The 1986 Topps baseball card set is a highly collectible release that saw rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Greg Maddux. It was also the third and final season that Topps had the exclusive MLB license before Score and Donruss entered the market. With a wide array of stars and key rookie cards, many 1986 Topps cards hold significant value today. Here is an overview of some of the top cards and their estimated values:
Perhaps the most coveted card from the 1986 set is the Barry Bonds rookie card. Considered one of the true Holy Grail cards of the hobby, the Bonds rookie is arguably the second most valuable modern card after the Mickey Mantle rookie. In pristine near-mint to mint condition ( graded Gem Mint 10 by services like PSA), the Bonds rookie has sold for over $400,000. Even well-centered excellent examples in the PSA 8-9 range can pull in $10,000-$50,000.
Another famous rookie from the set is Roger Clemens. As one of the premier power pitchers of his generation, Clemens posted a Hall of Fame career with over 4,000 strikeouts. High-grade Clemens rookies have sold for $50,000-$150,000 depending on condition. More reasonably graded copies in the PSA 7-8 range hold values of $3,000-$15,000.
Staying with future Hall of Fame pitchers, the Greg Maddux rookie is highly sought after as well. Known for his pinpoint control and wonderful game-reading skills, Maddux amassed 355 career victories and 4 Cy Young Awards. Top-graded PSA 10 Maddux rookies have reached $40,000 at auction. Still coveted PSA 9 copies range between $15,000-$25,000, with PSA 8s settling in the $5,000-$10,000 zone.
In terms of position players, the Mark McGwire rookie is a standout from 1986 Topps. Prior to his home run chasing feats later in his career, McGwire first made his Topps debut. Top-graded PSA 10 McGwire rookies now sell for over $15,000. Solid PSA 8 copies still command $3,000-$5,000 on the open market.
The emerging superstar rookie class doesn’t end there. Will Clark, whose power and consistent batting made him a feared hitter, debuted in the 1986 Topps set as well. High-end PSA 9+ Clark rookies go for $3,000-$5,000 today. More common PSA 8 copies grade out around the $1,000 mark currently.
Moving past rookies, the set features numerous stars throughout. Any Mint condition copy of the Wade Boggs card (PSA 10) could fetch over $2,000 today. Meanwhile, a pristine Kirby Puckett NM-MT graded PSA 9 card ranges from $1,000-$1,500. And a BGS/PSA graded Roberto Alomar rookie nets $800-$1,200 usually.
Some other notably valuable regular issues include a PSA 10 Ozzie Smith (valued around $1,000), PSA 10 Cal Ripken Jr. ($800-900 range), and PSA 9-10 Roger Clemens SP ($750-$1,250). Getting into the $300-$500 territory are high-graded copies of Dennis Eckersley, Dwight Gooden, and Tim Raines cards.
The checklist as a whole contains many singles in the $50-$150 range depending on star power and condition as well. This includes players like Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Don Mattingly, Rickey Henderson, and more. Even mid-range commons from stars can have value, such as PSA 8 Kirby Puckett ($150) or PSA 8 Gooden ($100).
The 1986 Topps set holds tremendous nostalgia and value for collectors due to the strong rookie class and impressive lineup of talent featured on the cards. Key rookie gems like Bonds, Clemens, and Maddux lead the way, but numerous stars and future Hall of Famers ensure most anything graded nicely from the set retains interest and worth decades later. It remains one of the true classic and investment-worthy releases from the modern era.
