The 1982 Donruss baseball card set was the second edition of Donruss baseball cards produced and a cornerstone set of the 1980s. It featured 672 total cards in the base set including rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr., Tony Gwynn, and Wade Boggs.
Some key things to know about the 1982 Donruss baseball card set include:
The set featured 672 total cards with the players’ photos on the front and career stats and fun facts on the back. The design was similar to the 1981 inaugural Donruss set with a white border around each card.
The base cards ranged from #1 to #672 with player names and team logos prominently displayed. Some of the superstar players featured included Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson, Nolan Ryan, and George Brett among many others.
Notable rookie cards in the set included #140 Cal Ripken Jr., #344 Tony Gwynn, and #531 Wade Boggs. All three players would go on to have Hall of Fame careers and their rookie cards from this set are key collector pieces today.
Future Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith had his first card as a Cardinal in this set at #543. His iconic defensive skills were just starting to gain recognition.
Two future 300-game winners had their rookies in this set – #490 Frank Viola and #463 Bert Blyleven. Both had strong careers though Blyleven is now in the Hall of Fame while Viola had a solid career as well.
Superstar pitching talent included #1 Nolan Ryan whose express train image graced the front of the wax paper pack. Also in the set was #15 Fernando Valenzuela, #84 Bert Blyleven, #120 Steve Carlton, and #138 Tom Seaver among many others.
-Position players included #5 Mike Schmidt, #13 George Brett, #25 Rod Carew, #56 Dave Winfield, and #97 Eddie Murray all of whom put together Hall of Fame resumes. The set captured these superstars in their primes.
Due to licensing restrictions, the baseball logos on the uniforms were replaced with uniform colored squares. This gave the set a unique, almost sepia tone color palette compared to rival sets.
The cards were originally packed 18 per waxed paper pack with no gum. Early printing error cards also exist including reverse negative image variations.
Higher numbered stars included #129 Steve Garvey at #129 and #135 Dave Parker. These were not true “short prints” but some of the higher stars in the base set.
The design used a white border around each card with a blue and red color scheme. Statistics and a fun fact were featured on the back along with the standard Donruss logo.
With no true statistical or checklists subsets, the 672 card base took collectors from A to Z of the players of 1982. Organizing and completing it was very doable for young collectors.
The airbrushed photos captured the players in crisp detail. Though rudimentary by later ’80s standards, they provided a clear view of each star. With them in nearly full baseball uniform it felt timely and tied to the current MLB season.
Inserted randomly in wax packs were manager/coach cards of famous bench bosses including #560 Tommy Lasorda and #561 Sparky Anderson among others. These added to the set’s personality.
Production was high for Donruss’ sophomore set with multiples of even the chase rookie cards still obtainable today without breaking the bank for most common versions.
Grading/condition of original 1982 Donruss cards can vary wildly because they saw heavy use by young collectors right out of the pack. Near mint and above grades exist but are not as common for this fun, foundational set.
The 1982 Donruss baseball card set captured the superstars and future legends of the early 1980s in crisp, colorful photos. Key rookie cards and a fun,completion-oriented design made it a highly collectible release during its era and one that retains nostalgia and value today. Its massive coverage of the 1982 MLB season in a relatively affordable 672 card checklist make it one of the quintessential early ’80s baseball card sets.
