1979 Topps Star Trek: The Motion Picture trading cards helped mark a fresh start for the iconic franchise, taking it from televisions to the big screen. Following in the footsteps of the original Star Wars, it’s hard not to compare both movies and sets. Whether it’s overall quality, imagination or long-term impact, this set falls short in all regards.
1979 Topps Star Trek: The Motion Picture Checklist Details
The base set covers the movie over the course of 88 cards. Everyone in the returning cast looks a little older and wiser while some new faces bring some freshness. 1979 Topps Star Trek: The Motion Picture doesn’t go through scenes one by one. Rather, the base set is more disjointed with some movie moments, characters cards, promotional shots and behind-the-scenes highlights all jumbled together.
A significant portion of the checklist is dedicated to the many alien species that appear. Granted, a lot of time has passed and technology has changed, but even by 1979’s standards, many of them look like dollar store Star Wars Cantina knockoffs. In fact, it’s closer to Buck Rogers, another 1979 production that Topps made a set for.
The design includes a simple white border and thing colored frame to hold in the image. The 3-D text at the top used for the caption is the layout’s most defining feature but it’s small and blends in to the overall look. An icon of the USS Enterprise sits at the bottom while the card number is in a top corner.
The majority of the cards backs are puzzle pieces, but there are some text-based themes as well. These include five Story Summaries, profiles of both characters and crew and actor quotes.
Stickers
Every pack of 1979 Topps Star Trek: The Motion Picture has a sticker to go with ten cards. A total of 22 stickers are available. The first half of the checklist is head shots of lead characters. These have a purple background and a think pink outline around the main sticker. The remaining half are primarily a mix of aliens and spaceships. The purple motif remains but the background is different.
Despite its age, 1979 Topps Star Trek: The Motion Picture trading cards are neither rare nor expensive. Whether it’s singles, sets, packs or boxes, there’s still a significant amount of it out there, a lot of it still in top condition.
1979 Topps Star Trek: The Motion Picture Checklist
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Set size: 88 cards
Cards per pack: 11
Packs per box: 36
Shop for 1979 Topps Star Trek: The Motion Picture boxes and packs on eBay.
Base Set Checklist
88 cards.
Buy on eBay:
1 Title Card / Checklist
2 Toward the Unknown
3 Space Intruder
4 Fate of the Klingons
5 Warning from Space
6 Our Starcrafts…Annihilated!
7 Enterprise In Drydock
8 Rebuilding the Enterprise
9 Filming ‘Drydock’ Sequence
10 James T. Kirk
11 Captain Kirk’s Mission
12 Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy
13 Executive Officer Decker
14 Navigator Ilia
15 Uhura
16 Helmsman Sulu
17 Engineer Scott
18 Security Chief Checkov
19 Dr. Christine Chapel
20 Janice Rand
21 The Vulcan Mr. Spock
22 Spock on Planet Vulcan
23 The UFP Assembled
24 Being from Beyond
25 The Face of Terror
26 Lizard Like Diplomat
27 Not of this Earth
28 Alien Insectoid
29 The Unearthly
30 The Andorians
31 Advanced Life Form
32 Betel’s Attendant
33 Andorian – Close-up
34 The U.S.S. Enterprise
35 Back In Operation!
36 Refurbished Starship
37 Enterprise – Rear View
38 Return to the Bridge
39 The Senior Officers
40 View from the Bridge
41 Scotty’s Domain
42 Fantastic New Devices
43 The Engineering Deck
44 Investigating a Malfunction
45 Heart of the Starship
46 Incredible Explosion!
47 Starship Under Attack!
48 Assault on Chekov!
49 Half Human
50 Spock’s Fight for Life
51 Into the Nameless Void
52 Terror in the Transporter Room
53 The Surak Craft
54 Transporter Malfunction
55 Zero Gravity Adventure
56 Symbol of Her People
57 Exotically Beautiful Ilia
58 Spock’s Discovery
59 The Phaser Battle!
60 Ilia In Sick Bay
61 Stamina of the Alien
62 Filming the Shuttlecraft
63 Star Explorer
64 Alien Menace
65 Star Challengers
66 Beam Me Down Scotty
67 The Landing Party
68 Portrait of a Vulcan
69 Beyond Infinity
70 The Encounter
71 Its Secret Revealed
72 On Spock’s Native World
73 Spectacular Starship
74 Welcoming Dr. McCoy Aboard
75 Kirk’s Last Stand
76 Landscape of Vulcan
77 Klingon Warship – Rear View
78 The Final Frontiersmen
79 Klingon Warship
80 Vulcan Starship – Overhead View
81 Pride of the Starfleet
82 Duo for Danger
83 The Unearthly Mr. Spock
84 Woman from Planet Delta
85 New Starfleet Uniforms
86 Men With a Mission
87 The Deltan Beauty
88 Klingon Commander
Stickers Checklist
22 stickers.
1 per pack.
1 Engineer Scott
2 Janice Rand
3 Mr. Spock
4 Security Chief Checkov
5 Lt. llia
6 Helmsman Sulu
7 James T. Kirk
8 Dr. Christine Chapel
9 Mr. Spock
10 Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy
11 Lt. Uhura
12 Probe Ilia
13 The Face of Terror
14 Being from Beyond
15 Advanced Life Form
16 Executive Officer Decker
17 Betel’s Attendant
18 Lizard-Like Diplomat
19 The Enterprise
20 Klingon Warship
21 Vulcan Starship
22 The Enterprise
