The 1988 Kmart baseball card set was unique in that it was one of the only major sets not produced by the traditional card companies of Topps, Donruss or Fleer. At a time when baseball cards were immensely popular, Kmart saw an opportunity to cash in on the baseball card craze and launched its own exclusive 132 card set that was only available through their retail stores.
The design of the 1988 Kmart cards was quite basic and simplistic compared to the glossy, colorful cards from Topps and others. The photos were smaller and had plain white borders around them with blue and red coloring in the background. Player stats and career highlights were listed on the back along with fun facts. One unique aspect was that each card listed the player’s shoe size. The cardboard stock was thinner and of lower quality than standard baseball cards, which may be why few have survived in pristine condition over 30 years later.
Despite the no-frills design and lower production values, Kmart cards were highly popular among young collectors in 1988. The fact that they were exclusive to Kmart stores and not available in packs at convenience stores or card shops gave the set extra allure. At 50 cents per pack and 10 cards to a pack, they were also less expensive than the commercial brands. The store displays and packaging prominently promoted their status as an ‘All-Star Team’ of 132 big league stars.
Some notable rookies included in the set were Mark McGwire, Barry Larkin, Gregg Olson and Bobby Thigpen. Superstar veterans like Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson and Nolan Ryan highlighted the checklist. Popular Chicago players like Ryne Sandberg, Greg Maddux and Andre Dawson appeared as members of the world champion 1987 Cubs.
The most valuable and sought after card in the 1988 Kmart set is generally considered to be the Ken Griffey Jr rookie card. Griffey had just finished a phenomenal rookie season with the Seattle Mariners where he hit .284 with 16 home runs and 47 RBI in 113 games to finish third in Rookie of the Year voting. His exciting future potential fueled tremendous demand for his rookie card at the time. In top graded Gem Mint condition, Griffey’s Kmart rookie has sold for over $2000, an extraordinary price for a card from this humble retail set.
While the 1988 Kmart cards are not as iconic or recognized among collectors today as the flagship issues from Topps, Donruss and Fleer, they still hold a nostalgic appeal for those who ripped packs of them as kids over 30 years ago. As one of the few major baseball card sets not produced by the industry giants, it captured the excitement of the sport in a unique way. The affordable price tag and “exclusivity” of only being sold at Kmart likely led to tens of thousands being printed and scattered across the country in the hands of young fans. For many, their first exposure to collecting came from finding baseball cards while shopping with parents and begging for a pack of the new Kmart cards. Over three decades later, those remnants of once vibrant collections still surface on the resale market, a connection to the past that continues to resonate with collectors today.
