The 1985 Topps baseball card set was the 64th edition of Topps’ venerable baseball card offering. While not quite as iconic or valuable as some other vintage sets from the 1970s and early 1980s, the 1985 Topps set does contain some very notable and desirable rookie cards, as well as cards featuring statistical accomplishments and stars from that season. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key cards collectors look for from the 1985 Topps baseball set.
Perhaps the most sought-after rookie card from 1985 Topps is Cardinals pitcher Bob Forsch on card #445. Forsch had a solid if unspectacular 14-year MLB career, but his rookie card remains highly valuable due to the sheer rarity of highly graded copies. In a PSA 10 GEM MT condition, Forsch’s rookie card can fetch thousands of dollars due to the scarcity of perfect specimens. Another valuable rookie is Cardinals slugger Pedro Guerrero on card #466. Guerrero went on to career numbers of .300 batting average, 170 home runs and a respectable .818 OPS making his rookie widely collected.
Two American League MVP winners from 1985 have standout rookie cards as well. Blue Jays ace Dave Stieb won the AL Rookie of the Year and AL Cy Young Award in his debut season. His card, #149, remains one of the more iconic rookie cards from the ’80s Blue Jays teams. Meanwhile Angels star Donnie Moore, who tragically took his own life in 1989 after his role in a playoff defeat, has one of the more emotionally evocative rookie cards from #85 on card #363. Royals star Bret Saberhagen, who took home the AL Cy Young in 1985, has a stellar rookie card on #351 as well that is a centerpiece for Kansas City collections.
The 1985 set also touts historic achievement cards that hold value. Cardinal first baseman Jack Clark’s card #95 memorializes his 1985 season where he led the NL in home runs with 35, RBI with 105 and total bases with 323. This powerhouse season made Clark one of the most feared hitters of the mid-80s. Dodgers ace Fernando Valenzuela’s card #329 highlights his remarkable first four full seasons where he amassed a record of 60-40 with an ERA below 3.00 before arm injuries derailed his career. The card is an iconic piece of Fernandomania memorabilia. And Cardinals star Ozzie Smith’s card #487 emphasizes his wizardry in the field with text honoring his 1985 N.L. Gold Glove streak and highlight of having committed only 8 errors at shortstop over the past two seasons.
Some other stars with noteworthy highlights on their ’85 cards include Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda on card #1 as his club won the NL West title that year. George Bell’s #142 card for Toronto underscored his breakout 1985 season where he hit .308 with 35 HR and 113 RBI, winning the AL Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. Cardinals legend Lou Brock’s #257 card marked his then-record 938th stolen base. And Don Mattingly’s #285 Yankees card recognized his first All-Star season where he hit .324 with 20 HR and 115 RBI, coming in 2nd in the 1985 AL MVP voting.
Rarity also increases the value of certain other highly numbered cards in the 1985 Topps set. Cardinals pitcher John Tudor’s card #398 typically demands a premium due to the low print run of high-numbered cards. The same holds true for Mets pitcher Sid Fernandez’s #401 card. Of course, the notorious error card of Pirates All-Star Willie Stargell on card #642 without a team logo also elicits collector demand due to the odd production mistake.
While not the most iconic vintage set, the 1985 Topps baseball card release does have its fair share of sought-after rookie cards, historic achievement highlights, and other memorabilia from stars of that baseball season that make certain key cards highly valuable to dedicated collectors. The top rookies, stars, and selected parallel short prints are what continue to drive collector interest and demand for stars of the 1980s featured in the 1985 Topps baseball card set nearly 40 years later.
