1970 Topps #712 Nolan Ryan
About Nolan Ryan
Card #712 comes from the seventh series, the set's high numbers, and lists Ryan with the New York Mets. On April 18, 1970, he struck out 15 in one game to tie the Mets club record; Tom Seaver raised it to 19 four days later against San Diego. Ryan worked 27 games that season, 19 of them starts, and went 7-11. He posted a 3.42 ERA with 125 strikeouts and 2 shutouts.
Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr., born January 31, 1947, in Refugio, Texas, and raised in Alvin, near Houston, was drafted by the Mets in the 12th round in 1965. He pitched a record 27 major league seasons (1966, 1968-1993) for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. He retired with a 324-292 record, a 3.19 ERA and 5,714 strikeouts, the most in major league history. He also holds the career records for walks (2,795) and no-hitters (seven, three more than any other pitcher). He struck out 300 batters in a season a record six times and made eight All-Star teams. Nicknamed "the Ryan Express" and known for a fastball clocked above 100 mph, he helped the 1969 Mets win the World Series before a December 1971 trade sent him to California for Jim Fregosi. He signed with Houston as a free agent before the 1980 season, then finished with Texas, where he threw his sixth and seventh no-hitters at ages 43 and 44. Ryan was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 in his first year of eligibility with 98.8 percent of the vote, and is one of three players to have his number retired by at least three teams.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 7,379 | 3 | 131 | 979 | 1,565 | 1,524 | 1,179 | 1,991 | 7 |
| SGC | 2,425 | 2 | 18 | 130 | 317 | 409 | 598 | 902 | 49 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-10-19. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Related cards
Team card: #1 World Champions (New York Mets)
More New York Mets cards:
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- #61 1969 National League Batting Leaders
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- #137 Art Shamsky
- #138 Joe Foy
- #153 Gary Gentry
- #183 Jerry Grote
- #195 N.L. Playoff Game 1 - Seaver Wins Opener!
- #196 N.L. Playoff Game 2 - Mets Show Muscle!
- #197 N.L. Playoff Game 3 - Ryan Saves the Day!
- #198 Mets Celebrate: We're Number One!
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1970 Topps #712 card?
It is card #712 of the 720-card 1970 Topps Baseball set, picturing Nolan Ryan of the New York Mets.
What are the key cards in the 1970 Topps set?
#189 Yankees 1970 Rookie Stars - the Thurman Munson rookie card, shared with Dave McDonald - #350 Roberto Clemente and #712 Nolan Ryan are the headline cards. The other key cards are #286 Dodgers 1970 Rookie Stars, the Bill Buckner rookie card (with Jack Jenkins), #459 Reggie Jackson and #469 Sam McDowell from the All-Star run, #500 Hank Aaron, #600 Willie Mays, and the high numbers #640 Al Kaline, #660 Johnny Bench and #700 Frank Robinson. The high numbers, #634-720, are the seventh series and the toughest series of the set to find.
Why is #712 harder to find?
It is a high number card from the seventh and last series, #634-720 - the high numbers, and the toughest series of the set to find.
How many cards are in the 1970 Topps Baseball set?
720 cards, tracked as 726 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 720 with none skipped, issued in seven series - #1-132, #133-263, #264-372, #373-459, #460-546, #547-633 and the high numbers, #634-720; 6 cards, all of them checklists, carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, BaseballCardPedia, Cardboard Connection, Baseball Almanac, Baseball-Reference, the SABR BioProject and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-25.