The 1984 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the all-time classic cardboard issues and is highly sought after by collectors today due to several highly noteworthy rookie cards included. Issued annually since 1938, Topps dominated the baseball card market for decades and their 1984 offering contained several future Hall of Famers and other notable players among the 792 total cards in the set.
One of the most iconic rookie cards in the entire hobby is that of Cincinnati Reds first baseman/outfielder Tony Perez. After a stellar 17-year career largely spent with the Big Red Machine of the 1970s, Perez was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000. His rookie card depicts him as a member of the Montreal Expos and shows him batting left-handed. Due to the extreme popularity and success Perez achieved, along with the fact it was his true rookie season in the majors in 1964 at age 24, his 1984 Topps RC is one of the most valuable from the set, commonly graded at the PSA 9 or 10 level fetching prices upwards of $500.
Another highly sought after rookie card is that of Philadelphia Phillies hall of fame third baseman Mike Schmidt. Arguably one of the greatest right-handed hitters and power sources of all-time slammed 548 career home runs over a storied 19-year career entirely spent in Philadelphia from 1972-1989. His 1984 Topps rookie pays homage to his first full season in 1972 when he finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Graded gem mint examples often sell for $300-400 given his epic career stats and three NL MVP awards he amassed.
A true “holy grail” card for collectors is the rookie of Boston Red Sox/Chicago White Sox designated hitter Harold Baines. Despite amassing over 3000 career hits and appearing in 6 All-Star Games from 1980-2001, Baines has never been elected into the Hall of Fame. His 1984 Topps RC remains elusive for collectors due to the extremely low print run Topps utilized. Often considered one of the most difficult cards in the entire set to locate in high grade, ungraded examples still pull in $100-150 prices. One that achieved the prestigious PSA 10 Gem Mint rating recently sold at auction for an astounding $2,780, a true testament to its extreme scarcity.
One of the biggest stars of the 1980s was Los Angeles Dodgers/Oakland Athletics pitcher Orel Hershiser. After early success with the Dodgers, he had a true breakout season in 1988 when he set the MLB record with 59 consecutive scoreless innings and led LA to a World Series title while winning both the Cy Young and World Series MVP. His 1984 Topps card is certainly one of the more iconic from the set as it depicts him pitching for the Dodgers with an over-the-top windup. Higher graded versions near the PSA 8-10 range can fetch $150-300 on the open market.
Another Dodger featured is a rookie card showing a then-unknown pitcher named Fernando Valenzuela. Little did anyone know at the time “Fernandomania” was about to take the city and country by storm starting in 1981. Sporting a lively windup and screwball pitch few had ever seen, Valenzuela captured the NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards that season going 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 192 innings pitched. In high grade this card is one of the true heavy-hitters from the 1984 set, with gem mint PSA 10s bringing in over $1000 at auction due to his cult status.
Other noteworthy rookies found include Oakland Athletics third baseman Carney Lansford, who hit over .300 seven times in his career and made three All-Star teams from 1981-1990. His 1984 Topps RC typically sells in the $40-80 range. Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Morris had a breakout 1984 season and won 254 games from 1977-1994 while earning World Series MVP honors in 1991. Higher quality examples of his rookie card from a 9-10 grade can reach the $100-200 price point.
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Tom Herr had a lengthy 10-year career while making an All-Star team in 1987 and provides a low-end option to collect graded around a PSA 8 for under $10. Dodgers reliever Bob Welch has increased in popularity since authoring one of the rarest feats in baseball history by tossing a perfect game in 1990 after having been traded to the Oakland Athletics. His rookie card sells modestly for around $20-30. Seattle Mariners outfielder Greg Briley only played parts of three seasons but his ’84 Topps RC can be acquired for under $5 in lower grades.
The 1984 Topps baseball card set is loaded with stars both well known and relatively obscure that have increased greatly in demand and value by collectors in modern times. Headlined by the hugely significant rookie cards of Perez, Schmidt, Hershiser and especially Valenzuela, this issue will always be remembered as producing several true heavyweight rookie cards that stand tall among the most iconic and valuable of the entire vintage collecting scene. With patience and savvy, completing this classic 792-card set at affordable levels is still realistic, making it a fun and rewarding project for enthusiasts of the 1980s cardboard era.
