The 1985 Fleer baseball card set was the third issued by Fleer after they entered the baseball card market in 1981. The 1985 set marked a turning point for Fleer as they began to gain more traction and market share against industry leaders Topps. The 1985 Fleer set contained a total of 398 cards and was the company’s largest set to date.
Fleer’s design in 1985 featured a clean and simple look that stood out among competitors. Each card had a white border with the team name and logo across the top. In the center was a large action photo of the player. At the bottom was information including position, batting stats, career highlights. Fleer went with a classic blue, red, and yellow color scheme. The cards had a glossy finish and were of generally high photographic quality.
Some of the biggest stars and rookie cards of the era featured in the 1985 Fleer set included Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Dwight Gooden, Ozzie Smith, Kirby Puckett, and Barry Bonds. Mattingly’s card was one of the most coveted in the entire set and remains a highly valuable vintage card today. Clemens’ rookie is also highly sought after by collectors.
Fleer introduced several innovative subsets in 1985 that added to the excitement and collectibility of the set. One was the “Traded” subset, which featured 23 players who had been traded in the previous year, with their new team uniforms. This captured an element of the ever-changing MLB landscape. There was also a “Team Leaders” subset highlighting statistical leaders from the 1984 season.
Perhaps the most popular subset was the “Fleer Futures” cards, which featured prospects and young players not yet established in the majors. This included rookie cards for Will Clark, Barry Larkin, and Mark McGwire. The Futures cards had a distinctive blue border and were a hit with collectors interested in the next generation of stars. Clark and McGwire in particular rocketed in value in subsequent years.
Distribution of the 1985 Fleer set was much improved over previous years, a sign the company was gaining a stronger foothold. Still, the set had some production inconsistencies that are well known to vintage collectors. The photo-quality and centering varied more than competitors. Some cards had print lines or color variations that add interest today but showed the set was still a work in progress.
The size of the 1985 Fleer set at 398 total cards was also an achievement, surpassing Topps’ set that year. However, Fleer made the decision not to include managers or umpires that year. They focused strictly on active players. This was a different approach than Topps that included various “non-player” cards as well.
In the competitive baseball card market of the 1980s, the 1985 Fleer set gained Fleer important recognition and respect. They were starting to produce cards that could stand toe-to-toe with the industry pioneer Topps in terms of design, photography, and collectibility. Rookie cards like Clemens, Gooden, and Bonds that boomed in value reinforced this.
While the set had some production inconsistencies typical of a growing company, the 1985 Fleer cards represented an important step forward and are still popular with collectors today. Key rookies, stars of the era, and innovative subsets like Futures and Traded added lasting appeal. By 1985, Fleer was here to stay in the baseball card industry and this set was when they started gaining more equal footing with the longtime kingpin Topps.
The 1985 Fleer baseball card set marked an important turning point for the relatively new brand. With high quality photography, iconic players, and innovative subsets, Fleer started producing a set that could truly compete with Topps in terms of design and collectibility. Key rookies like Clemens and Gooden that boomed in value reinforced this. While not a perfect set production-wise, 1985 Fleer cards remain a favorite of collectors and represented Fleer truly starting to make their mark.
