The 1985 Topps baseball card set was the 64th series issued by Topps and featured cards of players from Major League Baseball teams. Some key things to know about the 1985 Topps set include:
Size and number of cards: The 1985 Topps set included 792 total cards in the base set. The cards measured approximately 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches, consistent with standard baseball card sizes of the era.
Design and photography: The design of the 1985 Topps cards featured a primarily white background with team logos and colors prominently displayed. Player photographs took up most of the front of the card with statistics and career highlights printed on the back. The photography and graphics had a cleaner, less cluttered look compared to some earlier Topps sets.
Roster changes: Notable players who were featured in the 1985 Topps set in their first season included Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, and Tim Raines. Meanwhile, stars like Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, and Tom Seaver appeared in the set during what would be their final MLB seasons.
Rookie cards: Some top rookie cards included in the 1985 set were Gooden, Strawberry, Wally Joyner, Barry Larkin, and Mark McGwire. Gooden’s rookie in particular is one of the most valuable from the 1980s.
Short prints: The 1985 Topps set included several short printed cards that were rarer in packs than the standard base cards. Some of the most notable included cards for Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, and Don Mattingly. These short prints carry a significant premium over common cards in the set.
Star player highlights: The 1985 Topps set featured the dominant players of the era such as Ryne Sandberg, Kirby Puckett, Roger Clemens, and Rickey Henderson during their prime years. Other huge stars included George Brett, Mike Schmidt, and Nolan Ryan. Cards of these superstar players from the mid-80s are still highly desirable for collectors.
Team checklists: In addition to player cards, the 1985 Topps set included checklists for each MLB team with the roster and manager printed on it. These cards help collectors keep track of completing their team sets.
Traded and update series: After the season, Topps issued smaller traded and update series cards to account for players that changed teams via trade or were called up from the minors late in the year. These supplemental sets are considered part of the overall 1985 issue.
Parallels and variations: While most common in modern sets, the 1985 Topps issue did include some parallel and variation cards. Among them were gold foil stamped cards, error variations, and team leader cards featuring players in different poses than the standard issue.
In terms of player selection, team distribution, and rookie cards included, the 1985 Topps set did a great job representing the MLB season from that year. It remains a very popular vintage release due to the star players featured from the mid-1980s. Prices for high-grade examples of stars like Gooden, Sandberg, Brett, and Henderson have increased steadily. The set is also attainable for most collectors to complete the base roster. The 1985 Topps baseball card set endures as a memorable issue that captures a specific time in the sport.
The 1985 Topps baseball card set was the 64th series from the iconic manufacturer. It featured 792 total cards including many young star rookies and veterans from their prime years. Short prints, parallels, and the top rookie cards like Dwight Gooden make it a highly collectible vintage release. Along with star power and design elements, the 1985 issue continues to be popular with collectors decades later.
