The 1986 Topps Traded baseball card set was the second special issue or “traded” set released by Topps as a follow up to their main flagship release. Like the debut 1985 Topps Traded set from the previous year, it highlighted high-profile players who were traded to new teams during or after the 1985 season. The 132-card base set featured many of baseball’s biggest stars and some of the most intriguing trades from that year.
Topps Traded sets in the 1980s provided a way for the company to generate additional card products focused on key players and roster changes outside of the traditional annual release each spring. They capitalized on baseball’s active trade market by photographing players in the new uniforms shortly after swaps occurred. This set in particular documented several impactful deals and player movements that shook up various pennant races.
One of the headlining trades was the June 7th swap that sent American League MVP Willie McGee from the St. Louis Cardinals to the New York Mets. Though he struggled initially adjusting to the NL, McGee became a critical piece down the stretch for a Mets squad that won the World Series. His Traded card pictured him batting in his new road grey Mets jersey. Another blockbuster was the June 30th deal that brought ace starting pitcher Bob Welch over from the Oakland Athletics to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Welch went on to dominate for LA down the stretch as they edged out the Mets for the NL West crown. His Traded card featured him on the Dodgers’ home mound at Dodger Stadium. Elsewhere, the Toronto Blue Jays acquired star slugger Tony Fernandez from the San Diego Padres on August 12th. His traded issue showed him batting from the left side in Toronto’s powder blue road unis. These were just a few of the many impactful acquisitions chronicled.
The set also highlighted several veterans who were dealt to contenders for the playoff push. The New York Yankees obtained shortstop Ray Knight from the Houston Astros on August 28th. He provided invaluable veteran leadership and clutch hitting for that 1985 Bronx Bombers club. Veteran slugger Rico Carty was obtained by the Boston Red Sox from the Cleveland Indians on September 1st. He gave their lineup a much-needed power presence down the stretch. Each player’s Traded card photographed them in their new uniform.
For collectors, these special 1986 Topps Traded issues had immense appeal. In addition to top stars, the set also included key role players and backups who were swapped. It effectively served as an addendum to the base Topps flagship set released months prior, with photography specifically capturing players in their new environs. The visuals of stars like McGee, Welch and Fernandez in unfamiliar uniforms created intrigue. Many considered it one of the most impactful and historically significant Topps Traded releases ever produced.
Because it documented so many influential trades in detail visually, the 1986 Topps Traded set became a set that held its value exceptionally well long-term. Cards of McGee, Welch and Fernandez in particular are among the most sought-after and expensive from the entire run. The collectibles market’s appetite for documentation and visuals of baseball history fueled strong long-standing demand. It established Topps Traded as an indispensable annual part of the baseball card landscape moving forward as well.
Subsequent Topps Traded releases tried to match this one for star power and relevance, but 1986 remains the gold standard. Its timing allowed it to capture an avalanche of impactful player movements between teams. This translated directly to strong nostalgia and collecting interest that endures over 35 years later. For both casual collectors and serious investors alike, 1986 Topps Traded cards retain immense significance, visual pop and memorabilia merit tied to some of baseball’s most pivotal 1980s trades and championships. It stands as perhaps the single most iconic and historically valuable Topps Traded set ever produced.
