1979 Topps

This is a list with brief descriptions of Topps sports card products for 1979.

Baseball
Set Description Cards in Set Size
Base set 726 2.5 x 3.5 inches

United States
Set Description Cards in Set Size
Burger King Phillies 23 2.5 x 3.5 inches
Burger King Yankees 23 2.5 x 3.5 inches

In 1979, only two parallel sets were produced by Topps. Both were for the Burger King fast food chain, which had had Topps produce promotional sets for its outlets. The offering for 1979 was reduced from the four teams which had set the previous year to two teams - the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies. Again the cards were virtually identical to the 1979 Topps regular issue cards for distribution at outlets in the home areas of the teams. Some of the players had a different photo or photo cropping variation than their Topps counterpart and the card number on the back was in a different typeface. The Burger King sets has 22 cards plus a checklist card. Several cards reflected players changing teams, most notably Pete Rose (Phillies) and Tommy John (Yankees).

Team Checklist Sheet

This uncut sheet was available by mail-in offer on packs. The sheet features 26 team cards from the regular set on thinner stock.

Canada

Since 1965, the Canadian candy company O-Pee-Chee produced virtually identical, but smaller, sets identical to the Topps issue of the same year. The Canadian printed cards were printed on gray cardstock and featured French and English text on the reverse and O-Pee-Chee logo on the obverse in place of the Topps logo.

Set Description Cards in Set Size
O-Pee-Chee 374 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Football

In 1979, Topps issued two Football sets featuring the National Football League.

Set Description Cards in Set Size
Base set 528 2.5 x 3.5 inches

The entire 528 card set was produced with gray colored backs, as well as lighter 'cream colored' backs. The cream colored backs seem to be slightly rarer, but do not command a premium price-wise over the gray card back versions

Team Checklists 28 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Hockey

Topps issued one set featuring the National Hockey League for the 1979-1980 season.

Set Description Cards in Set Size
Base set 264 2.5 x 3.5 inches

This set is noteworthy as it contains the first card of Wayne Gretzky, currently the all-time leading scorer in NHL history. It also contains the final card of Gordie Howe, the previous record holder.

Basketball

Topps issued one set featuring the National Basketball Association for the 1979-1980 season.

Set Description Cards in Set Size
Base set 132 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Soccer

In 1979, Topps issued two sets in the United Kingdom featuring soccer players and one sticker set in the United States featuring logos of the North American Soccer League (NASL). The United Kingdom cards fronts are basically identical to the 1978 Topps football cards issued in the United States.

Set Description Cards in Set Size
English Footballers Blue back 396 2.5 x 3.5 inches
Scottish Footballers Red back 132 2.5 x 3.5 inches
NASL Stickers logo stickers 33 2.5 x 3.5 inches

References
  • Beckett, Dr. James et al. (2002). "Beckett Baseball Card Price Guide". Beckett Publications-Dallas, Texas ISBN 1-930692-17-X
  • Super 70's 1979 Burger King Baseball
  • Super 70's 1979 Baseball Cards
  • A&BC, FKS and TOPPS collection
  • Stein's Football Card Site
  • Galleries of English Football Cards
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