by Paul Semendinger
***
As we wait for the season to begin, I thought it might be fun to look back at some of the old Topps baseball card sets and rank the designs.
Here are the 1970s designs year-by-year:
1970
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_009e891ef27d4c80bb0771b28118e4e3~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_63,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_009e891ef27d4c80bb0771b28118e4e3~mv2.jpg)
1971
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_677a91f016b74e9bb893726a8089a6a0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_63,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_677a91f016b74e9bb893726a8089a6a0~mv2.jpg)
1972
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_9a7bb51630f548a296e0cfe8e9b7a3fd~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_64,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_9a7bb51630f548a296e0cfe8e9b7a3fd~mv2.jpg)
1973
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_f443c90ffef949cc855f91b6534b4573~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_63,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_f443c90ffef949cc855f91b6534b4573~mv2.jpg)
1974
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_932a8750638c48769bd48649707fcf9c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_63,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_932a8750638c48769bd48649707fcf9c~mv2.jpg)
1975
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_982813790f34408b9cd9713a1334e108~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_64,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_982813790f34408b9cd9713a1334e108~mv2.jpg)
1976
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_cfe1fd8331d24090812916d6af99f1f7~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_62,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_cfe1fd8331d24090812916d6af99f1f7~mv2.jpg)
1977
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_5a69a59a80e64a05abdd59ed69316110~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_63,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_5a69a59a80e64a05abdd59ed69316110~mv2.jpg)
1978
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_c773b99f29744ac894d1439170cfd036~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_62,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_c773b99f29744ac894d1439170cfd036~mv2.jpg)
1979
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1de578_0ec33a7d27cc495c8677d2c9ceae5238~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_63,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/1de578_0ec33a7d27cc495c8677d2c9ceae5238~mv2.jpg)
Now comes the difficult part, ranking the designs. Some thoughts...
I like all of these as they all hold the most special places in my heart - these were the cards I collected as a young fan. Each of these cards were super special.
1970 - I really like this set.
1971 - Ditto.
1972 - Probably the most "out-there" set design. It's cool. It's also not my favorite.
1973 - I like the little position players that are on each card.
1974 - This isn't the greatest design, but I love this set as well.
1975 - Super colorful and bright. Very fun.
1976 - I like the position guys again, but the 1973 images I like better
1977 - A classic design. I like the little pennants.
1978 - I don't love the team name in script.
1979 - Very clean, but it isn't great somehow.
***
MY RANKINGS:
1970
1971
1977
1975
1974
1973
1978
1979
1972
1976
How do you rank these designs?