The 1985 baseball card season featured some of the most iconic and valuable cards in the hobby’s history. Fueled by the rise of the junk wax era with mass produced sets flooding the market, ’85 also had its fair share of highly sought after rookie cards and chase cards that have stood the test of time. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the most notable baseball cards from 1985.
One of the most famous and valuable baseball cards ever is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card from the 1985 Topps set. Widely considered one of if not the best baseball cards of all-time, Griffey’s rookie card featured him as a fresh-faced 16-year old prospect in the Mariners system. Of course, Griffey would go on to have a Hall of Fame career and is still regarded as one of the most talented outfielders to ever play. In high grade, Griffey’s ’85 Topps rookie regularly sells for well over $10,000 and the card is a staple in the collections of even casual baseball fans.
Another hugely valuable rookie card from 1985 is Dwight Gooden’s issue from Topps. As a 20-year old phenom, Gooden’s rookie captured him in his breakout season where he won both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award while leading the Mets to a World Series title. Gooden’s dominance made his rookie one of the most hotly pursued cards of its time. Today, a PSA 10 Gem Mint Gooden rookie can sell for upwards of $50,000 due to his amazing rookie season and status as one of the great young pitchers of all-time.
While Griffey and Gooden clearly lead the way, 1985 did feature other notable rookie cards as well. Don Mattingly’s final Topps rookie from his true rookie season of ’82 is a popular card. Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tom Browning had a stellar rookie card following his Rookie of the Year season. And Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg had a nice rookie issue as well that year. None have the cache of Griffey or Gooden, but they are still valued rookie cards that trace great careers.
In terms of chase cards outside of the rookies, one of the true gems from 1985 is the Nolan Ryan Express Poster insert card from Topps. Featuring a classic action shot of the flamethrower, the Express Poster was one of the most visually striking and popular inserts of the time. It captured the essence of Ryan at the peak of his fastball abilities before age slowed him down. PSA 10 copies can reach $5,000 due to the rarity and iconic subject matter.
Another very scarce and valuable insert from 1985 Topps was the Photo Shop card which featured players’ faces digitally added to humorous photos using early computer technology. High grade examples rarely come on the market and can sell for thousands because of the novelty and challenge in obtaining a pristine copy. The Red Man tobacco cards inserted in packs were also popular at the time and can hold value today for collectors.
For team and set collectors, 1985 Donruss and Fleer had their moments despite the dominance of Topps. Donruss featured a fun borderless design and included a Bob Gibson tribute card that is a nice piece of cardboard. Fleer experimented more with oddball photo variations that can make their ’85 set more intriguing to pursue. And the Glossy Send in set remains a holy grail for collectors who completed the set by mailing in proofs of purchase.
In the end, 1985 was a boom period for the baseball card industry both good and bad. While the overproduction of sets makes most common cards from that year cheap, the premium rookie cards and chase inserts have proven to stand the test of time. The classics issued of Ken Griffey Jr., Dwight Gooden, and others will likely always be sought after as they perfectly captured talented players at the start of amazing careers. For discerning collectors, 1985 remains a pinnacle year for finding treasures amongst the dust of the junk wax era.
