for his career to a historic Cy Young season in just five minutes.
1974 was an absolute slog for the New York Mets ace.
Seaver lost the usual drive and movement on his pitches due to an irritated sciatic nerve in his hip.
He was still a dominant strikeout machine (201), yet his 11-11 record and 3.20 ERA were far cries from his '73 Cy Young campaign.
"I was afraid then that my career was over," Seaver said.
All it took was five minutes of hip manipulation to turn that around.
Seaver spent a short time getting worked on by Dr. Kenneth Riland the nerve cooperated immediately.
He jumped back into his regular offseason routine with vigor and returned in '75 as a man possessed.
Seaver joined Hall-of-Famer Sandy Koufax as the only three-time Cy Young winners in MLB history, leading the NL in wins (22), strikeouts (235), and FIP (2.47).
His ERA dropped nearly a full point to 2.38 to go along with his fifteen complete games and five shutouts in 36 starts.
1975 Topps #50 Brooks Robinson
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $55
1975 was the moment that the lights began to turn off on Brooks Robinson's remarkable Hall-of-Fame career.
The Baltimore Orioles third baseman collected a staggering fifteen straight All-Star appearances from 1960 to 1974, fifteen Gold Gloves and the 1964 AL MVP award.
Few match Robinson's accomplishments in baseball history, let alone in his generation.
1975 was a very different beast.
Already slowed by aching knees and other assorted bumps and bruises, the 38-year-old first-ballot Hall-of-Famer was also troubled by a nagging thumb issue.
It ate into his swing and zapped both his power (.274 SLG) and his patience (.267 on-base percentage.)
Robinson was never a high-level hitter for average (.267 career), yet he was much worse in '75.
He hit just .201 in 482 at-bats and posted a new career-worst 58 OPS+.
Robinson remained a durable, defensive gem and was honored with a 16th Gold Glove.
However, he was now a hitting liability and on the slow downturn towards retirement.
1975 Topps #280 Carl Yastrzemski
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $55
Carl Yastrzemski's 1975 regular season was nothing to write home about.
Come the postseason, though, he was the same big-moment hitter that Boston Red Sox fans had grown to know and adore.
The 35-year-old first baseman/left fielder had his worst offensive season by OPS+ (112) since his 1961 rookie year, slashing .269/.371/.405 with 14 home runs, 30 doubles, eight stolen bases, 91 runs scored, and 60 RBIs.
He remained an essential piece of the AL East champions' lineup, although much more prone to cold streaks than ever.
All that faded into the distance in October.
In Game 2 of Boston's three-game ALCS sweep of Oakland, Yastrzemski all but killed the back-to-back-to-back defending champs with a stunning left-field assist and the eventual game-winning RBI double off all-everything A's reliever Rollie Fingers.
Yaz followed up with a .455 ALCS with a .310 average and scored seven runs in the World Series.
The Sox remained cursed after a seven-game loss to Cincy, yet Yastrzemski's five-tool firepower led them to the brink of lifting it.
1975 Topps #540 Lou Brock
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $55
Lou Brock continued to scurry towards immortality in 1975.
The St. Louis Cardinals left fielder was fresh off an earth-shaking MVP runner-up in 1974 when he stole an MLB record of 118 bases.
Heading into his late 30s, Brock defied time and remained one of the game's most electrifying speedsters.
Brock stole less than half his '74 output in '75. Regardless, his 56 stolen bases still placed third in the Senior Circuit behind the Dodgers' Davey Lopes and Cincinnati's Joe Morgan.
It also moved him to within striking distance of Ty Cobb's all-time record, a mark he'd surpass by late 1977.
Brock wasn't all flash, either.
He topped the .300 mark for the fifth time in six seasons (.309), posting a .758 OPS, 27 doubles, six triples, 78 runs scored, and 47 RBIs in 136 games.
His defense was subpar, but that couldn't detract from the pure electricity Brock brought to the field daily.
1975 Topps #640 Harmon Killebrew
Estimated PSA 8 Value: $55
Harmon Killebrew killed everyone with kindness during his Hall-of-Fame career.
Sometimes, it worked to his detriment.
Once the American League's most prolific home run hitter, Killebrew put together a second consecutive subpar year in 1974.
The guy who had put the Minnesota Twins on the map was threatened with a demotion to Triple-A.
Former Twins teammate Jim Kaat wasn't going to sit idly by and let that happen.
He got into Killebrew's ear after the '74 season, convincing the 38-year-old slugger to find a job elsewhere.
"The Cardinals made a vice president out of Stan Musial, and the Twins wanted to send you to Triple-A," Kaat told Killebrew.
It clicked, and Killebrew left the Twin Cities for one final go-around with the rival Royals.
Sadly, he was not the same force he'd been in years past.
Killebrew hit just .199 with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs in 106 games for the AL West runner-ups.
Still, he went out on his own terms and retired from the game the following offseason.
1975 Topps Baseball Cards In Review
So, there you have it, the ten most valuable 1975 Topps baseball cards.
At 660 cards total, the set is a monster to put together and the multi-colored borders, centering issues and print defects make it even tougher to put together in top grade.
The four key rookie cards of Brett, Yount, Carter and Rice are the biggest draws in the set but as you can see there are many other cards of great Hall of Famers as well.
Other Hall of Famers like Dave Winfield, Mike Schmidt, Nolan Ryan, Bob Gibson, Frank Robinson, Hank Aaron, Lou Brock, Harmon Killebrew and Brook Robinson are also keys to collect.
And there is, of course, a great card of Pete Rose in here as well.
All in all, it's a great set featuring an innovative design that's loaded with many great stars.
Because of these features, this set will always be among the most desirable of any set from the 1970s.