The 1995 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable sets released in the 1990s. As the legendary brand continued their 70+ year tradition of releasing a new set each year, their 1995 offering would become very popular with collectors and provide great returns on investment for those who purchased and held onto a complete set.
Released in March of 1995, the 1995 Topps set consisted of 792 total cards including 20 Special Team and Stadium cards. Some of the top rookies featured in the set included Hideo Nomo, Derrek Lee, Roberto Alomar Jr., Jason Varitek, and David Eckstein. Nomo in particular drove interest in the set as he became arguably the first true Japanese “star” in Major League Baseball after his dominant rookie season in 1995 winning Rookie of the Year.
Collectors hoped to land star rookie cards like Nomo’s which carried additional value. Having a complete base set with all 792 standard cards also held great value long term. At the time of release in 1995, a sealed box containing 24 packs with an average of 11 cards per pack cost around $30, making it quite affordable for collectors. Finding a complete unopened set today in mint condition would be extremely difficult.
Over the ensuing years after 1995, the popularity and mainstream emergence of the baseball card collecting hobby exploded. Millions of kids that collected in the 90s are now adults with discretionary income longing for their childhood card collections. As the supply ofcomplete 1995 Topps sets still in pristine condition dwindled against this growing demand, prices increased significantly.
In the early 2000s, a complete 1995 Topps set in near mint to mint condition could be acquired for around $500-$750. By 2010, prices had jumped to $1,000-$1,500 on the secondary market. Then between 2010-2015, values rose sharply as the collectors from the 90s came of adult collecting age coupled with the explosion of interest from people looking to invest in tangible assets.
By 2015, a complete 1995 Topps set in top-notch mint condition was worth $3,000-$4,000 and sets in near mint to excellent condition graded by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) or Beckett Grading services were bringing $2,000-3,000. For the first time, the 1995 Topps set cracked the $3,000 threshold and stayed above it due to strong market demand.
Through the late 2010s, values held mostly steady between $3,000-$4,000 as interest from the large Millennial generation of collectors kept demand high. The onset of the global pandemic in 2020 is what really propelled values to new heights. With more people spending time at home and focusing on hobbies, the collector market exploded across many segments including vintage sports cards.
By 2021, the increase in prices was staggering, with a PSA-graded 1995 Topps set in near mint to mint condition rising above $5,000. Regular complete uncertified sets were achieving $4,000 all the way up to $6,000 or more depending on exact condition. Some factors driving this included:
Massive influx of “COVID hobbyists” seeking collectibles to buy and flip
Traders and investors entering the market seeing cards as a worthwhile alternative asset
Millions more people collecting cards, both young and old, increasing competition
Raw materials shortages limiting new card production and exacerbating supply/demand imbalance
Today in 2022, the 1995 Topps complete base set has fully cemented itself as one of the elite vintage sets highly sought after by both passionate collectors and serious card investors. Average sales prices have continued trending upward. A PSA 9 graded 1995 Topps set recently sold for nearly $8,500. Regular raw near-complete to complete sets in top condition are reaching $7,000-$9,000 at auction.
What makes the 1995 Topps set stand out so much is the quality of its design couped with the legendary caliber of players featured from the mid-90s era like Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, and more. Holding a complete mint set from one of the most popular hobby years is a real feat, especially 27 years later. With values still climbing sharply, the 1995 Topps baseball cards have proven to be one of the best long-term investments in the entire collectibles industry.
For serious vintage card collectors or investors, locating a 1995 Topps complete base set in top condition is extremely difficult due to high demand but could pay huge dividends considering the still-rising prices and future potential for growth. Relative to other investment vehicles, the returns achieved by simply holding a complete 1995 Topps set purchased in past decades have vastly outpaced most traditional assets like stocks, bonds, real estate and more – making it one of the strongest performing collectibles of all time. With another generation of 90s kids soon entering their peak spending power years, continued increases appear likely for the foreseeable future.
