But, while that card — those cards — will probably always land among the most valuable cards from the set, there is more to this gray-and-pinstripe issue than FF.

So, without further ado, here are the 20 most valuable 1989 Fleer baseball cards, Billy the Kid included, based on actual recent selling prices of specimens in graded PSA 10 condition. We’ll start at the bottom of the pile and work our way up to the most valuable.

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1989 Fleer Wade Boggs (#81)

Boggs hit .366 in 1988 to win his fourth straight American League batting title, and it seemed like he might hold onto the crown forever. As it turned out, he would never again lead the league in hitting, which is pretty hard to imagine looking back now.

The next eleven seasons still brought plenty of hits, doubles, Gold Gloves, and other accolades, though, as Boggs cemented his Hall of Fame case.

This junk wax gem stands as a last look at title-winning Boggs, and it’s picked up in popularity over recent years.

Value: $20-25

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1989 Fleer Roger Clemens (#85)

Clemens “slumped” to 18-12 in 1988 and would slide all the way to 17-11 in 1989 before rejoining the 20-win club to christen the 1990s. Even so, Rocket was among the best pitchers in the American League during that (for him) down stretch.

That all paled in comparison to his amazing work over the last decade-plus of his career, of course, but this ’89 Fleer card gives us a shot of Clemens before his epic fall from grace.

Value: $20-25

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1989 Fleer Gary Sheffield Rookie Card (#196)

Sheffield was the big-stick-swinging shortstop who also happened to be Dwight Gooden’s nephew and was going to make everyone forget about Ernie Banks.

Sheffield ended up at third base and then the outfield in the Major Leagues, and the only person he made folks forget was Dave Magadan.

Still, he swatted more than 500 home runs and should probably garner more Hall of Fame consideration than he has to this point, PEDs or not.

Sheffield has rookie cards across the board in the 1989 sets, and this Fleer generally sells for under a buck raw, up to a bunch more in PSA 10.

Value: $20-25

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1989 Fleer John Smoltz Rookie Card (#602)

Smoltz did most of his starting and finishing with the vaunted pitching staffs of the Altanta Braves in the 1990s and 2000s, and he joined rotation mates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine in Cooperstown in 2015.

Like many others on this list, the fireballer’s 1989 Fleer rookie card checks in at a buck or so ungraded, and a bit more in PSA 10.

Value: $20-25

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1989 Fleer Randy Johnson Rookie Card (#381)

In 1989, Randy Johnson was still a *ahem* huge enigma.

Would he ever be able to harness the (sorry) enormous potential in his left arm, or would his outsized (ugh!) walk rates continue to eat him up?

The only way to be sure, it seemed, was to trade him to the Seattle Mariners, where his profile seemed a bit more modest in the shadow of the Space Needle.

All puns aside (never!), the Big Unit developed into one of the most dominating starters of a generation and an all-time great who took his rightful place in Cooperstown in 2015.

Johnson’s 1989 Fleer rookie card is not quite as monstrous but does offer an interesting variation — the background of the card can be found with a Marlboro ad on the scoreboard behind Randy or with a blacked-out version of said ad. Or with some half-hearted in-between attempt. Sorta reminds me of another 1989 Fleer card. Hmmm …

Anyway, there seem to be tons of variations here, depending on the degree of Fleer’s contrition for advertising cigarettes to minors at any given moment.

In general, you’ll find listings ranging from a $1 for raw copies to … much more, depending on the specific variation (more on that later).

Value: $20-30

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1989 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#582)

With injuries piling up, Schmidt abruptly announced his retirement early in the 1989 season, while this card was still pack-fresh all across the land.

That put the finishing touches on the greatest all-around career by a third baseman and set up his cards to maintain — and augment — their lofty hobby perch for decades to come.

For fans of Schmitty, this is a bittersweet last look at a baseball legend.

Value: $20-30

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1989 Fleer Craig Biggio Rookie Card (#353)

Young players can take a while to find their lot in Major League life, just as with Gary Sheffield above.

For Craig Biggio, that searching included a minor league career and a handful of Big League seasons toiling as a catcher before moving to his forever home at second base for the Houston Astros.

Amazingly, Biggio became an All-Star behind the plate before moving to the other side of the pitcher, but we’re all better off for the wear-and-tear that position switch saved on the eventual Hall of Famer.

Biggio made an appearance in a couple of year-end sets in 1988, but this was his first base Fleer card.

Value: $25-30

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1989 Fleer Greg Maddux (#431)

After a couple seasons of really ugly numbers in the majors, Maddux broke out for the Cubs in 1988, going 18-8 with a 3.18 ERA to garner his first All-Star selection. The future Proessor was just getting warmed up, of course, and those earl returns were just a prelude to the mastery to come — the Cy Young Awards, the Gold Gloves, the victories, the Hall of Fame plaque.

And this card gives us an early look at an all-time great.

Value: $25-30

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1989 Fleer Barry Bonds (#202)

You can’t have a discussion about any late 1980s baseball card set and not include Barry Bonds. The all-time home run leader is still the slender, base-stealing Barry many purists claim to prefer on this card, so what’s not to like?

And, with 762 home runs — the all-time record — and scads of other ridiculous numbers, Bonds seems like a good bet to eventually overcome his tarnished reputation enough to gain enshrinement to Cooperstown. Right?

Value: $25-35

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1989 Fleer Cal Ripken Jr.(#617)

Cal Ripken and the Orioles went through a tough year in 1988 — among the toughest ever, in fact — but the Iron Man was still a beloved hobby figure.

Still is, courtesy of 3000+ hits, the 1983 American League Rookie of the Year award, two AL MVP awards, and The Streak heard ’round the world.

This 1989 Fleer card wasn’t Cal’s greatest hunk of cardboard ever, but it still has some fans out there.

Value: $25-35

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1989 Fleer Tony Gwynn (#305)

Gwynn “slumped” to a .313 batting average in 1988, but that was still good enough to win his third batting title in what turned out to be a scaled down “Year of the Pitcher” — bats weren’t quite as feeble as they had been in 1968, but they were pretty darn anemic compared to what we saw during the home run explosion in 1987.

Mr. Padre would win another crown in 1989 at the age of 29, and then the well ran dry … until 1994, that is. Already a near-lock for the Hall of Fame, Gwynn reeled off four straight batting titles from ’94-’97 and cemented his status as one of the great pure hitters of all time.

No surprise that all his cards, including this sun-kissed 1989 Fleer entry, still command solid collector interest decades later.

Value: $30-35

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1989 Fleer George Brett (#277)

These things are subjective, of course, but this isn’t the greatest looking George Brett baseball card ever produced. Still, there’s plenty late-80s Royals flavor to partake of, and Brett’s weathered face hints at the storied diamond battles that had built his legend.

And the card back tells the story of a grizzled baseball lifer who had battled his way back to full-time status in 1988 after two years of injury woes, also cresting .300 for the first time since 1985.

Mullet would face another tough year in 1989 before winning a third batting crown in 1990, forever cementing his grit, Cooperstown cred, and hobby legend.

Value: $35-40

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1989 Fleer Bo Jackson (#285)

When this card was young and fresh (pack-fresh, that is), Bo was a phenom, yet still a curiosity.

Would he choose baseball or football? Or would he continue trying to do both? Would he ever fulfill even part of his vast potential?

That summer, Superman started to answer those questions, garnering his first American League All-Star selection and serving notice that he had the power/speed potential to stick: 32 home runs, 105 RBI, 26 stolen bases even got him some MVP votes.

The 1990 season saw less playing time, and then came the devastating hip injury suffered in January 1991 during and NFL playoff game with the Los Angeles Raiders.

Bo would never suit up for the Royals or in the NFL again, though he did make it back to the diamond … but he was never the same.

Still and all, collectors still know Bo — love Bo — after all these years, and his cards were some of the most active during the pandemic boom. They haven’t lost much of that sheen as we’ve shifted to our “new normal.”

Value: $35-45

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1989 Fleer Nolan Ryan (#368)

In 1989, Nolan Ryan joined the Texas Rangers to begin the final push of his legendary career. It was a magical five-year run that would include more no-hitters, more strikeouts, more wins, and a daddy-whooping of Robin Ventura when the young Chicago White Sox charged the mound.

If Ryan cards weren’t already hot before, The Express’s stint in Arlington pushed his cardboard into supernova status.

A lot of that glow remains today, and even this overproduced issue — the last Fleer card to show Ryan with the Houston Astros — can fetch decent prices in PSA 10 condition.

Value: $35-45

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1989 Fleer Rickey Henderson (#254)

If you were a Rickey or Yankees fan hoping for an artful or dramatic baseball card to mark the end of the Hot Dog’s tenure in the Bronx, well, this 1989 Fleer entry probably didn’t quite flick your Bic.

Here we get the backside of one of baseball’s greatest players as he, I guess, stands on top of the plate, in front of B.J. Surhoff or Charlie Moore or Bill Schroeder.

Oh well — Rickey’s 1989 Fleer Update would look a lot better, and this one still ranks high among the gray-stripes.

Value: $40-45

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1989 Fleer Kirby Puckett (#124)

After breaking out in 1986 and leading the Twins to a World Series title in 1987, Puckett amped up his game even further in 1988 — .356 average, 24 home runs, 121 RBI, 109 runs scored, MLB-leading 358 total bases.

And that infectious smile and unbreakably affable attitude.

Collectors loved him, and we pretty much still do after all these years.

Value: $40-45

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1989 Fleer Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card (#548)

Look … this is a Ken Griffey, Jr., rookie card, so you know it has to land near the top of the value mountain for whatever set it appears in.

That’s just what happens when you’re one of the dozen or so greatest players of all time.

In this case, you’re generally looking at maybe a few dollars for nice raw copies, up into another stratosphere or so for a perfect graded “10.”

Value: $120-125

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1989 Fleer Billy Ripken White Out (#616)

You know the basic story here, right?

Billy Ripken showed up on his 1989 Fleer card with an obscenity on the knob of his bat. When collectors started pulling the card, the hobby freaked out.

Then Fleer freaked out and tried about 74 different ways to fix the thing — scribbles, black boxes, alien abduction, witness protection, whiteout.

In the end, the two varieties which seem to resonate most with collectors, and which seem to be hardest to come by, are the whiteout version and the so-called FF version. I’m just showing the whiteout version here because I don’t really feel like dropping the F-bomb in this space.

Think of the children.

I will list pricing for the FFs below, though.

For the whiteout thing, you’re probably looking at $20-$50 in ungraded condition.

For a PSA 10 copy? Open the wallet, buddy …

Value: $900-??

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1989 Fleer Billy Ripken FF (#616)

If you like your Billy Ripken a bit more bawdy, then the FF version is definitely for you.

The good news is that you can usually find this saucy cardboard for $10-20 raw, with even PSA 8s coming in at less than $50 or so. PSA 10s can run north of $400, though.

For complete details on the whole Billy Ripken FF debacle, see our complete guide, which includes updated values for the various and sundry versions of this, the most recognizable of all 1989 Fleer baseball cards.

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1989 Fleer Randy Johnson Rookie Card w/Marlboro Ad (#381)

In a saga straight out of the old Honus-Wagner-didn’t-want-to-encourage-kids-to-use-tobacco T206 schtick, Fleer originally issued their 1989 Randy Johnson rookie card with a big old Marlboro ad visible on the outfield wall behind the future Big Unit.

They then promenaded through a litany of correction attempts, eventually yielding the blacked-out version discussed above.

Today, though, it’s the fully monty Marlboro version that keeps collector interest and dollars flowing.

Indeed, it’s the most valuable of all 1989 Fleer baseball cards.

Value: $1200-1400

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Bonus Skipper …

1989 Fleer Joe Girardi (#644)

Betcha didn’t expect to see Rolando Roomes on our list of most valuable 1989 Fleer baseball cards, huh?

Well, here’s the story, Skippy …

Before Joe Girardi became a good manager for the Florida Marlins, a maybe-great manager for the New York Yankees, and a quick-out manager for the Philadelphia Phillies, he was a pretty darn good catcher for the Yanks, the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, and the St. Louis Cardinals over the course of a 15-year Major League career.

And, though Girardi is back on the sidelines as of this writing, he’s young enough and respected enough to expect he’ll be back in the dugout before long.

Here, the former Yanks skipper shares his 1989 Fleer rookie card with Roomes, and, though the duo can brings a more modest buck or so ungraded, it’s a bit more stout in PSA 10.

Value: $10-15

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Bonus Footage … Goose Gossage (#425)

So, Gossage isn’t among the most valuable 1989 Fleer baseball cards, but if you’ve read this far, you might enjoy an “in-action” look at one of the few cards of the intimidator with the Chicago Cubs …

You can find other fun/silly/trivial baseball card vids on my YouTube channel, too.

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Consider …

In the National League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers took down the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds to continue a run of success that began in 1974 and would last through the late 1980s, with six division titles, five pennants, and two World Series championships.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies would win their second NL East crown in a row en route to three straight before winning the 1980 World Series and losing the 1983 Fall Classic to the Baltimore Orioles.

In the AL West, the Kansas City Royals were a near-mirror-image of the Phils, logging their second of three straight division titles en route to a World Series loss in 1980, another division title in 1984, and a world championship in 1985.

In the AL East the New York Yankees were on the cusp of their second AL pennant, which would lead to the first of two Series titles in a row. They would also win another division title in 1980 and then squeeze through to the World Series in 1981 after exploiting the fouled-up playoff scheme of the strike-shortened 1981 season.

And what’s the best way to reminisce about all this royalty (Royalty?)?

Why, with 1977 Topps baseball cards, of course!

To celebrate this underrated classic, here are the ten most valuable cards from the set, culled from recent eBay sales of specimens in PSA 8 condition and starting at the bottom (well, at #10).

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1977 Topps George Brett (#580)

When the 1977 Topps set debuted, George Brett was still just 23 years old, but he’d already won a batting title (.333 in 1976), made an All-Star team (1976), and garnered MVP votes for two years running.

The best was yet to come, of course, and Brett would pretty much cement his status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer before the 1980s were through.

Although not quite as iconic as his first two issues, the 1977 Topps card of this Kansas City Royals legend still sells regularly on eBay (and through other avenues) — less than $10 for raw copies, but a good hunk more in PSA 8.

Value: $60-80

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1977 Topps Reggie Jackson (#10)

When this 1977 Topps Reggie Jackson card was issued, Reggie was already something of a legend from his years with the Oakland A’s.

But it wasn’t until that fall, his first with the New York Yankees, when Reggie would really become Mr. October.

This card features a pretty bad airbrush job, but Topps did a rush job to get Reggie in his new togs after one year with the Baltimore Orioles — proof of their late change exists in the form of an almost mythical Reggie-with-Orioles proof card.

This “normal” Reggie is popular in its own right, pulling in about $5 in raw condition.

Value: $65-80

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1977 Topps Pete Rose (#450)

Pete played all over the diamond for the Reds, but he was at third base for the peak of the Big Red Machine in 1975 and 1976. That’s were we find him on his 1977 Topps cards, too, fresh off a .323 campaign that netted him one of his many All-Star appearances and a fourth-place finish in NL MVP balloting.

This dandy will set you back less than ten bucks raw most of the time, but a PSA 8 ramps up the stakes.

Value: $70-75

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1977 Topps Mark Fidrych Rookie Card (#265)

In many ways, Mark Fidrych helped to lay the groundwork for the modern game and chart the course of the hobby.

When he exploded onto the scene for the Detroit Tigers in 1976 with a 19-9 record and 2.34 ERA, “The Bird” infected an entire nation with his big personality, love for the game, and generally joyous outlook.

The next spring, collectors everywhere tried their best to lay their hands on the 1977 Topps Fidrych rookie card in a preview of the rookie card mania that would grip the hobby a decade later.

Though The Bird found himself grounded by injuries within just a few years, and though a freak accident claimed his life way too early (in 2009), Fidrych remains a popular character today.

His rookie card, available for under $10 ungraded most of the time, but several times that in PSA 8.

Value: $80-85

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1977 Topps Dale Murphy Rookie Card (#476)

For most of the years that Andre Dawson (below) was making hay with the Expos, Dale Murphy was sowing his own grain with the Atlanta Braves.

After a slow start to Major League life as a catcher, Murph moved to center field and became an All-Star … and then a two-time NL MVP (1982, 1983).

Murphy’s decline was steep in the latter stages of his career, but there were few better during his 1980s peak, timing that helped his 1977 Topps rookie card hang in their with the big boys for most of the decade.

Today, it’s a $10 buy ungraded, with PSA 8 copies bringing …

Value: $80-90

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1977 Topps Bruce Sutter Rookie Card (#144)

If you look at Sabermetrics numbers like WAR, Bruce Sutter’s election to the Hall of Fame in 2006 was spurious at best.

But Sutter was one of the premier closers of the 1970s and 1980s when the position was evolving into the specialist role it is today.

He also was one of the first to reach 300 career saves and helped to pioneer the split-fingered fastball, still a major force in today’s game.

Throw in the fact that this 1977 Topps rookie card features Sutter with the Chicago Cubs, and it’s little wonder that it can fetch $5-10 raw, with PSA 8s trading at …

Value: $80-90

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1977 Topps Tom Seaver (#150)

For just over a decade, Tom Seaver dominated National League hitters as a member of the New York Mets rotation, helping the Amazin’s to two World Series appearances and one championship in his first seven seasons.

But by June of 1977, the Mets were rebuilding, while the Cincinnati Reds were trying to rev up their Big Red Machine one more time. A match was made, and New York sent Seaver to the Riverfront in exchange for Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman, and Pat Zachry.

Though the Reds didn’t make the playoffs that season, Seaver plugged along as one of the game’s best for several more campaigns and then made a late-career return to Queens.

For most of the summer of 1977, though, Seaver’s then-current Topps card was a thorn in the side of Mets fans — they could see Tom Terrific there in his NYM pinstripes despite the fact that he was long gone.

It’s one in a long line of great Seaver cards, one that today brings less than $10 ungraded.

Value: $90-110

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1977 Topps Andre Dawson Rookie Card (#473)

For the first several years of his career, Andre Dawson was always near the top of the list whenever baseball fans debated the greatest players in the game.

Perennially flirting with MVP honors, Dawson brought serious power and speed to the Montreal Expos and helped the franchise develop one of the most exciting teams in the game by the early 1980s.

By the time the hobby started to really boom, Dawson’s 1977 Topps rookie card was among the most coveted of the decade, right up there with the Mike Schmidt (1973), George Brett (1975), and Eddie Murray (1978) rookies.

Alas, years of Astroturf poundings took their toll on The Hawk’s knees, and he slowed down to the extent that no teams came calling when he became a free agent after the 1986 season. Of course, we later learned that collusion was likely a factor in his languishing, but the immediate result was that the Chicago Cubs signed him for a song in the spring of 1987.

Forty-nine home runs and an NL MVP award later, though, and Dawson was back on top, and his rookie card was, too.

These days, this Hall of Fame RC regularly changes hands at less than $20 ungraded but stretches well beyond that level in PSA 8.

Value: $100-125

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1977 Topps Nolan Ryan (#650)

In 1976, Nolan Ryan went 17-18 for the California Angels and failed to throw a no-hitter for the first time since 1972. Could it be that whatever magic Ryan had in his right arm had run out as he approached his 30th birthday?

Nah …

Ryan “bounced back” to 19-16 with a league-leading 22 complete games and 341 strikeouts in 1977, then won two more K titles before signing a free agent deal with the Houston Astros before the 1980 season.

A no-hitter ensued in 1981.

Then, when most of his contemporaries were in their rocking chairs, Ryan signed another free agent deal, this one with the Texas Rangers, prior to the 1989 season.

Two more no-hitters.

5714 strikeouts.

The Ryan Express.

Legend.

And card prices to match, including a 1977 Topps card that sells for $10-15 raw.

Value: $115-150

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1977 Topps Thurman Munson (#170)

In 1977, Thurman Munson was coming off his most decorated season, leading the New York Yankees to the World Series and earning American League Most Valuable Player honors in 1976.

It’s fitting, then, that the Yanks’ captain sports a big smile on his 1977 Topps card, don’t you think?

Of course, just over two years after this card was issued, Munson was gone, killed in a plane crash.

Though taken from his family and the game way too soon, Munson left behind a legacy of gritty play and a raving fan base that keeps his cards alive and well all these decades later.

He’s already number one on this list, and you can expect him to put more distance between him and the field if Cooperstown ever comes calling.

You can usually find the 1977 Topps Thurman Munson under $10 raw, but not so much for a PSA 8 copy.

Value: $125-150

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—

Did your favorite 1977 Topps baseball cards make this list? If not, maybe you’re in for some bargains!

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That’s what happens when you …

• Break the all-time rookie home run record
• Come back from injury and slumps to reclaim your place as one of the top sluggers in the game
• Break the all-time single-season home run record

Big Mac was amazing, but like most heroes, he experienced a fall from grace — most notably the ding his reputation and records took as a result of the PED backlash of the last 15 years or so.

So where does that leave McGwire’s rookie cards?

Glad you asked!

Despite reports of their demise, McGwire cardboard has rebounded — not to their halcyon heights of his glory days, but to at least the level of a living legend with an outside shot at the Hall of Fame.

Here, then is a rundown of Big Mac’s Big Five rookie cards as they stand in the marketplace today.

1985 Topps Mark McGwire Rookie Card (#401)

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When 1985 Topps baseball cards first came out, collectors weren’t quite sure what to do with cards the numbered 389-404.

Thanks to the explosion of Red, White, and Blue, along with the “USA: 1984 United States Baseball Team” designation, we knew these cards represented members of the 1984 US Olympic squad.

A few of us might have remembered that the US lost the Gold-medal game to Japan, and we might also have recognized a some of the players from their time at the Los Angeles Olympics or from their college exploits.

But for most of us — at least kids like me — these cards were just a waste of space.

I mean, most of the players were completely unrecognizable, and they didn’t have any discernible Major League affiliation. Couldn’t Topps have put that cardboard real estate to better use, like including more Cincinnati Reds players or bringing back “Rookie Stars” cards?

Of course, even back then, there were folks in this business who knew how to create a buzz around young players and their first cards, so it didn’t take long for the word to get around at card shows …

Mike Dunne was going to be a great pitcher.

Oddibe McDowell was the next Willie Mays.

Cory Snyder was the next, longer-lasting Joe Charboneau.

So their cards, and a couple others (Shane Mack comes to mind) picked up some steam.

Nobody was too jazzed about generic cards of John Hoover, Flavio Alfaro, or Rod Dedeaux, though.

And, really, no one was too amped up about Mark McGwire, either.

But a scant two years later, Big Mac was becoming, well, Big Mac … stepping in at first base for the Oakland A’s and making a perfect Bash Brother partner for 1986 American League Rookie of the Year Jose Canseco.

By the 1987 All-Star break, McGwire had already slammed 31 home runs and looked like he would break not only the rookie record for dingers in a season, but maybe Roger Maris‘ all-time single-season mark of 61.

McGwire slowed down and managed “only” 49 homers on the full season, but the young slugger had arguably already cemented his place as a legend by the time he took home the 1987 AL ROY award that November.

Along the way, of course, Big Mac’s exploits helped supersize the demand and prices for his cards. During that magical summer, his 1987 Donruss card (see below) took on its own magical sheen, and his 1987 Topps rookie card (also see below) didn’t languish long on dealer tables, either.

But it was his exotic 1985 Topps card that really caught collectors’ fancies during that Summer of Slam.

Look how young McGwire is!

That card is old … it must be scarce!

How could we not see this greatness coming?!?

And so we grabbed on and chased the previously shunned 1985 Topps Mark McGwire pre-rookie card like a tail chasing its dog. And, as we did, prices climbed higher and higher until it was the most expensive 1980s card going, outside of the 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly Rookie card.

Now, McGwire ebbed and flowed over the next decade or so, and his card prices did, too.

But by the time he found himself with the St. Louis Cardinals in the mid-1990s and was ready to really crank up the power, the hobby had changed. We had pretty much lived through the heart of the Junk Wax Era, for one thing, and 1985 Topps cards looked like hens’ teeth compared to the pasteboard swill we’d been swilling for several years.

About the same time, in 1998, PSA came on the scene and nearly instantly created the ultimate condition premium — a high PSA grading could rocket card values.

So, as McGwire ramped up his chase of Maris in 1998, collectors ramped up our hunt for his 1985 Topps USA card again, this time with an even stronger focus on condition than ever before. As Big Mac’s homer totals climbed, so did the price tag on his first Topps card — well into three figures.

Untold wads of cash changed hands buying and selling McGwire rookies from that point until his PED-induced fall from grace in the 2000s jabbed a pinhole in the market, and a lot of folks felt duped when prices tanked afterward.

But the funny thing about life and baseball and baseball cards is that hardly anything is permanent, except for maybe our memories of the good times. Grudges dull, breaking news and new indignities obscure the scars of the past, and we learn to move on.

Big Mac has moved on to some extent, working as a Major League coach of various sorts over the past few years, getting his face back in the game.

He may never make the Hall of Fame, but he’s not the pariah he once was either.

Same goes for his 1985 Topps rookie cards … as of this writing, they sell regularly on eBay for less than $10 in raw condition but can stretch all the way to $2500 or so for PSA 10 copies.

And, oh yeah — there’s also the glossy Tiffany version of this hobby classic that sells ion PSA 10 for between $10,000 and $20,000.

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1987 Donruss Mark McGwire Rated Rookie (#46)

There was a perception in the early months of 1987 that the new Fleer cards were super scarce and that the new Donruss cards were just plain old scarce. Turns out neither of those ideas were particularly true, but the gleam of scarcity shone on these cards for several years and graced them with pricing premiums all along the way.

Even so, a Fleer developed a big problem during that long-ago summer — they didn’t include Mark McGwire in their base set.

Donruss, on the other hand, was all over the big slugger, even slathering him with the coveted Rated Rookie rating.

So if you wanted a “high-quality” rookie card of the latest phenom, one that you could pull from then-current packs, Donruss was your only choice.

As a consequence, the McGwire RR climbed to $10 and beyond in the flash of a spike, and we (collectively) kept pushing until the card was out of reach for many younger collectors. Think of the children!

Like the 1985 Topps USA card (see above), that pricing frenzy couldn’t survive the Junk Wax Era and the PED scandals, but it’s not completely dead these days.

Think $1 or so for raw copies and $45+ for PSA 10s, depending on whether the wind is blowing in or out.

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1987 Fleer Update Mark McGwire (#U-76)

Fleer finally got their McGwire act together by including him in their 1987 Update set, but it felt — and still feels — pretty ridiculous to give them credit for a “rookie” card nearly three years after Topps broke the slugging seal with their 1985 USA cards (see above).

Even so, this is the first Fleer Big Mac card, and it enjoyed a couple of bombs in batting practice.

Today, you can usually find this one for a couple bucks raw and maybe $40-50 in PSA 10.

You can often find the glossy versions for about the same prices.

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1987 Sportflics Rookies Mark McGwire (#13)

Take everything I said about Fleer above and multiply it by three — for the patented triple-motion action — for Sportflics.

The still-new kid on the block could have included McGwire in their base 1987 set of corrugated cards, but they didn’t.

Instead, they jumped on the bandwagon with their follow-on “Rookies” set to produce what may be the most underwhelming card ever issued of a 500-home-run man.

This one will cost maybe $1 or so raw, on up to $20-25 in PSA 9 and $50 or more for a “perfect” 10.

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1987 Topps Mark McGwire (#366)

The 1987 Topps set was never scarce in any sort of way, but it became a hobby classic the instant that first collector cracked open a wax pack that winter.

Those wood borders are polarizing, sure, but they are also freaking iconic — and pretty darn good-looking if you ask me.

And that shot of McGwire is not perfect, but it’s unusual and shows the young masher poised and ready to … mash.

This was an extremely popular card from the time Big Mac started getting national coverage and, though it never attained the value of the USA or Donruss cards, it always sold well during McGwire’s upswings.

These days, you can still buy large lots of these beauties for around $1 a card, but you’ll have to cough up $80 or more for a PSA 10 specimen.

And if you want a Tiffany version in 10? Better dig a little deeper, as you’re likely looking at a $300 price tag.

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(Check out our other posts related to Mark McGwire here).

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It may sound ridiculous now, but the start of the 1987 baseball card collecting season was marked by a frenzy of scarcity.

Now, this doesn’t and never did apply to the 1987 Topps woodies that are so iconic these days. I remember going to a flea market in late December of 1986 and already being able to buy 5000-count boxes of ’87 Topps cards that dealers had chucked into their discard piles after extracting the stars.

But by Valentine’s Day of 1987, all of the new cards should have been on retail shelves across the America … they weren’t.

Again, Topps was everywhere, but depending on where you were, Fleer and Donruss were almost non-existent.

Word spread fast, too, and any boxes of Fleer or Donruss that did make their way to local shows sold for ever-escalating premiums. Packs that retailed at 35 cents quickly moved past 50 cents, then a dollar, and two, on their way to three bucks or more.

The interesting thing was that this scarcity seemed to be regional — in central Indiana, we had some pockets of Donruss wax but Fleer was like the Loch Ness monster: often discussed but seldom seen. The situation was reversed in other areas of the country.

These circumstances led to the first large-scale networking that I remember happening within the hobby. The ads in Sports Collectors Digest were sprinkled with collectors and dealers offering up their excess Donruss wax for an equal quantity of Fleer product, and vice versa.

This deal-making helped to level out the market a tad, but there were still plenty of collectors scrambling for Donruss or Fleer cards, or both, by the time the season began.

And even well into the summer, those cards carried a significant premium over their Topps counterparts.

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Power Surge

Of course, the summer of 1987 was also notable because it marked the return of serious, widespread power to the game for the first time in decades.

Towering home runs were flying out of ballparks at a record pace, and old-school fans cried foul: the balls were juiced, the mound was lower, the umpires were rigging at-bats, batters were too muscular.

Plenty of explanations were proffered for the power surge, but the upshot was that fans loved the renewed fireworks. We always do, right?

And card collectors, especially, embraced the new generation of sluggers, even if some of them were old favorites like Andre Dawson, by then toiling for the Chicago Cubs in friendly Wrigley Field.

But the one guy who really captured our imaginations was Mark McGwire of the Oakland A’s.

Just a year after teammate Jose Canseco had nearly toppled the rookie home run record — Jose finished with 37 to Wally Berger‘s 38 for the 1930 Boston Braves — McGwire entered the All-Star break with 33 dingers.

This young giant might not just eclipse Berger’s mark but also seemed to have a bead on Roger Maris‘ single-season home run record of 61.

The marriage of baseball card scarcity and monstrous young power was pure gold.

Now, we already had a McGwire card to chase in the form of his 1985 Topps Olympics card, but it had its detractors. For one thing, it wasn’t very attractive — it didn’t even show him in his A’s uniform.

For another, it was a Topps card, which at the time gave it the stigma as being of lower quality, from a production standpoint, than Fleer or Donruss products.

Despite those drawbacks, that 1985 McGwire took off and priced many younger collectors out of the Big Mac market.

But those hobbyists could turn their attentions to current-year product because both Topps and Donruss had included him in their base sets.

The Topps card sold well and rose in value, but it suffered from the perceived higher quality of the Donruss issue in general and from the fact that it was McGwire’s second Topps card. Fleer whiffed completely and would have to wait until their Update set after the season to join the Big Mac party.

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A Clear Winner

So collectors turned to the 1987 Donruss Mark McGwire Rated Rookies card in droves.

As McGwire kept slamming balls into the Oakland night, we soaked up any and all available Donruss wax like a Mojave sponge dropped into the Great Salt Lake.

The cost of ownership for that hunk of cardboard rose to $5 and then to $7, $10, and more. By the time McGwire ended the season with 49 homers and the American League Rookie of the Year award, it looked like the card would go up in value forever.

Subsequent years saw Big Mac bounce up and down in production and popularity until he put it all together with the St. Loius Cardinals in the late 1990s, including setting a new single-season mark with 70 home runs in 1998.

By then, we knew that none of the 1987 products were as limited as we had thought they were, but McGwire’s late march through the record books and past career homers gave his rookie cards new life.

Things aren’t always as they seem, of course, and much of the sparkle has been rubbed off Big Mac’s accomplishments by the taint of the Steroid Era.

Today, you can buy his 1987 Donruss rookie card for a couple bucks a pop in solid ungraded condition.

But for anyone who lived through the McGwire-and-Donruss boom the first time around, we know there is more to the card. The mere sight of Big Mac in his batting stance in front of hundreds of empty stadium seats, with the Rated Rookies logo and the swatches of baseballs embedded in black border, punctuated by the bright red alarm bar at the bottom of the card makes our breath catch.

Because we remember it all.

And, for all it meant and all it still means, we know this is the best card issued in 1987.

(Read all about this 30-day challenge — and jump in on the fun — right here.)

You might also enjoy our complete rundown of Mark McGwire rookie cards.

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It has been well documented that the 1988 Score baseball cards set has no soul. That’s especially disappointing when you consider that the issue was supposed to save the hobby, from being great, I suppose.

Because the hobby was already great.

But 1988 Score was going to …

• Bring revolutionary, tamper-proof packs — though Topps did that in 1983.
• Wow us with full-color photos on card backs — though Sportflics did that in 1986.
• Include Magic Motion technology — though Kellogg’s and Sportflics already did that, in the 1970s and in 1986.
• Tantalize our senses with borders colored by the rainbow —  though Topps did that in 1975.

It seems there was nothing new under wax, or plastic, as it were. That didn’t stop Score from cranking out 74.12 million of each card, though.

Now, taken on a case-by-case basis, there actually are come nice looking cards in the 1988 Score set, and the photos are generally solid.

Some of the best cards include:

• Nolan Ryan bringing his Texas heat for the Houston Astros.
• Jose Canseco going all Paul Bunyan in the batter’s box.
• Eddie Murray powering through the strike zone.
• Vince Coleman scorching the basepath.
• Gregg Jefferies being an iconic rookie card as he throws to first base.

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But for this series of posts, where I’m picking the best card for each base set in the 1980s, there can really be only one choice …

Card #180, of Bo Jackson.

Awhile back, when I picked the best baseball card from each year, the 1988 Topps Bo Jackson took the Olympic-year gold.

But that card was off-limits for this series because I’d already written about it, so Shawn Hillegas took 1988 Topps honors.

And that leads us back here, where we can make ourselves whole again with the 1988 Score Bo Jackson.

It’s not quite the stunner that the 1988 Topps Bo is, but it’s not far off.

Bo is in his home white Kansas City Royals uniform, his powerful arms fully extended, his soon-to-be-troublesome hips ready to snap into the swing. Bo’s head is down and his eyes are locked on the ball, maybe a curve just dropping into the zone.

Will Bo make contact? Smack a home run? Generate a gale-force whiff?

The next split second would tell us, if we could only unpause the frame. But then … the moment would be gone, and we’d have to rely on our memory to recall it.

As it is, this card will live forever in its bath of Royals blue, on the borders and on Jackson‘s uniform.

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On this card, Bo will always be young and healthy and like no one else we’ve ever seen in Major League spikes.

And he’ll always have the best card from the 1988 Score set, no matter how much hope you still hold for a Gregg Jefferies comeback.

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(This is the 25th in our series of posts about the best baseball cards from the 1980s. Check out the rest of those posts here.)

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And it doesn’t hurt any that the 1986 Topps Traded set featured a couple of hobby heavyweights that continue to spark imaginations today.

With that in mind, here is a rundown of the most valuable 1986 Topps baseball cards … plus the most valuable 1986 Topps Traded baseball cards … plus a few bonus listings, all as determined by actual selling prices for cards graded PSA 9.

(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.)

25) 1986 Topps Dale Murphy (#600)

Although he was a couple years removed from his two MVP awards, Dale Murphy remained among the most popular players in the game as 1986 dawned.

After all, he won home run titles in both 1984 and 1985, and he was headed straight for the Hall of Fame.

As things turned out, of course, Murph had only a couple of truly standout seasons in him before a steep decline phase sapped his career totals.

Still, the die was cast as far as collectors were concerned, and Murphy’s cards – including this classic kneeling pose – still sell well today.

Value: $10-15

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24) 1986 Topps Tom Seaver (#390)

Seaver ended up on the southside thanks to the Mets leaving him unprotected in the 1984 free agent compensation draft, and he used the new start to post two winning seasons after two losing ones, with the Reds and Mets.

No matter, really, since Seaver was already a legend by then.

And, yeah, he STILL looks sort of odd in a White Sox uniform, but it’s better than the mess we’d find in the Topps Traded issue late that fall.

Value: $10-20

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23) 1986 Topps Carlton Fisk (#290)

At nearly 40 years old, Carlton Fisk should have been about finished when his 1986 Topps card hit store shelves, but he just kept on chugging into the early 1990s.

Fisk’s amazing Hall of Fame career keeps him popular among collectors today, and this card features Pudge in a classic shot, chugging out of the batter’s box.

Value: $15-20

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22) 1986 Topps Wade Boggs (#510)

Wade Boggs followed up his amazing 1983 batting-crown breakout (.361) with a more mortal .325 batting average in 1984.

For anyone who thought that opposing pitchers had discovered kryptonite in their rosin bags, though, let me tell you – Super Boggs returned in full force in 1985, to the tune of a major-league-leading 240 hits and .368 batting average.

Even a hobby built on the long ball couldn’t ignore that sort of prowess at the plate, and Boggs started to creep back up hot lists. By the spring of 1986, his Topps (and Fleer and Donruss) card was a premium pull.

Still is.

Value: $15-20

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21) 1986 Topps George Brett (#300)

At 32, George Brett managed to stay on the field for 155 games in 1985, the most he had logged since 1976, nearly a decade earlier.

But Brett didn’t just merely play – he hit a career-high 30 home runs, drove in 112 runs, and batted a robust .335, helping his Royals to another division crown … an American League pennant … and their first World Series title ever.

Coupled with a booming hobby, Brett’s rebound to health and superstardom pushed his cards forward and made all his 1986 issues must-haves for collectors.

We still love Mullet and his cardboard even all these years later.

Value: $15-20

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20) 1986 Topps Ozzie Smith (#730)

Ozzie Smith was already generally acknowledged as the greatest defensive shortstop of all time when this card was issued, but his lack of offensive firepower limited his hobby appeal.

A little more swagger at the plate and a run at 2500 hits – and, of course, enough Gold Gloves to field a couple teams – over the latter half of his career helped boost The Oz’s profile among collectors, and his cards are as popular as ever these days.

Value: $15-20

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19) 1986 Topps Cecil Fielder Rookie Card (#386)

With four big power seasons in the minors and a cup of coffee with the Blue Jays under his belt, Cecil Fielder was enough a prospect entering the 1986 season to garner rookie cards in all three major sets – Donruss, Fleer, and Topps.

But with Toronto on a winning track and Willie Upshaw entrenched at first base, Fielder’s MLB career was going nowhere fast.

So, after the 1988 season, Fielder took his talents to Japan, where he turned in a Ruthian season and caught the eye (again) of American teams.

After signing with the Detroit Tigers for 1990, all Fielder did was unleash the first 50-homer season since George Foster’s 1977 MVP showing with the Reds … and send collectors scrambling to retrieve his rookie cards from the commons bin.

They never went back.

Value: $15-20

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18) 1986 Topps Ryne Sandberg (#690)

Ryne Sandberg’s fourth Topps card captures the Cubs legend in a full-on smile. You can generally capture that sunshine, ungraded, for around a dollar, but a solid PSA 9 will cost a good hunk more.

Value: $15-25

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17) 1986 Topps Reggie Jackson (#700)

Reggie Jackson was nearing the end of the line when his 1986 Topps cards was issued, but he still looks like he could smack the cover off a baseball anytime he wanted. This late-career gem is a must-have for any serious 80s collectors.

Value: $15-25

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16) 1986 Topps Pete Rose Record Breaker (#206)

There was no bigger baseball story for most of 1985 than Pete Rose’s final run to the all-time record for hits.

It all came to a rushing, emotional conclusion when he singled off Eric Show of the Padres on September 11, and Topps commemorated the event the next spring with card #206.

So, yes, this card was super popular right out of the pack, and the resultant years and scandal(s) have done little to tarnish its appeal.

Value: $15-25

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15) 1986 Topps Roger Clemens (#661)

Nobody was clamoring much for *any* Roger Clemens baseball cards at the start of the 1986 season.

That all changed after an amazing summer that saw the Red Sox righthander rip off a 14-0 start en route to a 24-4 record, 20 strikeouts in a game, his first American League Cy Young Award, and the A.L. MVP award that forever anointed him The Rocket … and a collector favorite.

Value: $20-25

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14) 1986 Topps Kirby Puckett (#329)

Puckett established himself as the Twins everyday centerfielder in 1984 and solidified that standing with a .288 average, 21 steals, and plus defense in 1985.

None of that really resonated with collectors, though … but his .328 average and 31 home runs in 1986 sure did. In an instant (OK, in a season), Puckett went from potential and a small fanbase to baseball fire and a national audience.

Things only got better in 1987, and Puck – and his cards – never looked back.

Value: $20-25

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13) 1986 Topps Dwight Gooden (#250)

Was there a more scorching player in the game and the hobby entering 1986 than Dwight Gooden?

Maybe, but if there was, his name was, “Don Mattingly.”

Otherwise, Gooden’s ridiculous 24-4, 1.53-ERA, 268-strikeout 1985 encore to his 1984 Rookie of the Year showing not only landed him a Cy Young Award, but also hobby royalty as a mere 21-year-old entering the new season.

Dr. K continued to mesmerize batters and collectors as the Mets won the 1986 World Series, and, even though personal issues left him short of the Cooperstown plaque we all imagined for him, his early cards – like this one – are still plenty popular.

Value: $20-25

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12) 1986 Topps Rod Carew (#400)

Rod Carew hit .280 for the California Angels during the 1985 season, a mark that was sort of mundane by his standards and lost in the glare of the young superstars of the day.

But his 124 hits pushed him over 3000 for his career and assured that his 1986 cards would hold some special meaning, marking the milestone as they did.

What we didn’t know as the new season dawned, though, was that this crisp Topps issue would quickly become an unusual tribute when Carew announced his retirement in June of 1986 without ever taking the diamond as a player again.

And so, despite Topps’ best efforts to avoid such finales, their 1986 Rod Carew card stands as a sterling career-capper for a man who could hit the ball like few in the history of the game.

Value: $20-25

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11) 1986 Topps Darryl Strawberry (#80)

Strawberry burst onto the baseball scene in 1983 to capture the National League Rookie of the Year award on the strength of 26 home runs in just 122 games, and at the tender age of 21.

His 1983 Topps Traded issue was one of the most anticipated cards of the 1980s, and Straw built on the excitement with another excellent season, over more games, in 1984.

Injuries limited him to just 111 games in 1985, but Strawberry nevertheless cranked a then-career-best 29 long balls, helping keep him on an upward trajectory and making his 1986 Topps card an exciting grab.

He played more in 1986 – 136 games – but his power softened a bit (26 dingers) … none of which really mattered when the Mets won a classic World Series matchup with the Red Sox.

Big rebound campaigns in both 1987 and 1988 kept Strawberry perking on hobby hot lists, and his early cardboard still draws plenty of attention all these years later despite the problems that curtailed what everyone thought would be a Hall of Fame career.

Value: $20-25

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10) 1986 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. (#340)

Ripken was already a superstar amongst superstars when the 1986 baseball cards debuted, and even a second straight “down” season – by his standards – that summer couldn’t dim his star.

Neither could a further spiral the next few seasons, though Cal did lose a bit of the limelight to a crop of young sluggers before putting together a monster 1991.

That’s all ancient history now, though, and this 1986 Topps stands as a classic early-career card of the Orioles legend who chased down Lou Gehrig and his consecutive-games-played streak.

Value: $20-30

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9) 1986 Topps Rickey Henderson (#500)

Rickey Henderson was near his peak with the New York Yankees in the mid-1980s, and this is his first Topps base card with the Bombers. It’s a great looking piece of cardboard that continues to capture collectors’ imaginations.

Value: $25-35

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8) 1986 Topps Tony Gwynn (#10)

By 1986, Tony Gwynn was in a perennial battle with Wade Boggs for the title of best pure hitter in the game. Gwynn eventually ended up with a 10-point advantage in career average (.338 to .328), not to mention eight batting titles to Boggs’ five, and a forever home among the hobby’s most beloved figures.

Value: $25-35

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7) 1986 Topps Pete Rose Manager (#741)

After breaking Ty Cobb’s record for career hits in 1985, Pete Rose had about half a season left in him as a player.

But by then, Rose had also built himself into the fiery and (mostly) respected manager of the Reds and given collectors a whole new way to partake of Charlie Hustle’s cardboard splendor.

Even after his downfall a few years later, and especially now, with decades of perspective, Rose and his cards are as popular as ever.

Eventeh MGR variety.

Value: $25-35

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6) 1986 Topps Mike Schmidt (#200)

Mike Schmidt won MVP awards for the Phillies in 1980 and 1981, then lost out on the hardware to Dale Murphy (and four others) after another fine showing in 1982.

Schmidt won home run titles the next two seasons before sort of becoming the forgotten old man in 1985, “slipping” to .277, 33 home runs, 93 RBI while spending most of his time at first base.

That all made this card feel like something of a tribute entering the 1986 season, what with Schmidt staring 37 in the eyes (he’s a September birthday).

The man himself had other ideas, though, batting .290 with 37 home runs and 119 RBI, both counting stats good enough to lead the N.L.

And the whole ball of wax good enough to land the future Hall of Famer his third MVP award.

Value: $30-35

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5) 1986 Topps Len Dykstra Rookie Card (#53)

Scrappy Lenny Dykstra was one of the heroes of the amazing 1986 New York Mets team that won an unforgettable World Series against the Boston Red Sox, and he brought his tough as “Nails” game to a whole new fanbase with the Phillies in the early 1990s.

Though Dykstra’s career petered out and he has run into plenty of off-field problems, his rookie card maintains enough popularity to crash this list.

Value: $30-45

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4) 1986 Topps Eric Davis (#28)

Eric Davis had all the talent in the world but had trouble staying on the field due to a fragile physique. Still, he made enough of an impact during his first few years, and sustained his performance well enough for many years, for this second-year card to continue drawing hobby dollars even today.

Value: $35-45

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3) 1986 Topps Don Mattingly (#180)

In 1986, Don Mattingly was considered by many — maybe most — observers to be the best all-around player in the game.

A bad back snuffed out the promise of what looked like a surefire Hall of Fame career, but Donnie Baseball is still popular in the hobby today … and so is this gorgeous third-year Mattingly.

Value: $35-45

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2) 1986 Topps Nolan Ryan (#100)

As Nolan Ryan cards go, this one is not very exciting, but it’s still a 35+-year-old card of The Ryan Express.

Expect to pay near the top of this set’s price scale for a Ryan in nice condition.

Value: $40-45

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1) 1986 Topps Pete Rose (#1)

When this card was issued, Pete Rose was just a few months removed from having become the all-time hits leader, surpassing Ty Cobb‘s long-standing mark of 4191 (since amended to 4090). Topps honored the Hit King with card #1 in their 1986 set, a pasteboard that’s still exciting all these years later … betting scandal or not.

Value: $40-50

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Honorable Mention

Not every card that makes waves with collectors is a high-roller in terms of selling prices years down the line.

But if you were around the hobby in 1986, you no doubt remember how “special” these cards were … and are!

6) 1986 Topps Pete Rose Special (#2)

After Rose broke Cobb’s record, Topps decided to squeeze the Charlie Hustle berry for all it was worth.

So, we got Pete’s base player card … a record breaker card … a manager card … and a run of six cards that showed all of Pete’s Topps base cards from previous Topps issues, in miniature format.

This one started it all off, with Rose’s 1963 Topps rookie card, plus his 1964-66 issues.

Value: $10-20

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5) 1986 Topps Pete Rose Special (#3)

This one continued the Rose tribute, showcasing his Topps cards from 1967 through 1970.

Value: $10-20

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4) 1986 Topps Pete Rose Special (#4)

The next entry in the Rose parade, taking us from the 1971 through 1974 Topps issues.

Value: $10-20

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3) 1986 Topps Pete Rose Special (#5)

Here we see a maturing Rose, as he was featured in Topps cards from 1975 through 1978, covering the heart of the Big Red Machine years.

Value: $10-20

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2) 1986 Topps Pete Rose Special (#6)

More Rose tribute unfolded here, covering his last card from his first stint with the Reds (1979), and his first three Phillies base cards, from 1980 through 1982.

Value: $10-20

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1) 1986 Topps Pete Rose Special (#7)

This final Rose tribute card showcases his 1983 through 1985 Topps cards, covering his transition back to the Reds.

As a sort of bonus, the first slot here, in the upper left-hand corner, shows Rose gazing upward towards a sort of ghostly version of Ty Cobb at bat.

Value: $10-20

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1986 Topps Traded

So, even though the 1986 Topps base set turned out to be a bit of a wasteland for rookie cards, the old gum company sort of made up for that in the fall.

And, among all the great first-year cardboard unleashed in 1986 Topps Traded, there was also one terrible, awful, but fully necessary and indispensable legend sighting. Here have a gander …

We also give the 1986 Topps Traded set a fuller treatment in this article.

5) 1986 Topps Traded Tom Seaver (#101T)

After a so-so start with the White Sox in 1986, Seaver found himself in the Red Sox rotation with young gun Roger Clemens after a June trade that sent Steve Lyons to Chicago.

And, while Seaver would eventually hang up his spikes before pitching in the bigs in 1987, no one knew that as the ‘86 season came to an end.

As a consequence, Seaver got both a career-capper in the 1987 Topps set … and this airbrushed beast the fall before, in 1986 Topps Traded.

It’s ugly and awful, but still a historic hunk of Seaver cardboard.

Value: $10-15

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4) 1986 Topps Traded Jose Canseco Rookie Card (#20T)

Canseco entered 1986 with a lot of hype surrounding him, then almost lost the summer to California Angels upstart Wally Joyner.

Wally World cooled off after his torrid start, though, while Jose kept plugging along, eventually winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award on the strength of 33 home runs, 117 RBI, and 15 stolen bases.

Of course, collectors were chasing Canseco’s Donruss and Fleer rookie cards in wax (and cello and rack) packs all season long, but we had to wait until the fall for Topps to get their Bash Brother game together.

Generally speaking, this card was worth the wait, even if Canseco fell short of the Hall of Fame.

Value: $15-25

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3) 1986 Topps Traded Will Clark Rookie Card (#24T)

Dubbed “The Natural” as a nod toward his sweet left-handed swing and no-nonsense, hard-nosed approach to the game, Will Clark became an almost instant (if sometimes polarizing) fan favorite.

And, though his final seasonal numbers were hardly ever of the eye-popping variety, Clark gained a foothold with collectors through his old-school consistency and, later, his strong anti-steroid stance. His 1986 Topps Traded rookie is a hobby classic that still sees strong sales today.

Value: $15-25

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2) 1986 Topps Traded Bo Jackson Rookie Card (#50T)

In contrast to Barry Bonds, who took awhile to gain habby favor, Bo Jackson was a phenom even before he hit the Major Leagues, and his 1986 Topps Traded card was hot right away.

More than 35 years later, it maintains collector appeal despite Jackson’s career being cut short by injury.

Value: $35-45

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1) 1986 Topps Traded Barry Bonds Rookie Card (#11T)

Bonds was an all-around threat when he debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the mid-1980s, but his moderate power stroke tempered his card values for several years. By the time he was winning MVP awards in the 1990s, though, and especially when he was smashing home run marks in the 2000s, his rookie cards were as hot as anyone’s.

This Topps Traded card was near the top of that leaderboard, and it’s still the gem of all Topps cards issued in 1986 (or at least fighting hard for that title).

Value: $40-50

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There were a few reasons for that …

After an initial perceived shortage, it became clear 1988 Fleer was part of the burgeoning Junk Wax Era — these cards were pretty much everywhere.

The 1988 rookie card class was pretty weak, especially compared to the stellar 1987s.

The cards looked like Little Debbie Snack Cakes.

So, not all that inspiring.

Even so, as we sit here three-plus decades later, these cards are old and a few of them still hold a decent amount of collector appeal. (There was even a “glossy” version of this set that was much more limited but still pretty plentiful by today’s standards. Generally speaking, you might see a slight premium for the glossies, but it’s not all that dramatic.)

With that in mind, here are the most valuable 1988 Fleer baseball cards, using eBay sales for PSA 10 copies as our guide (note that raw copies of all these cards can generally be found for much MUCH less).

Let’s dig in …

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25) 1988 Fleer Matt Williams Rookie Card (#101)

There was a time when Matt Williams was just about the most feared slugger in the game and the odds-on favorite to lead the charge toward Roger Maris‘ single-season home run mark of 61.

Way back in 1994, Williams sat at 43 home runs through 112 games with the San Francisco Giants, and the press and hobby were gearing up for what promised to be a historic run.

Then diamond tragedy struck — The Strike.

Not only did the The Strike wipe out the rest of 1994 (including the playoffs and World Series) and the beginning of 1995, it stopped Williams’ march in its tracks.

He was a prime-time 28 years old in 1994 and never found quite the same power stroke after the game came back online in ’95.

Even so, Williams played until 2003 and amassed 378 home runs over his 17 year career.

That power and his subsequent stint as Washington Nationals manager in 2014-2015 have kept Williams from fading completely into obscurity.

Value: $15-20

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24) 1988 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#315)

After Schmidt won his third National League MVP award in 1986, he mustered a final power surge in 1987, smashing 35 home runs to join the vaunted 500-homer club.

A rotator cuff injury sapped his power in 1988, though, and he retired early in 1989 when he couldn’t get back on track, but his legend was sealed by then.

Today, all of Schmidt’s cards remain among the most popular 1970s and 1980s cardboard, and his dramatic 1988 Fleer is no exception.

Value: $15-25

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23) 1988 Fleer Reggie Jackson (#283)

After a storied career that produced more than 500 home runs and five World Series rings, Reggie Jackson returned “home” to the Oakland A’s for one last go-round in 1987.

But, even though Reggie was one of the most beloved (or at least talked-about) players of his generation, only Fleer produced a career-capper card for Mr. October in 1988.

Value: $15-25

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22) 1988 Fleer Dale Murphy (#544)

After four straight seasons of hitting 36-plus home runs each summer, Dale Murphy dipped to “just” 29 in 1986 while also watching his batting average dip to .265.

Reports of his diamond demise were greatly exaggerated, though, as the Braves legend roared back to hit .295 with 44 dingers and drive in 105 runs in 1987. He also scored 115 times himself and even swiped 16 bases, his most since 1984.

It would be Murph’s last true superstar-level season, but it was enough to boost his cards yet again and further cement his status as a future Hall of Famer (though some of that surefire case crumbled away in subsequent years).

Value: $15-25

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21) 1988 Fleer Greg Maddux (#423)

Greg Maddux made his Major League debut for the Chicago Cubs in 1986 but failed to win more than a third of his decisions or score an ERA below 5.50 in his first two go-rounds with the Wrigley denizens.

That all changed in 1988 when the 22-year-old put together an 18-8 record with a 3.18 ERA and garnered his first All-Star appearance. That performance was enough for collectors to start taking notice of Maddux’s 1987 rookie cards, especially his Donruss Rated Rookie.

Another few mostly successful seasons in Chicago had us thinking he was a solid rotation piece until Maddux reeled off a 20-11, 2.18 line in 1992 to cop his first National League Cy Young Award.

Fast forward a quarter century, and we can look back to see Maddux’s scorched earth — a free agent deal with the Atlanta Braves after that CYA campaign led to three more CYs in a row and a 23-year career that ended with an amazing 355-227 record, 3.16 ERA, and first-ballot election to Cooperstown in 2014.

Along the way, of course, Maddux also became a collector favorite, and his 1988 Fleer second-year card is no exception.

Value: $20-25

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20) 1988 Fleer Roger Clemens (#347)

Clemens won his second consecutive American League Cy Young Award in 1987, proving that his amazing 1986 was no fluke and guaranteeing that his 1988 cards would be among the most popular in the hobby.

And, by the time Clemens hung up his spikes with seven Cy Youngs and more than 350 career victories, he was bona fide hobby royalty.

Of course, the passing years and PED stain have greatly diminished Rocket’s legacy, but there are still plenty of collectors who chase his cardboard even today.

Value: $20-30

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19) 1988 Fleer Gregg Jefferies Rookie Card (#137)

While we all knew the 1988 cards would have trouble living up to the rookie-card swagger of 1987, we held out one hope for greatness: Gregg Jefferies.

All indications were that Jefferies was going to be a superstar who could hit for average, run well, and eventually develop Big League power.

And … well, he played for the New York Mets.

All that hype and the big spotlight sent Jefferies’ rookie cards soaring before the 20-year-old could ever get his feet under him. By the time he actually stuck in the Big Leagues, in 1989, we were already sort of disappointed that he hadn’t become Mickey Mantle.

The truth is, though, that Jefferies put together a star-level 14-year career that included two All-Star appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals, nearly 1600 hits, 126 home runs, and a solid .289 lifetime batting average.

I suspect it’s the memories of the hype, though, and the hobby’s “good old days” that keep his 1988 Fleer rookie card perking along today.

Value: $25-35

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18) 1988 Fleer Mark McGwire (#286)

Mark McGwire obliterated the rookie home run record in 1987, crushing 49 long balls to far outdistance the 38 hit decades before by Frank Robinson and Wally Berger.

And, even though Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso have since passed Big Mac’s mark, neither one of them quite captured the magic that McGwire conjured up during that long-ago summer.

Suffice it to say, then, that McGwire’s cards were royalty when wax packs started hitting shelves in 1988, and they still maintain some hobby swagger all these years later, even after his run at Roger Maris’ record and the steroid scandal that followed.

Value: $25-35

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17) 1988 Fleer Mark McGwire Record Setter (#629)

McGwire surpassed the previous rookie record for home runs in August of 1987, leaving him more than a month to add to the total.

And boy, did he ever! By the end of the season, McGwire stood atop the Major League leaderboard with 49 long balls, 11 more than first-year mark that Wally Berger and Frank Robinson had shared for decades.

No way were card companies going to miss the opportunity to squeeze another Big Mac card into their 1988 sets, and no way were collectors going to pass on this record breaker, which still has plenty of fans even after all these years and all the scandal.

Value: $25-35

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16) 1988 Fleer Tony Gwynn (#585)

If anyone thought Tony Gwynn was “merely” a .320 hitter after a couple of seasons at that level, he more than set the record straight with his second National League batting title in 1987 … a .370 batting average is hard to ignore.

No surprise, then, that Gwynn’s cards were hot commodities once again in the spring of 1988 and pretty much remained that way as Mr. Padre marched toward 3000 hits and six more batting crowns.

Value: $25-35

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15) 1988 Fleer Wade Boggs (#345)

After winning three batting titles in the four seasons leading up to 1987, Wade Boggs did it again – he won another crown in ‘87.

But he ALSO smacked 24 long balls in that summer of the home run.

So the question entering 1988 was, would Boggs continue his assault on Babe Ruth in the coming seasons?

And the answer came on quickly, in the form of five dingers in 1988. Boggs did do a pretty good Ty Cobb impression, though, hitting .366 to win his fifth and final batting title and cement his place in the hobby firmament.

Value: $25-35

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14) 1988 Fleer Mark Grace Rookie Card (#641)

Aside from Greg Jefferies, Mark Grace was about the best that 1988 Fleer had to offer us in terms of rookies in the moment.

Three decades on, Grace has been surpassed by a few others from this set — Glavine and Martinez, for example — but the fact remains that he turned in a stellar career: 2400+ hits, more than 500 doubles, a lifetime .303 batting average.

Had Grace been able to tack on another 100 home runs or so to his total of 173, he might have been a Hall of Fame lock.

As it is, Grace is popular with fans of the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks, and his best cards still enjoy nice collector interest in pockets.

This 1988 Fleer Major League Prospects card — which Grace shares with Darrin Jackson — has enjoyed the 2020s boom right along with most other cards.

Value: $30-35

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13) 1988 Fleer Cal Ripken Jr. (#570)

The Baltimore Orioles were an all-time terrible team in 1988, eventually finishing with a 54-107 record.

Even great players like Cal Ripken, Jr., struggled that summer, with the Iron Man hitting just .264 with 23 home runs and 81 RBI.

But Cal was already a legend by that point, having copped the 1982 AL Rookie of the Year Award and the 1983 AL MVP while also building some buzz around his still-youthful streak.

These days, the Hall of Famer’s cards aren’t “hot,” exactly, but they’re always popular and collectible.

Value: $30-40

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12) 1988 Fleer Gary Carter and Mike Schmidt (#636)

What do Mike Schmidt and Gary Carter have in common that would warrant their appearing on this 1988 Fleer card together?

Well, they were both the best at their positions during the 1980s (roughly).

And they were both, um, “tried & true sluggers.”

Really, though, we should just revel in the glory of this card and forget trying to impose any rhyme or reason.

Value: $30-40

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11) 1988 Fleer Rickey Henderson (#209)

After rounding out his game with a serious power stroke and big batting averages during his first few seasons with the Yankees, Rickey Henderson sort of went back to his baseball roots in 1988.

To wit, Rickey swiped 93 bases that summer, the first time he stole more than 90 since the 108 he posed for the A’s in 1983.

Fitting, then, that Henderson’s 1988 Fleer card shows him slinking toward yet another bit of larceny on the basepaths.

Value: $30-40

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10) 1988 Fleer Barry Bonds (#322)

In 1988, Barry Bonds was still just a budding superstar with a world of potential — great speed, good batting eye, developing power, supreme family pedigree.

But collectors honestly weren’t all that excited by the complete package that Bonds offered up because the Pittsburgh Pirates weren’t winning anything, Bonds wasn’t hitting monster (or a lot of) home runs, and there were other players who were clubbing homers left and right.

It was hard to keep up with Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, and the likes back then, and even Bonds’ teammate Bobby Bonilla was more highly regarded in some circles (see New York Mets, circa 1992).

Uh, yeah.

Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny that Bonds developed into one of the absolute greatest players that game has ever seen.

Value: $25-50

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9) 1988 Fleer Nolan Ryan (#455)

In 1987, Nolan Ryan put together a rather remarkable pitching line — his 2.76 ERA and 270 strikeouts in just shy of 212 innings left him with an 8-16 record.

That, at 40 years of age and pitching for a Houston Astros team that had romped to a division title in 1986. Wow!

For his efforts, Ryan finished fifth in the NL Cy Young vote and then walked in free agency after the 1988 season … all the way to the Texas Rangers.

In Arlington, of course, Ryan cemented his legend and became something of a superhuman figure in the game, one whose cards always rise to the top of whatever issue they appear in.

In the case of his 1988 Fleer card, that amounts to enough to make this list.

Value: $35-40

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8) 1988 Fleer Tom Glavine Rookie Card (#539)

While Maddux was finding his place in the Friendly Confines, Tom Glavine was taking his lumps with the awful Atlanta Braves teams of the late 1990s.

By the time Maddux joined him in 1993, Glavine was a two-time 20-game winner (with a third on the runway) and the 1991 Cy Young recipient.

Together with John Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux would form the backbone of an Atlanta pitching staff that would rack up division title after division title all through the 1990s.

Glavine’s 1988 Fleer rookie card is an understandably popular hunk of cardboard, even if it’s a the Hall of Fame cupcake issue.

Value: $30-45

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7) 1988 Fleer Kirby Puckett (#19)

By 1988, Kirby Puckett was well on his way to the Hall of Fame, having garnered two All-Star appearances, plenty of MVP votes, and Rookie of the Year consideration during his four-year career.

He was always a threat to win the batting title, won a Gold Glove in center field in 1986 and 1987, and had started to show some power, too.

Oh, and then there was that 1987 World Series he helped his Minnesota Twins win.

Yep, Kirby was a fan and collector favorite whose star hardly seemed to dim at all when his career was curtailed by health problems or even when domestic issues came to light after his untimely death in 2006.

Even in this mass-produced set, Kirby stands out, with PSA 10 copies of his 1988 Fleer hammering down for hefty sums.

Value: $30-50

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6) 1988 Fleer Edgar Martinez Rookie Card (#378)

Edgar Martinez got a late start on his Big League life — he didn’t debut for the Seattle Mariners until 1987, when he was nearly 25 years old, and he didn’t log his first full season in the Majors until 1990, when he was 27.

From that point on, Edgar spent more than a decade as one of the best hitters in the game, garnering two batting titles, two doubles titles, and one RBI crown.

In all, his 18 years in the Bigs yielded 2247 hits, 309 home runs, and a .312 batting average.

But … among the 2000+ games he played with Seattle, more than 1400 of them were logged as a designated hitter.

Will Martinez become the first — or second, if you count Frank Thomas — career DH to make the Cooperstown cut?

After being named on 70.4% of ballots in 2018, Martinez pushed through to Hall of Fame election in 2019.

And, as always, he’s a Seattle legend and hobby favorite whose 1988 Fleer rookie card continues to draw plenty of collector interest.

Value: $35-45

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5) 1988 Fleer Don Mattingly (#214)

When this card was issued, Mattingly was coming off his fourth straight MVP-caliber season, but what we didn’t know then was that it would be his last truly standout campaign.

A bad back sapped his power in 1988, ,knocking nearly 100 points off his slugging percentage, and, though he rebounded slightly in 1989, the slippage marked the beginning of a downward spiral that would lead to Mattingly’s early retirement at age 34 in 1995.

Still, the magnitude of his impact on the hobby cannot be overstated, and a hefty dose of that afterglow remains even decades later.

Value: $45-`

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4) 1988 Fleer George Brett (#254)

After leading the Royals to their first World Series championship in 1985 on the back of an MVP-caliber season, Brett settled in as “merely” an uppercrust All-Star in 1986 and 1987.

Brett bumped his game up again in 1988, though, treating fans and collectors to a Silver Slugger season to accompany his sort of suspicious-looking Fleer base card.

Value: $35-40

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3) 1988 Fleer Ryne Sandberg (#431)

Sandberg entered a bit of an offensive lull during the middle 1980s after winning the National League MVP award in 1984, but he remained a Gold Glove second baseman and more than capable with the bat … even if no longer Morganesque.

When Ryno turned on the power starting in 1989, though, all of his cards jumped forward again, including this nifty fielding shot.

Value: $35-40

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2) 1988 Fleer Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire (#624)

After Canseco smashed 33 home runs to light up the baseball world in 1986, McGwire upstaged him with 49 of his own the next summer.

But, while there may have been a budding rivalry between the teammates, the real excitement was about to erupt on the field, as the Bash Brothers would lead the A’s to a string of World Series appearances over the next three seasons.

And, though the actual “bash” didn’t come about until the new season began, Fleer got the jump on everyone else by featuring the Bros on this dandy Super Star Special.

Value: $40-45

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1) 1988 Fleer Bo Jackson (#260)

By the spring of 1988, Bo Jackson had long since captured collectors’ imaginations, thanks to his prowess on the football field and his growing adeptness on the diamond.

And, after smacking 22 home runs in 1987, Bo served notice that even better days lay ahead – he delivered on that promise with 25 dingers in 1988 and 32 in 1989, when he made it to his only All-Star Game.

Today, Bo Jackson cards are as popular as ever as the hobby continues to ponder what might have been had a hip injury suffered on the gridiron not (ultimately) ended his run in both sports.

Value: $40-45

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1988 Fleer Update

By 1988, Fleer Update had become an annual part of the hobby landscape, joining Topps Traded and, later Donruss The Rookies, as fodder to feed our collective rookie card craze.

This particular version featured a few standout cards right off the bat, and some that took awhile to warm up.

Here are the cream of the crop more than three decades later.

5) 1988 Fleer Update John Smoltz Rookie Card (#U-74)

Back in 1988 when this card was issued, Smoltz was sort of a sore spot for some Braves fans – after all, he had cost Atlanta Doyle Alexander, who went on to help the Tigers win a division title in 1987.

The good news was that Smoltz had made his big league debut by the time the Fleer Update set was issued.

The bad news was that he went 2-7 with a 5.48 ERA in Atlanta.

The perception began to turn around the next summer, though, when Smoltz made his first All-Star cut on the way to a Cy Young Award (1996), a World Series ring, and a Hall of Fame plaque.

Value: $75-125

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4) 1988 Fleer Update Craig Biggio Rookie Card (#U-89)

Fleer was late to the Biggio show, as Donruss and Score had already scooped them on the Astros’ young catcher.

But at least they squeezed in a Bidge rookie card before the backstop broke out his first Silver Slugger performance in 1989 on his way to Cooperstown.

Value: $30-50

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3) 1988 Fleer Update Mark Grace Rookie Card (#U-77)

At 24, Grace was sort of old for a “prospect” in 1988, but he stepped into the Cubs lineup like a veteran, batting .295 and finishing second in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

He bumped that average over .300 in 1989 as the Cubs won their second-ever division title, and he pretty much stayed there for the rest of a 16-year career that produced more than 2400 hits and a devoted swath of collectors who still chase his cards.

Value: $30-40

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2) 1988 Fleer Update Roberto Alomar Rookie Card (#U-122)

In some circles, Roberto Alomar suffered in comparisons with his brother, Sandy, whom many pundits pegged as a future Rookie-of-the-Year, MVP-type of player.

And, while Sandy did eventually cop ROY honors with the Indians, it was the younger Robbie who made his mark in the majors first, and who eventually made it all the way to Cooperstown.

Little wonder, then, that Alomar’s rookie cards (Roberto’s, that is) are among the most popular of all 1988s.

Value: $25-30

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1) 1988 Fleer Update Chris Sabo Rookie Card (#U-87)

At age 26, Chris Sabo was a longshot – to say the least – to even make the Cincinnati Reds roster in 1988.

But thanks to his hustle and pluck, Sabo made a fan of manager Pete Rose and then took advantage of every opportunity he could find, scratching out a .271 batting average, 11 home runs, 44 RBI, 74 runs scored, and an impressive 46 stolen bases.

Along the way, Spuds gained legions of fans and copped 1988 NL ROY honors, helping his 1988 Fleer Update RC debut as one of the hottest cards of the fall.

Value: $25-30

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Well, if you said, “yes” — hmmm, you just might be alone in that opinion.

The good news in that case would be that you won’t have much trouble laying your hands on plenty of these beauties. Because, truth is, 1989 Donruss was produced in HUGE quantities that make them pretty easy to find even 30+ years later.

But that doesn’t mean every 1989 Donruss baseball card is worthless. In fact, the cards below can fetch decent prices on eBay, provided you’re aiming for copies in top-notch graded condition.

Without further adieu, then, here is the rundown of the most valuable 1989 Donruss baseball cards, based on actual sales prices for PSA 9 specimens.

(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to Amazon and eBay listings for the cards being discussed. Check out our full series of posts on the history of Donruss baseball cards.)

26) 1989 Donruss Robin Yount (#55)

Robin Yount sort of slid into the background among his fellow superstars after the glow of his 1982 MVP campaign wore off.

That all changed in the summer of 1989, though, when Yount – having moved from shortstop to centerfield – once again put up a monster season that eventually landed him more MVP hardware.

It was enough to get his cardboard moving again as collectors realized that this man was headed toward 3000 career hits … and the Hall of Fame.

Value: $5-10

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25) 1989 Donruss Bo Jackson (#208)

Bo Jackson could do pretty much whatever he wanted on the baseball diamond once he set his mind to it.

So Donruss went with him … sneaking around for a bunt attempt.

Not extremely awe-inspiring or majestic, but different, at least.

Value: $8-10

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24) 1989 Donruss Kirby Puckett (#182)

After helping the Twins to a World Series title in 1987, Kirby Puckett upped his personal game in 1988, batting .356 with 24 home runs and 121 RBI.

Suffice it to say, Puck was one of the most popular cards in the 1989 sets, and he nailed down that honor by winning his only American League batting crown that summer.

It was just one more step on his path to the Hall of Fame and hobby immortality.

Value: $8-10

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23) 1989 Donruss Roberto Alomar (#246)

The son of a former major leaguer and the brother of a top catching prospect, Roberto Alomar entered the 1989 season fresh off a solid rookie season and with plenty of hype surrounding him.

He’d eventually pretty much live up to expectations, crafting a Hall of Fame career and ensuring that his cards maintain a strong collector base for decades to come.

Value: $8-10

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22) 1989 Donruss Mark McGwire (#95)

You don’t hit 49 home runs as a rookie without causing quite a stir among collectors.

But Big Mac didn’t just *stir* the hobby – he toppled the whole darn applecart on the strength of his Ruthian home runs and sun-hot rookie cards from 1985 and 1987.

And, even though his power took a step back in 1988, his cards were still huge deals when the 1989 sets debuted.

They still are, regardless of the PED stain that seems likely to keep him out of the Hall of Fame forever.

Value: $8-12

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21) 1989 Donruss Jose Canseco (#91)

Canseco saw a big hunk of his limelight sucked up by rookie teammate Mark McGwire in 1987, but he didn’t let that get him down.

Instead, Jose went out and recorded the first 40-40 season ever in 1988, copping AL MVP honors in the process and leading the A’s to a championship.

To say his cards were on fire is an understatement of “coffee is good” proportions … and some of that halo remains all these years later.

Value: $8-12

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20) 1989 Donruss Edgar Martinez (#645)

After much hand-wringing, hemming and hawing, and staring at his name on the ballot for 10 years, the BBWAA finally elected Edgar Martinez to the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Thirty years earlier, Martinez made his base Donruss debut with this card that shows him in the field. That’s significant because the knock on Edgar has always been that he was a designated hitter almost his entire career, diminishing his .312 average, 2247 hits, and 309 HR in at least some eyes.

Enough folks believe in Martinez’s greatness, though, to keep his base Donruss debut in the upper echelons of the set.

Value: $8-12

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19) 1989 Donruss Randy Johnson Rookie Card (#42)

Once upon a time, Randy Johnson was a mystery — a raw talent who scraped the sky when he pitched. A firebrand who could scorch the air with his fastball but had trouble finding the strike zone on a consistent basis.

Things started to gel for The Big Unit, though, when the Montreal Expos sent him along with Gene Harris and Brian Holman to the Seattle Mariners in 1989 in exchange for Mike Campbell and Mark Langston.

Twenty years, 300 wins, 4800 strikeouts, five Cy Young Awards, and one comic All-Star incident with John Kruk later, and Johnson was a legend.

Certainly among the top handful of lefthanders ever, Johnson was a cinch for Hall of Fame election when his name came up in 2015, and his 1989 Donruss rookie card was a cinch to appear near the top of this list.

Value: $10-15

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18) 1989 Donruss Curt Schilling Rookie Card (#635)

Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny the stats that Curt Schilling put up during his Major League career — 20 years, 216-146 record, 3.46 ERA, plus an 11-2, 2.23 ERA in the postseason. Oh, and he was a key member of that 2004 Boston Red Sox team that broke the Curse of the Bambino.

If you’re more of a Sabermetrics sort, Schilling checks in with an ERA+ of 127 and 79.6 WAR, which lands him 27th all-time among starting pitchers according to JAWS.

All of that has Schilling looking like an eventual Hall of Famer, having collected 60.9% of the vote in his seventh shot at Cooperstown in 2019.

And all of that makes this 1989 Donruss rookie card a popular piece, despite grumbling about Schilling’s attitude, his post-career shenanigans, and the flood of ’89s that still wash over the hobby.

Value: $10-15

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17) 1989 Donruss Craig Biggio Rookie Card (#561)

It may look a little funny to see Craig Biggio in the tools of excellence here on his 1989 Donruss rookie card, but he started his professional baseball life as a catcher before transitioning to second base and the outfield.

In fact, Biggio garnered Silver Slugger and All-Star honors behind the plate before making a position move in 1992. But anything the Houston Astros lost by swapping in Ed Taubensee for Biggio was made up in spades by adding years to Biggio’s Hall of Fame career.

Teaming with Jeff Bagwell and (I guess) Derek Bell to form Houston’s Killer Bs, Biggio ended up with 3060 hits, 291 home runs, 414 stolen bases, and a Cooperstown plaque.

And, of course, one of the most valuable cards in the 1989 Donruss set.

Value: $10-15

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16) 1989 Donruss John Smoltz Rookie Card (#642)

John Smoltz took an unusual route to Cooperstown, but that doesn’t really matter — he still got there.

One of the original members of the Atlanta Braves‘ vaunted rotation of the 1990s, Smoltz didn’t find the full-blown success of teammates like Tom Glavine, Steve Avery, or Greg Maddux right away, but he finally nabbed his own Cy Young Award in 1996, at age 29.

By 2000, though, the flamethrower had blown out his elbow and required Tommy John surgery, then came back in 2001 — as a reliever.

After three+ seasons as a lock-down closer Smoltz returned to the Braves rotation before finishing out his career with the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, one season each.

In the end, Smoltz ended with the unusual but stellar line of 213-155, 3.33 ERA, 154 saves, and 3084 strikeouts … an amazing Hall of Fame resume that bumps his rookie card toward the top of its set, value-wise.

Value: $10-15

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15) 1989 Donruss Gary Sheffield Rookie Card (#31)

Once upon a time, Gary Sheffield was the most talented young player in the game, with a pedigree as Dwight Gooden‘s nephew that virtually guaranteed success in the Major Leagues.

Then came his season(s) of discontent, when Sheffield was unhappy with the Milwaukee Brewers. And Gooden started to slide, performance-wise, too — suddenly, Sheffield wasn’t so can’t-miss.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the scrapheap …

First, Sheffield was traded to the San Diego Padres, along with Geoff Kellogg, in exchange for Ricky Bones, Matt Mieske, and Jose Valentin, in 1992.

Then, it was off to the expansion Florida Marlins in 1993, part of the deal that brought Trevor Hoffman to the Friars.

In San Diego, and then in Miami, Sheffield found the stroke he was supposed to have, and he became an MVP candidate.

Never one to be warm and fuzzy with teammates or locals, Sheffield sort of bounced around for the next decade+ after he helped the Marlins win a World Series in 1997 — Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, New York Mets.

Along the way, Sheffield put up Hall of Fame numbers that included 2689 hits, 509 home runs, 1676 RBI, 253 stolen bases, and 60.5 career WAR.

He has found the Cooperstown voting a hard row to hoe, but Sheffield still holds enough hobby sway to make this list.

Value: $10-15

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14) 1989 Donruss Don Mattingly (#74)

It’s true that Don Mattingly’s best baseball days (as a player) were behind him by 1989, but he did manage to play a full season that summer and rebound in his offensive performance a bit from what was considered a down year in 1988.

It’s also true that Mattingly was the face of the hobby in the 1980s, and the boom could not have happened, at least to the extent it did, without his emergence in 1984 — and the fact that you could pull his Topps, Fleer, and Donruss cards from fresh packs even as he battled with Yankees teammate Dave Winfield for the American League batting crown.

Mattingly falls short of Hall of Fame standards by most reckonings, but his baseball cards still feel special even 30 years on. This one is no exception.

Value: $10-15

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13) 1989 Donruss Barry Bonds (#92)

By 1989, Barry Bonds had established himself as a star for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but his well-rounded skill set wasn’t flashy enough to really light his cards on fire.

Not when his cardboard was fighting for shelf space with bashers like Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, and plenty of others.

Of course, it turned out that the scouting reports were right – Bonds could do pretty much anything he wanted to on the diamond, and he ended up actually doing most of it.

Eventually, his cards pretty much caught up to his talent, and even today, after all the bad blood and the fall from grace, early-career entries like this 1989 Donruss Bonds still hold plenty of sway in the hobby.

Value: $10-15

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12) 1989 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#193)

Although Mike Schmidt looks as powerful and generally spectacular as ever on his 1989 Donruss card, this issue would quickly turn into a cardboard eulogy.

That’s because the greatest third baseman of all time hung up his spikes for good in late May of 1989, about a third of the way through the season.

For Schmitty fans (guilty as charged), every wax pack brought a sense of dread the rest of the summer as the specter of the Phil’s great loomed just beyond the next Ed Hearn or Jose Oquendo.

Value: $10-15

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11) 1989 Donruss Rickey Henderson (#245)

Rickey Henderson returned to the Oakland A’s for the 1989 season, which makes this Donruss card one of the last to feature him with the Yankees.

And, even though Donruss missed out on showing Hednerson in the fabled pinstripes, this is still one of the most popular cards in the set.

Value: $10-15

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10) 1989 Donruss Wade Boggs (#68)

Wade Boggs fell off a cliff in 1989.

I mean, after four straight American League batting titles from 1985 through 1988 and batting *at least* .357 in each of those seasons, the Chicken Man fell aaallll the way to .330 in 1989.

Of course, that’s still an otherworldly number among mere mortals, and Boggs was still a plenty popular pull from wax packs across the land that summer.

Still is today, thanks to those 3010 lifetime hits, .328 career batting average, and that nifty Hall of Fame plaque of his.

Value: $10-15

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9) 1989 Donruss Greg Maddux (#373)

Maddux posted his first winning record in 1988 (18-8), a fact that hardly registered with collectors thanks to his toiling for the fourth-place Cubs, and to the paltry records he put up in his first two campaigns.

When The Professor followed up with 19 victories and helped bring a division title to the northside, though, his profile started to climb … and it never looked back.

Today, Greg Maddux cards are hobby royalty pretty much across the board, a status befitting the pasteboards featuring one of the handful of greatest pitchers of the last 50 years.

Value: $10-15

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8) 1989 Donruss Tony Gwynn (#128)

After a jaw-dropping .370 batting average in 1987, Tony Gwynn slid all the way to .313 in 1988 … and still won a batting title.

He’d win another (.336) in 1989, on his way to eight total crowns, 3000+ hits, and a place in history as a Padres legend and a Hall of Famer.

Not surprising, then, that this mid-career card – like pretty much all of Mr. Padre’s cards – makes the cut on our list.

Value: $10-15

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7) 1989 Donruss Don Mattingly Diamond King (#26)

Everything that goes for the base Mattingly card above goes for his Diamond King, too. This was Mattingly’s second DK (1985 was the other), and it’s another Dick Perez masterpiece.

We couldn’t get enough of Mattingly in the 80s, though, so no one was complaining about an extra Donnie Baseball card, and this one still brings interest on eBay and in other venues.

Value: $10-15

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6) 1989 Donruss Ozzie Smith (#63)

You could make an argument that Ozzie Smith was, in many ways, the face of baseball in the 1980s.

Here you had a guy who redefined defensive play at a position already known for fielding prowess, and a key member of perennial contenders and frequent champs (of one sort or another) in St. Louis.

Ozzie even upped his offensive game as the decade proceeded, leaving no doubt that he’d eventually take his rightful place in Cooperstown.

So, all in all, how could the last Donruss card of the Wizard from the decade he helped define *not* make our list??

Value: $10-15

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5) 1989 Donruss Nolan Ryan (#154)

If Nolan Ryan appears in a baseball card set, that Ryan card has a 99.9999999999% chance* of being one of the most valuable cards in the set. (*possibly a slight exaggeration)

This particular card has the added bonus of being the last regular Donruss issue to show him as a member of the Astros. It’s a great action shot, too.

What’s not to love? And collectors still do.

Value: $15-20

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4) 1989 Donruss Cal Ripken Jr. (#51)

The Orioles of the late 1980s were terrible, and that taint extended even to their franchise icon.

Were Cal Ripken’s tanking numbers from 1987 through 1990 responsible for Baltimore’s struggles, or did the bad teams around him drag down Iron Cal?

It’s a classic oriole-and-egg conundrum that turned out not to matter too much by the time Ripken put up one of his greatest all-around seasons in 1991.

With his second MVP award in-tow, Ripken could get back to the business of chasing down Lou Gehrig, and collectors could smile on his late-80s cards again, happy to airbrush the bad seasons from our memory and focus on the beauty of Junk Wax Cal.

Value: $15-20

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3) 1989 Donruss George Brett (#204)

After two years at .290, Brett had pushed his batting average back above .300 (.306) in 1988.

That surge might have helped the popularity of his 1989 Donruss card out of the pack, but the truth is, none of Brett’s cardboard needed much help by that point.

The man was a legend, a status he reinforced with a third batting title, at age 37, in 1990 … and his 3000th hit in 1992 … and a Hall of Fame plaque in 1999.

Value: $15-20

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2) 1989 Donruss John Kruk Rookie Card (#86)

John Kruk wasn’t just Randy Johnson’s comic crutch in interleague play.

Indeed, for most of his 10-year Big League career, Kruk was a constant threat to hit .300, and he crafted his exit to make sure he landed exactly on that number.

Along the way, through stops with the Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago White Sox, Kruk also showed some power finishing with 100 home runs among his 1170 hits. He was also a key member of that 1993 Phils crew that made it all the way to the World Series, only to be dispatched by Joe Carter‘s historic Game 6 homer.

Still a popular analyst, Kruk is also a college baseball coach who maintains a high enough profile to keep his cards on lists like this one.

Value: $15-20

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1) 1989 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card (#33)

Any time you see the words “Ken Griffey”, “Jr.”, and “Rookie Card” in a card description, you can be sure it’s going to sit at the top of the value heap for whichever set it’s in. The 1989 Donruss Junior rookie is certainly no exception.

The only question surrounding Griffey when he retired was whether he would be the first-ever unanimous Hall of Famer. The fact that he didn’t quite clear that bar (even though Mariano Rivera did in 2019) doesn’t diminish Griffey’s hobby cachet one whit.

This card may not be Upper Deck #1, but it’s still an iconic hunk of Junk Wax cardboard.

Value: $25-30

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If so, I’d wager you’re among only a handful of collectors who can make that claim.

Maybe that’s the consequence of weighty expectations.

After a so-so set in 1981, the first year of renewed competition on the heels25 years of monopoly, Topps needed a home run to make sure  Fleer and Donruss stayed at arm’s length, and none of the 1982 sets blew anyone away.

Still, as the years have passed, the nuances of the 1982 Topps set — crisp photos, lots of action shots, even the double-hockey-stick design — have set it apart from its long-ago competitors.

And, coming as it did right before the true hobby boom and led by a Hall of Fame rookie card, 1982 Topps is no Junk Wax pablum.

In fact, big-name cards from the set in nice grades can bring top dollar in today’s market.

Here is a quick rundown of those most valuable 1982 Topps baseball cards, based on recent sales for copies graded PSA 9 and presented in numerical order.

(Note: The following sections contains affiliate links to listings for the cards being discussed.)

17) 1982 Topps Rod Carew (#500)

By 1982, the last of Carew’s seven American League batting titles was four years in the rearview mirror, but the threat of his copping an eighth was always on the table.

Indeed, he hit .319 that summer to help the Angels capture the AL West title, then followed up with .339 in 1983.

Two years later, Carew would collect 124 safeties, pushing past the 3000-hit barrier that had seemed like his birthright for nearly two decades.

Carew contemplated playing again in 1986 but ultimately retired that June, leaving behind a slew of memories, and stacks of sweet cardboard like this 1982 Topps gem.

Value: $30-35

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16) 1982 Topps Fernando Valenzuela (#510)

No one was hotter in the baseball world than Fernando Valenzuela entering the 1982 season.

After all, his phenomenal rookie campaign in ’81 spawned its own Mania!

And while Fernando cooled down over the course of his career and remains outside of Cooperstown, he still enjoys a strong hobby following.

This may not be a rookie card, but it just may hold the record for tightest cropping in hobby history.

Value: $30-35

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15) 1982 Topps Carl Yastrzemski (#650)

For awhile, it seemed as if Carl Yastrzemski might play forever.

That didn’t quite turn out to be the case, of course, and this 1982 card ended up being the second-to-last Topps issue of Yaz’s long and storied career.

The 1967 AL MVP and Triple Crown winner will forever be a fan and hobby favorite, and this late-career card captures the legend in a quiet moment.

Value: $30-40

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14) 1982 Topps Ozzie Smith (#95)

The Wizard of Oz spent the first four seasons of his career patrolling shortstop for the San Diego Padres, where he developed a reputation as an acrobatic gloveman with a weak bat.

That all changed when the Pads dealt Smith with Steve Mura and Al Olmstead to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Luis DeLeon, Sixto Lezcano, and shortstop (!) Garry Templeton in December 1981.

It was a challenge traded (SS-for-SS) the Cardinals won hands-down as Ozzie reeled off a string of 12 (more) Gold Gloves, helped St. Louis become perennial contenders who won the 1982 World Series, beefed up his offensive prowess, and made it all the way to Cooperstown.

His last Padres card is a landmark in its own right.

Value: $35-40

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13) 1982 Topps Robin Yount (#435)

Yount was already a superstar in Milwaukee as the 1982 season dawned, an All-Star shortstop with pretty decent MVP cases in both 1980 and 1981.

Then, at age 26, Yount emerged as the best player on a Brewers team that captured the imagination of the baseball world, pushing all the way to a thrilling seven-game World Series before their season finally came to an end against the champion Cardinals.

Yount took home AL MVP honors, then set about filling in his Hall of Fame resume – by 1993, he had logged 3142 hits, 251 home runs, a Gold Glove, three Silver Sluggers, and another MVP award (in 1989).

Along the way, Yount’s 1975 Topps rookie card became hobby royalty and lifted the rest of his cardboard, like this 1982 classic, right along with it.

Value: $35-40

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12) 1982 Topps George Brett (#200)

Brett was a year removed from his amazing .390 run in 1980 when this card debuted, and he had fallen all the way to .314 in 1981.

Poor Royals fans had to suffer through that “awful” performance, but Brett was still right in his prime, and still a superstar bound for Cooperstown.

And, as his expression on this card might hint, Mullet and his bat were more than a little skeptical about any whispers to the contrary.

Value: $35-40

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11) 1982 Topps Reggie Jackson (#300)

For years, Reggie was the straw that stirred the drink, first for the Oakland A’s and then for the New York Yankees.

He was Mr. October, for gosh sake, and the World Series seemed to follow him from town to town.

Heck, the man even had his own candy bar!

In January of 1982, though, Reggie was turning the corner into the stretch run of his career, and he signed as a free agent with the California Angels. Though Reggie and the Halos would taste some success over the next several seasons, it was never quite as resounding as his historic runs with the A’s and the Yanks.

And he never made another New York cardboard appearance — this last Yankees card is a final parting shot of the straw that stirred the Big Apple drink.

Value: $30-45

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10) 1982 Topps Johnny Bench (#400)

This list seems to have its share of “best-ever” position players, and Johnny Bench certainly fits that bill at catcher.

From the 1968 NL ROY to NL MVP awards in 1970 and 1972 to being the field general for the Big Red Machine, Bench is a bona fide baseball legend with unmatched pedigree behind the plate.

No surprise, then, that his cards remain popular even today, 35 years after his retirement.

This 1982 closeup, where Bench may be channeling a future version of Peyton Manning, shows JB near the end of his career.

Value: $35-45

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9) 1982 Topps Nolan Ryan 1981 Highlight (#5)

In a career full of milestones and highlights, Nolan Ryan’s fifth no-hitter provided something extra special – a high note on which to (almost) end the strike-torn 1981 season.

Of course, it might have also seemed like something of a parting gift, or at least one the last few big moments The Express had left in his 34-year-old tank.

He would turn 35 in just a few months, after all, and was still considered by many to be a flamethrower and nothing else.

When Ryan finally hung up his spikes 12 full seasons later, though, he had built his legend as one of the greatest, most durable pitchers of all time, winning 300+ games, tacking on two more no-hitters, and shattering just about every strikeout record in the books.

The hobby noticed, too, and elevated Ryan to Karboard King status, forever installing him near the top of lists like this one. And, yeah, even “highlight” cards like this one regularly make the cut.

Value: $35-45

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8) 1982 Topps Mike Schmidt (#100)

Mike Schmidt was just the greatest third baseman of all-time, and many folks had already come to that conclusion by the time his 1982 Topps card hit collectors’ hands.

Two NL MVP awards, a string of Gold Gloves, plenty of postseason glory, and scads of monstrous home runs tend to elevate your profile, after all.

Schmitty’s cards went right up the ladder with him, and today this portrait shot — while maybe a bit goofy — is a popular snapshot from his prime.

Value: $35-45

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7) 1982 Topps Pete Rose (#780)

Love him or hate him, there is no denying that Pete Rose was a vital part of the baseball landscape during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

By the time this 1982 Topps card found its way to collectors, Rose was well into his tenure with the Philadelphia Phillies after a storied run with his hometown Cincinnati Reds, and Charlie Hustle had built a huge fan base all across the country.

Many of his supporters remain convinced today that the all-time Hit King belongs in the Hall of Fame, and that support — along with the controversy that continues to follow Pete — keeps his cards near the top of hobby price lists.

This 1982 issue, featuring a crouching Rose at first base, shows the legend as he prepared for the stretch run of his career.

Value: $35-45

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6) 1982 Topps Nolan Ryan (#90)

By 1982, most fans thought Nolan Ryan was heading ’round the bend of his baseball career at age 35 … little did we know all the thrills the big Texan had left in his holster.

More strikeouts … more no-hitters … more wins … more punches to Robin Ventura‘s head.

All of it was still to come, and Ryan’s exploits well into the 1990s would drag his cards to the top of the hobby mountain.

This 1982 Topps card features the Astros rainbow, only adding to its popularity.

Value: $50-55

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5) 1982 Topps Dale Murphy (#668)

This card is ground zero for the Dale Murphy phenomenon, released just at the outset of Murphy’s absolute peak, beginning with National League MVP awards in both 1982 and 1983, culminating with a 44-home-run showing in 1987.

Unfortunately, it was a pretty quick decline from there, as Murphy’s power and on-base numbers spiraled downward through his mid-30s.

By then, though, he was a hobby legend, and his cards – including this history-laden 1982 Topps issue – remain extremely strong in the modern market.

And, if Murph ever gets the call from Cooperstown, you can expect a resurgence in interest in his cards and collectibles.

Value: $50-60

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4) 1982 Topps Lee Smith Rookie Card (#507)

Lee Smith does not have the most saves in baseball history … but he did when he retired in 1997.

And Smith didn’t strike out batters at the ungodly rates we see from today’s “high-leverage” relievers doing, but he did just fine with his 8.5 per nine innings over the course of an 18-year career.

Mostly, though, Smith stands as one of the more intimidating late-inning mound figures of the last 40 years, helping to redefine the role of closer during his years with the Chicago Cubs in the 1980s.

And, for all that dominance, Smith eventually reaped baseball’s highest individual honor – a Hall of Fame plaque – in 2019.

Not surprisingly, his elevation to Cooperstown status also carried his cards into the hobby stratosphere, led by his classic 1982 Topps rookie card.

Value: $60-65

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3) 1982 Topps Tom Seaver (#30)

Tom Seaver was once a phenom, and he more than lived up to the hype — among Seaver’s hardware were the 1967 NL Rookie of the Year award and Cy Youngs in 1969, 1973, and 1975.

That first CYA helped the awful New York Mets turn into the Amazin’ Mets who won the 1969 World Series, and Seaver’s second Cy Young season helped the Mets get to the 1973 Series.

A 300-game winner who also pitched with the Cincinnati Reds (and a handful of other teams at the end of his career), Tom Terrific is an all-time great whose cards remain popular all these decades later.

His 1982 Topps shows a pensive Seaver during an interview — maybe answering questions about his future Cooperstown hat choice?

Value: $60-70

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2) 1982 Topps Rickey Henderson (#610)

In the spring of 1982, when this third-year Rickey Henderson card was issued, The Man of Steal was not quite yet The Man of Steal.

Sure, he had swiped 100 bases in 1980, before the 1981 strike sapped everyone’s numbers, but 1982 was the year he’d break Lou Brock‘s single-season record by stealing 130.

From there, it was a 20-year sprint to the Hall of Fame for the man many consider the best leadoff hitter of all-time — no one combined Henderson’s speed, patience, power, and hot-dogness with such aplomb.

This popular 1982 Topps card shows Rickey in his element — wreaking havoc on the basepaths.

Value: $60-85

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1) 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card (#21)

Cal Ripken, Jr., came on the baseball scene with a lot of hype as the son of a Major League coach and a big second-round shortstop out of high school who only seemed to get better as he climbed the minor league ladder.

The Iron Man lived up to his billing right away and never really stopped: 1982 American League Rookie of the Year, 1983 AL Most Valuable Player award, 1991 AL MVP, The Streak, a plaque in Cooperstown.

Along the way, Ripken lifted his cardboard into hobby stardom, too, beginning with his 1982 Topps base rookie card that he shared with Bobby Bonner and Jeff Schneider.

Once the absolute hottest card in the hobby, this classic RC remains among the most valuable of the 1980s.

Value: $125-150

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Honorable Mention

A couple of players who did some nifty work during the 1981 season would go on to become absolute hobby monsters ten years or so down the road.

The 1982 Topps set gave collectors an extra dose (or two) of those guys PLUS a few other interesting twists and turns that bear mentioning.

So we will — behold, our honorable mentions …

6) 1982 Topps Nolan Ryan – ERA Leaders (#66)

Yes, Nolan Ryan was the strikeout pitcher to end all strikeout pitchers (at least among guys who could muster more than a few innings at a clip like the 2020s models), but he also overcame an early wild streak to turn into a fine overall pitcher.

In fact, he was able to cop a couple of ERA crowns, including the National League title during the 1981 season … which led to this dream combo of Ryan and Steve McCatty.

Like all the clever lads who go on about the “Jerry Koosman rookie card,” this one gives all us wiseacres a chance to wax poetic about the McCatty leaders card.

Score.

Value: $20-30

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5) 1982 Topps Nolan Ryan – Astros Leaders (#167)

For much of his career, Ryan carried a reputation as more of just a flamethrower than a bona fide ace, but he was still the front man for many/most of his teams.

And when his team-leading ERA coincided with Topps’ decision to issue team leader cards, the stage was set for more Ryan Express fodder for the hobby fire he would ignite in the early 1980s.

Value: $25-35

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4) 1982 Topps Rickey Henderson & Tim Raines – Stolen Base Leaders (#164)

Rickey Henderson is probably the greatest leadoff hitter of all-time, and he’s certainly the most prolific stolen base champion ever.

And, when you factor in the entirety of his career and all the records he owns, well, Rickey is right there in the upper echelon of Hall of Famers.

Meanwhile …

For most of his career, Tim Raines did pretty much all the same stuff that Rickey did, just not quite as well or loudly. In many ways, he toiled in Henderson’s shadow and gained a reputation as a sort of scaled-down version of the SB king.

That’s a pretty fair assessment, too, because Raines wasn’t quite Rickey’s equal – but he was *still* good enough to snag his own Cooperstown plaque.

Put them together on one card, and you have hobby gold … but don’t blink, or you’ll miss it speeding past.

Value: $30-35

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3) 1982 Topps Rickey Henderson – A’s Leaders (#156)

Not only did Henderson lead the AL in stolen bases in 1981, he also led the A’s in batting.

That feat landed him this dandy combo card with Steve McCatty, who looks upon his teammate approvingly.

Value: $25-45

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2) 1982 Topps George Foster All-Star (with autograph) (#342)

This George Foster All-Star issue is sort of the opposite of the “blackless” 1982 cards – after all, it has *too much* black ink.

In particular, the Foster AS features a facsimile autograph, a feature generally reserved for each player’s base card in this set. But a relatively small number of Yahtzee’s #345 do indeed show up with a sig on front.

And, if there’s anything we’ve learned over the years, besides how great 1978 OPC gum still tastes, it’s that error cards featuring superstars are the bee’s knees.

Value: $35-45

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1) 1982 Topps Reggie Jackson All-Star Blackless (#551)

This card is here as a stalwart representative of the 1982 Topps Blackless Bunch – cards that somehow missed the production stage when black ink was applied.

Some estimates have at least half of the 792-card checklist affected by this error, which you might rightly consider to be nothing more or less than a printing defect.

Seeing as how the rest of the card – aside from the black piping, facsimile signatures, and the like – is intact, though, and that plenty of stars are in play … and that the defective versions are pretty scarce … well, it’s not hard to see the appeal.

And, when you add in Reggie’s swagger, it’s no wonder this card makes our list.

Value: $500-500

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1982 Topps Traded

The hobby was skeptical of the 1981 Topps Traded set, but apparently enough of us eventually took the plunge to convince Topps that a second go-round in 1982 was warranted.

And, thanks to a strong crop of rookies making the jump from three-man “Rookie Stars” cards to solo RCs, plus some big names finding new homes, 1982 Topps Traded became the first late-year set to really take off in the secondary market.

Here are the top cards from this issue today …

5) 1982 Topps Traded Reggie Jackson (#47T)

Reggie Jackson was made for the big stage, and if it couldn’t be the Big Apple, well, Hollywood would be a fitting alternative.

So, when Reggie took his show to California before the 1982 season, you had to think there was some magic left in the old Mr. October bat, even if the glitz and glamor of the Yankees were behind him.

And Reggie reminded us right away – with another big power showing, and with this full-on movie star shot – that he was a fountain of limelight unto himself.

Value: $20-25

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4) 1982 Topps Traded Chili Davis Rookie Card (#23T)

Chili Davis is sort of a forgotten man among the many stars of the 1980s and 1990s, but the dude could mash.

And enough collectors remember Davis’ many contributions to the game for this classic card to hang around lists like this one.

Value: $20-25

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3) 1982 Topps Traded Kent Hrbek Rookie Card (#44T)

The Twins were a pretty bad team in the early 1980s, but they had a stable of promising young players coming up through the minor league ranks.

Hopes were rising, even if skepticism remained.

The mood turned sanguine in a hurry once big bats like Kent Hrbek made it to Minneapolis and started to deliver on all that promise.

Herbie may never make the Hall of Fame, but he’s a Twins legend, and his solo RC is still a collector favorite.

Value: $25-35

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2) 1982 Topps Traded Ozzie Smith (#109T)

There are few more iconic player-team combos than Ozzie Smith with the St.Louis Cardinals, and this was the first card to capture that marriage.

Long one of the most popular cards in this set, the 1982 Topps Traded Ozzie now stands as one of the decade’s most iconic cardboard relics … especially considering the Smith helped the Cards to a championship his first season (1982) in town.

Value: $45-55

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1) 1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card (#98T)

The first standalone Topps Traded set may belong to 1981, but the first card to really make the series a hobby burner belongs to 1982 … and to Cal Ripken, Jr.

By the time this first Topps single of Iron Cal made its way to collectors, his Rookie-of-the-Year-winning first season was in the books, and his three-man RC in the base 1982 set was a prized pull among collectors.

This card burned like a supernova when Cal won his second MVP award in 1983 and continued to streak across the hobby firmament as Ripken ran his consecutive-games streak into Lou Gehrig territory.

Today, the Topps Traded Ripken rookie card stand as one of the most valuable cards from the 1980s.

Value: $425-450

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Sure, there was the Ozzie Smith rookie card, but Ozzie was “just” a defensive whiz and would never make the Hall of Fame … right?

Then there were a few lesser rookies like Carney Lansford and Bob Horner, and some fun but sorta gimmicky All-Time Leaders cards, but …

This thing was going nowhere.

Except …

Ozzie became a legend on a beeline to Cooperstown.

Paul Molitor found a way to overcome his injuries and off-field problems to put together an unbelievable late-career run, making his second-year card a hot item.

And we woke up one day to find that this set was 30+ years old and not mass-produced like stuff from the Junk Wax Era.

Suddenly, 1979 Topps was a winner — with some cards being more winning than others.

With that in mind, here are the 15 most valuable cards from the 1979 Topps baseball card set based on PSA 9 selling prices as reported in the Auction Prices Realized (APR) tool.

(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon links for the cards being discussed.)

15) 1979 Topps Eddie Murray (#640)

Murray followed up his Rookie of the Year showing in 1977 with an even stronger 1978.

By the end of 1979, the young, slugging first baseman was a key member of yet another Orioles pennant-winner.

Eventually, of course, Eddie would accumulate more than 3000 hits and 500 home runs en route to Cooperstown.

And, of course, all his cards — and especially early ones like this 1979 — are hobby heavyweights.

Value: $85-95

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14) 1979 Topps Mike Schmidt (#610)

Schmidt entered 1979 as a three-time home run champ, but coming off a relatively paltry showing in 1978 that produced just 21 dingers and 78 RBI.

With his 30th birthday looming that September, there were fears Schmidt’s best days were behind him.

He quieted that noise pretty quickly, thanks to his first 40-homer season, then followed up by winning NL MVP awards in both 1980 and 1981, then again in 1986.

Today, this 1979 Topps card — with no All-Star banner — is just another of Schmitty’s classic issues that always makes collectors happy.

Value: $90-100

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13) 1979 Topps Rod Carew (#300)

Carew won his seventh and final American League batting title, just a year after hitting an unreal .388.

His place in Cooperstown was all but wrapped up by the time this card hit shelves in the spring of 1979, and, like the Reggie, it sports the All-Star banner … what’s not to love?

Value: $90-110

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12) 1979 Topps Thurman Munson (#310)

Every year as summer wanes, the baseball world pauses to remember the legacy of Thurman Munson, the Yankees captain and superstar catcher killed in a plane crash on August 2, 1979.

He was one of the few active baseball players to be taken from us during the season and remains one of the greatest catchers not enshrined in Cooperstown.

Will Munson ever make the Hall of Fame cut?

Hard to say, but his 1979 Topps issue is also his last major-brand card as an active player, and it’s become something of a classic.

Value: $90-120

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11) 1979 Topps Jim Palmer (#340)

Jim Palmer was sort of like the 1970s baseball version of Tom Brady — part of a tremendously successful franchise, sickeningly good looking, and damn good at his job.

How good?

From 1970 through 1978, Palmer won 20 or more games eight times, nabbed three AL Cy Young Awards, and helped the Orioles to four AL East titles, two AL pennants, and one World Series championship (with pennants in 1969 and 1979 thrown in for good measure).

And he was an underwear model.

After all that, you might have expected all of his baseball cards to have been destroyed in a mass-hysteria jealous rage, but his solid 1979 Topps issue lives on just fine.

Value: $90-125

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10) 1979 Topps Reggie Jackson (#700)

Jackson and the Yankees were coming off their second straight World Series title when this card was issued, and Reggie had definitley cemented himself as “Mr. October.”

This is a pasteboard fitting of the hot dog it features, complete with black shades and the blingy Topps All-Star banner.

Collectors have loved this thing for more than four decades.

Value: $100-125

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9) 1979 Topps Dave Winfield (#30)

Dave Winfield could probably have excelled as a professional in any sport he chose and was in fact drafted by the Atlanta Haws (NBA), Utah Stars (ABA), and Minnesota Vikings (NFL).

To the eventual delight of baseball fans everywhere, though, Winfield signed with the San Diego Padres after they made him the the fourth overall pick in the 1973 Major League Baseball draft.

Winfield made his MLB debut that summer without ever suiting up in the minors, and the next 22 years would be a flurry of greatness that eventually landed him in Cooperstown.

In 1979, he was nearing the end of his time with the Padres, as the New York Yankees would snag him in free agency prior to the 1981 season.

This late-Padres Winfield Topps card is still popular with collectors

Value: $125-175

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8) 1979 Topps Dale Murphy (#39)

By 1979, Dale Murphy had flashed some good power — he clubbed 23 home runs in 1978 — but was still struggling to find a position in the Majors.

After starting professional life as a catcher, Murph spent most of ’78 at first base and would sort of split 1979 — with reduced overall playing time — between the two.

It wasn’t until the Atlanta Braves shifted him to the outfield in 1980 that Murphy’s career really began to take off.

Before any of that happened, though, he took his hacks on this 1979 Topps card, his third issue and first solo card.

Value: $150-175

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7) 1979 Topps George Brett (#330)

By 1979, George Brett was a perennial All-Star and sometimes MVP candidate for the ever-competitive Kansas City Royals, but he had yet to become GEORGE BRETT.

You know, the .400-chasing, .390-hitting, hemorrhoid-suffering, mind-losing-pine-tar-using legend who personified baseball as well as anyone from his generation.

Even so, his 1979 Topps baseball card is awesome, showing a waiting Brett ready to pounce on any ball hit his way at third base, and adorned with the All-Star banner.

Value: $200-225

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6) 1979 Topps Willie Stargell (#55)

At 39, Willie Stargell was well past his prime in 1979, but he mustered one last inspiring run to help his “We Are Family” Pittsburgh Pirates win a World Series over the vaunted Baltimore Orioles.

For his efforts, Stargell snagged a share of the National League Most Valuable Player award, along with St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Keith Hernandez.

Thanks to Pops’ big season (even if his co-MVP merit was debatable) and subsequent retrospective MVP sets like the 1982 Kmart 20th Anniversary boxed deal, this card has become an iconic symbol of late 1970s baseball.

Value: $200-230

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5) 1979 Topps Nolan Ryan (#115)

Nolan Ryan would leave the Californian Angels to sign the richest free agent pact to that point (with the Houston Astros) after the 1979 season. In that final season with the Halos, though, Ryan did what he always did — led the league in strikeouts (223), led the league in fewest hits allowed (6.8 per nine innings), and sported a good but not great record (16-14, 3.60 ERA).

Of course, over then next 15 seasons, The Ryan Express would become a bona fide legend, rocketing all his cards into the stratosphere.

His 1979 Topps issue falls right in line.

Value: $250-300

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4) 1979 Topps Paul Molitor (#24)

Paul Molitor was always an exciting player with plenty of upside, but injuries and off-field issues lessened his impact during the early years of his career.

Beginning in the early 1990s, though, the Milwaukee Brewers installed The Ignitor as their more-or-less regular DH, and he held that role through the rest of his career, including stints with the Toronto Blue Jays and his hometown Minnesota Twins.

The result was an incredible late-career surge that left Molitor with 3319 hits, more than 200 home runs, 500+ steals, a .306 lifetime batting average, and a Hall of Fame plaque.

This second-year Molitor card is the first to picture him alone — he had to share his 1978 Topps rookie card with some dude named Alan Trammell. The ’79 is a great card but really hard to find well-centered.

Value: $325-350

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3) 1979 Topps Pete Rose (#650)

Pete Rose left the Cincinnati Reds after the 1978 season, a development which pretty much ended any idea that the Big Red Machine had another lap left in her.

But while Charlie Hustle was helping lay the groundwork for a 1980 World Series title with the Philadelphia Phillies, fans and collectors were still seeing Red — as in Pete’s last Reds card.

Of course, this 1979 Topps classic would lose that designation when Rose returned to the Riverfront five years later, but it’s still a collector favorite that can bring good money in high grades

Value: $400-440

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2) 1979 Topps Dennis Eckersley (#40)

By the time this 1979 Topps Dennis Eckersley first made its way to collectors’ hands, the young righty was coming off his breakout season — 20-8, 2.99 ERA, a fourth place finish in American League Cy Young voting for the Boston Red Sox.

It was a rocky ride for Eckersley from there through the middle 1980s as he struggled with off-field problems and spotty on-field results that saw him traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1984 and the Oakland A’s in 1987.

And that was the turning point, as A’s skipper Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan moved Eckersley to the bullpen, where he became a dominant member of the Bash Brothers teams and stamped his own ticket to Cooperstown.

Along the way, Eck’s cards climbed toward the top of whatever set they appeared in, and his 1979 Topps issue — the first to show him with the BoSox after three pasteboards with the Cleveland Indians — is no exception.

Value: $450-500

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1) 1979 Topps Ozzie Smith Rookie Card (#116)

This one needs no introdcuction since I already mentioned The Wizard above and because his rookie card is so far ahead of all the other 1979 Topps cards.

Add in Ozzie’s legend, a solo-player rookie, and condition scarcity thanks to tilting and centering problems, and you have a card that knows few bounds when it comes to price limits.

Value: $2100-2400

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(Check out our other posts about baseball card values here.)

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