1978 Topps


This is a list with brief descriptions of Topps sports card products for 1978.

Baseball

Parallel Sets

United States

Burger King
In 1977 Topps first produced a set featuring the New York Yankees for New York City area Burger King fast food restaurants. In 1978, the program was expanded with outlets in the home areas of the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers along with the Tri-State Region for the Yankees cards. offering cards of their respective teams. The cards were almost identical to the 1978 Topps regular issue cards Some of the players had a different photo than their Topps counterpart including some who have changed teams, including the Yankees Goose Gossage, whose main set card featured Yankee pinstripes airbrushed over his 1977 Pirates uniform. Also of note are single rookie cards for the Tigers Jack Morris, Alan Trammell, and Lou Whitaker, who all appeared on multiple player rookie cards in the Topps set. As with the previous year, only the checklist card featured any Burger King branding.
Zest Soap
In 1978, Topps produced for Procter & Gamble's Zest brand soap a set of five cards featuring Hispanic baseball stars as a promotional item. With the exception of the Willie Montanez card, the front of the cards are identical to the 1978 Topps regular issue set. The backs of these cards are bilingual. The entire 5-card set was issued via a mail-in promotion and was not issued with the actual product.

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 grey cardstock and featured French and English text on the reverse. Some cards included traded lines.
SetDescriptionCards in SetSize
O-Pee-Chee2422.5 x 3.5 inches

Football

In 1978, Topps issued three Football sets featuring the National Football League.
SetDescriptionCards in SetSize
Base set5282.5 x 3.5 inches
Team Checklists282.5 x 3.5 inches
Holsun332.5 x 3.5 inches

Hockey

Topps issued one set featuring the National Hockey League for the 1978-1979 season.
SetDescriptionCards in SetSize
Base set2642.5 x 3.5 inches

Basketball

Topps issued one set featuring the National Basketball Association for the 1978-1979 season.
SetDescriptionCards in SetSize
Base set1322.5 x 3.5 inches

Soccer

In 1978, Topps issued two sets in the United Kingdom featuring soccer players. The cards fronts are basically identical to the 1977 Topps football cards issued in the United States.
SetDescriptionCards in SetSize
English FootballersOrange back3962.5 x 3.5 inches
Scottish FootballersGreen back1322.5 x 3.5 inches