When it comes to baseball collectibles, nothing beats the thrill of owning a rare collection of cards that feature your favorite baseball players of all time.
There are many great collections out there for the avid collector, and the 1962 Topps holds up as yet another solid vintage product from a tremendous era.
The 1962 Topps set is particularly known for its wood grain design and being the largest set size at the time of its release. This meant that you could see these cards everywhere, from refrigerator doors to car windshields.
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The 1962 Topps set was distinct from many of the variants that came before it. The cards from this set measured 2½” by 3½” with a vertical layout and as mentioned above, they had a unique wood grain design that made them distinguishable from previous sets.
This edition also outdid all of its predecessors with 598 cards, which was slightly more than previous years.
Along with the photos of baseball players on each card, fans could also notice the faux wood border present on each card, along with the name, team, and position of the player.
On the back, there was a horizontally printed short intro to the player, as well their batting record in tabular form. The card backing had a Halloween theme with black text and orange and white shading. On this side, there is also a small black baseball with the card number printed on it and across it, there is a small illustration of a baseball player.
This was also the first set that used a matted photo, of which one end was curled to leave room for the player’s information. Like previous years, team logos weren’t a part of the 1962 Topps set.
The rookie cards tend to stand out in any vintage set. For the 1962 Topps release, it was Gaylord Perry and Lou Brock that were the notable Hall of Famers.
Moreover, there were also a series of Hall of Fame players that fans were delighted to see. Another reason why the 1962 Topps set was highly sought after is because it was printed and distributed in seven different series, with each one containing 80 to 90 cards. Each series honors a separate class of players, and obtaining all of them would make you a master collector.
There is no better way to start the list than by mentioning the 1962 Topps #1, Roger Marris, the left-hand batter for the New York Yankees, who had just broken the single season home run record (he also is featured on cards #313, #401 and #503 for his home run achievements that year).
Given that the card was first in the set, it also makes the card quite condition-sensitive with a PSA 9 mint condition Roger Maris selling for up to $35,000.
New York Yankee’s iconic center fielder, Mickey Mantle, is no stranger to the Topps set cards, and he has featured in several top-selling card sets as well, such as the 1952 and 1953 Topps sets.
The National Baseball Hall of Famer has thousands of cards to his name, and his #200 PSA 9 card from the 1962 Topps collection is also valued at $35,000.
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One of the bestselling cards from the 1962 Topps set is Sandy Koufax, the legendary left-handed pitcher from the L.A. Dodgers who set a record for the most strikeouts in 1961.
This glorious feat of his earned him a higher ranking in the set, as well as a eventual Hall of Fame induction. You can expect to get a mint condition #5 card for up to $15,000 easily.
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Just like Mickey Mantle, the San Francisco Giants’ Willie Mays has also appeared in several Topps card sets in the yesteryears, and has the honor of playing more than 10 All-Star games with his excellent right-hand batting record.
This is why the back of his card reads ‘The Amazing Mr. Mays’, and a PSA 6 card would go for $760, whereas a mint PSA 9 would easily fetch $32,500.
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Rookie Hall of Famer, Lou Brock of the Chicago Cubs is another exciting addition to the 1962 Topps card set. He has known for his speed, earning 938 steals in his career, a record which held until Ricky Henderson broke it in 1989. He was also the force at the plate, amassing 3023 hits and a .293 career batting average.
This led him to become one of the most talked about players in baseball. Currently, a #387 Lou Brock RC of PSA 7 will go up for $1,750, whereas if you find a PSA 9 card, you can expect to pay up to $14,500.
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It would be wrong if we didn’t mention the #18 card, which features the duo of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. While the duo been touted as every managers’ dream, this card is every collectors’ dream, featuring two of the best players of all-time.
The two center fielders were quite instrumental for the success of their teams and are two of the most highly collectable vintage players. Their shared card sells for no less than $1,200, provided that it has a PSA 8 rating or above.
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Next up on our list is Roberto Clemente, who played as an outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates until he was tragically killed in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1971. During his career, he amassed exactly 3,000 hits, won an MVP award in 1966 and was a 12-time All-Star.
He also tied a Northern League record by achieving three triples in a single game in 1958. A near mint PSA 8.5 #10 card can be bought for $1,450 on eBay.
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National Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron is also a prominent addition to the 1962 Topps set and sits at #320. Aaron earned 3,771 hits over his career, hit 755 career home runs and was a 21-time All-Star.
The Hall of Famers PSA 9 card, although hard to find, can be fetched for $16,500 on eBay.
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Another Rookie Hall of Famer that found his way into the 1962 Topps set is Gaylord Perry, who played for the San Francisco Giants as a pitcher. The right-hander provided fans with some exceptional performances, which led him to rise up the ranks pretty quickly.
The star rookie of the year is a fan favorite, and his PSA 9 card can be bought for $4,500 on eBay and other websites.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher, Don Drysdale, was #340 in the 1962 Topps set. Don’s most significant achievement has to be his 246 strikeouts in 1960, which was a landmark in his career.
He has also played in several World Series and All-Star games, and if you want to add Don to your collection a PSA 9 card for the Hall of Famer won’t cost more than $1,250.
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| Card | PSA 7 | PSA 8 | PSA 9 | PSA 10 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Maris #1 | 318 | 84 | 6 | 0 | 3,166 |
| Mickey Mantle #200 | 593 | 175 | 16 | 1 | 5,223 |
| Sandy Koufax #5 | 593 | 171 | 11 | 0 | 3,032 |
| Willie Mays #300 | 351 | 87 | 9 | 1 | 3,004 |
| Lou Brock rookie card #387 | 641 | 261 | 30 | 2 | 3,416 |
| Managers' Dream #18 | 636 | 207 | 10 | 1 | 3,620 |
| Robert Clemente #10 | 868 | 314 | 21 | 1 | 4,252 |
| Hank Aaron #320 | 374 | 152 | 6 | 0 | 1,588 |
| Gaylor Perry rookie card #199Gaylor Perry rookie card #199 | 448 | 174 | 12 | 0 | 2,078 |
| Don DrysdaDon Drysdale #340le #340 | 283 | 120 | 12 | 0 | 934 |
When it comes to choosing the best card out of the pack of 598 cards that were featured in the 1962 Topps set, we choose the 1962 Topps #200 Mickey Mantle. Mantle is always a highlight in many of the vintage sets he appears, with his star power causing him to be one of the most valuable and popular cards in this set.
If you are a Mantle fan, also take a look at this All-Star card, which is #471 and is a cheaper alternative to his main base card.
The 1962 Topps set is sometimes overlooked during a period of extremely iconic and collectable vintage cards. While it doesn’t hold quite the prestige as some other sets from its era, it’s still a highly collectable vintage set from baseball’s golden era.
Although the set doesn’t have the highest value if you compare them to other cards in the same decade, this set still holds a lot of significance as part of baseball card collecting history.
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