The 1989 Topps Big baseball card set was a unique large format issue produced by Topps during their 60th anniversary year. Standing out from traditional baseball cards due to their oversized 5×7 inch dimensions, the ’89 Topps Big cards featured vivid color portraits and statistical information on many of baseball’s top stars from that season.
Released in packs similar to the standard size Topps cards of the time, the ’89 Topps Big set contained a total of 100 cards and proved to be a very popular limited edition parallel issue among collectors. Each card featured a large full color photo with the player’s name and team prominently displayed across the top in bold font. Statistics from the previous season were listed on the rear along with career highlights.
Some of the biggest names in baseball at the time who were featured in the ’89 Topps Big set included Kirby Puckett, Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson, and Nolan Ryan. Hall of Famers like George Brett and Tony Gwynn also received oversized cards to commemorate their accomplishments. Rookies and lesser known players were included as well to complete the 100 card checklist.
Due to their larger than normal size, the ’89 Topps Big cards stood out in any collection and provided a more dramatic display of each player’s photo and stats versus the standard cards. They were clearly aimed at adult collectors rather than the youth market Topps usually targeted. The premium large format paralleled the style of sets produced by rival brand Fleer at the time in their “All-Star” and “Record Breaker” issues.
While produced in much lower print runs than the basic Topps set, the ’89 Topps Big cards did not possess the same scarcity as true rare parallel issues. Their distinctive oversized design has made them a popular niche subset sought after by both vintage collectors and investors even decades later. In top graded gem mint condition, key cards from the set featuring superstar players can sell for hundreds of dollars.
Even more than standard size cards from the late 1980s, the condition of ’89 Topps Big cards plays a huge role in their value since their larger physical size makes them more prone to centering, corner, and edge wear issues over time. Obtaining high grade specimens at auction is challenging and drives prices up for those that have survived in pristine condition protected in magnetic or hard plastic holders since issue.
Topps’ use of their “Big” branding and oversized card format for their 60th anniversary set in 1989 helped draw additional attention and commemorate the milestone. It was not the company’s first attempt at large size cards either, as they had experimented before with jumbo cards inserted in wax packs as bonus prizes. The ’89 Topps Big set stands out as the most complete parallel issue of its kind from Topps during the 1980s boom period in the hobby.
Even after three decades, the ’89 Topps Big cards retain their appeal to collectors seeking a premium commemorative version of that season’s standard set. They offer an enjoyable larger viewing experience of each player while maintaining the traditional cardboard format of a baseball card. The set is also a nostalgic reminder of Topps’ anniversary celebration during the tail end of the golden age for the company before licensing changes shook up the baseball card industry in later years.
For dedicated vintage collectors, finding high quality examples of ’89 Topps Big cards of their favorite players to add to a collection is often a multi-year pursuit. The set remains both a unique specialty subset and an iconic large format parallel issue worth seeking out to represent a pivotal year in Topps history during the late 1980s boom. Even after all these years, the oversized photos and stats continue to stand out in an impressive display that does justice to some of baseball’s greatest stars.
