Updated: May 31, 2023

Battlestar Galactica was supposed to be a television blockbuster. Following in the space wake of a little movie called Star Wars, the hope was that it would be a similar success on the small screen. There were high hopes on the commercial end. And while the show failed to live up to expectations, it has aged well with plenty of fans today. The same can be said for 1978 Topps Battlestar Galactica trading cards, a moderately affordable and somewhat challenging set to complete.

1978 Topps Battlestar Galactica is a fairly large set, at least by the standard set for television shows. It clocks in at 132 base cards. It's joined by another 22 stickers.

Base cards focus on the characters, action from the show and the pricey special effects. The large checklist allows for lead characters like Starbuck and Apollo to get on plenty of cards. The same can be said for the various spaceships, aliens and Cylons. Card fronts are arranged vertically and horizontally. A white border surrounds a large photo. The Battlestar Galactica title overlaps the photo. The bottom part of the border also has a caption and copyright data.

1978 Topps Battlestar Galactica backs have a mix of text and puzzles. Themes for cards with write-ups include Character Profile, TV Facts and Story Summary.

Stickers are inserted one per pack. Focusing on characters, they have a space background and the familiar thick border that was common on most Topps stickers. Sticker backs are blank.

Produced at a time when most other single series sets had less than 100 cards, 1978 Topps Battlestar Galactica is a little tougher to build. And while it's not tough to find, it's also not as common as some other series from around the same period.

Battlestar Galactica didn't last long on TV during its original run, but it maintained its popularity very well. Both Rittenhouse Archives and Dart Flipcards have made cards based on the original series since the show ran its course. Rittenhouse also made several sets for the reimagined version of the show.