1980 Topps Super - Jerry Koosman Gray Back
This is the 1980 Topps Super #38 — Jerry Koosman, Gray Back, a nearly 5×7-inch oversized card that doubles as a piece of Miracle Mets history. The gray back is the original issue: Topps distributed the gray-back Supers first through retail hanger packs, making them the authentic first run of this boldly photographed, larger-than-life set. The white backs came later as a dealer-direct exclusive and are considered the rarer variant — but the gray is the one collectors remember cracking out of packs, and it's the foundation of any serious 1980 Topps Super set build.
The set itself was a landmark. 1980 Topps Super was a 60-card issue measuring just under 5×7 inches — roughly four times the size of a standard card — designed to look like an autographed photo, complete with a facsimile signature on the front. There was no cluttered design to get in the way: just bold photography, a clean facsimile auto, and a minimal gray back listing name, team, and position. It was Topps at its most photogenic.
The man on the card earned his place in the set. Jerry Koosman was the winningest left-handed pitcher in Mets history, a two-time All-Star, and the pitcher who closed out the 1969 World Series — throwing a complete game in Game 5 to beat the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles and deliver New York its first-ever championship. He went 4-0 in the postseason with the Mets, and his number 36 now hangs retired at Citi Field alongside Tom Seaver, Mike Piazza, Gil Hodges, and Casey Stengel. A card of Kooz is a card of Mets royalty.
- Set: 1980 Topps Super (60-card oversized issue)
- Card #: 38
- Variant: Gray Back — original retail distribution
- Size: 4⅞" × 6⅞" — nearly four times a standard card
- Player legacy: 1969 World Series champion, No. 36 retired by the Mets, Mets Hall of Fame inductee (1989)
Gray-back singles from this set trade in the entry-to-mid single digits in raw condition, making this an accessible pickup on a legendary player with genuine retired-number cachet. If you're building the 1980 Topps Super set or chasing every Koosman card in the hobby, this one belongs in the stack.
Available at Collector Station, Easley, SC. Local pickup available. All sales final. Shipping damage must be reported within 48 hours of delivery with photos.
