Topps baseball cards were a huge part of the hobby in 1985. The iconic brand released several different standard and specialty sets that year that baseball card collectors far and wide scrambled to collect. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most noteworthy Topps card releases from 1985 and the key details collectors should know.
The standard 1985 Topps baseball card set numbered 660 cards as usual. This set stands out for several reasons. First, it marked Don Mattingly’s first Topps rookie card after winning the American League batting title and Rookie of the Year award in 1984 with the Yankees. Mattingly’s popular rookie jumped in value dramatically over the years. Second, it contained the final cards for several all-time great players like Gaylord Perry, Willie McCovey, Bill Madlock and Vida Blue, who all retired after 1984. It was also the last Topps set to feature current players’ signatures on every card.
In addition to the base set, Topps released several specialty subsets in 1985 that added to the excitement. One was the ’75 Topps Tribute’ subset honoring the 10-year anniversary of the iconic 1975 Topps design. It featured 25 player cards recreating the ’75 look including Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Rod Carew. Another was ‘Topps All-Stars’ which presented 25 career highlights of stars in a vertical photo format including Mike Schmidt’s 500th home run. ‘Topps Traded’ also debuted in 1985 with 81 black-bordered traded player cards after midseason transactions.
The highlight of the 1985 Topps offerings was undoubtedly the ‘Topps Traded & Rookies’ insert set. Included one per pack on a special gray card, it featured rookie cards for future Hall of Famers like Barry Larkin, Rickey Henderson, Dwight Gooden and Andy Van Slyke. Mark McGwire’s rookie from this set is among the most coveted and expensive of his career. The ‘Traded & Rookies’ cards brought another layer of excitement to the hobby with their elusive short prints and highly-sought rookie stars.
Topps also issued several innovative specialty sets beyond the standard. ‘Topps Super Spectaculars’ was an oddball set of players in unique posed action or portrait shots on larger 3 1/2 x 5 inches mini cards. ‘Topps Laser’ used an embossed foil process on player and team logos. And ‘Topps Sticker Materials’ inserted 5 foil sticker cards per pack depicting team logos and player images. Topps even tried their hand at non-sport cards with ‘Topps Traxx’, a 125-card set featuring locomotives, boats and other vehicles licensed from Ideal Toy Company.
Perhaps the most iconic Topps release of 1985 though was the much-anticipated ‘Topps Tiffany’. Only 3,000 sets were printed on high-quality card stock with a regal blueish gray border and wrapper. Each serialized 100-card set contained a autographed photo of Don Mattingly and proved extremely scarce. Still sealed Tiffany sets from 1985 today sell for thousands.
While it disappeared after 1985, ‘Topps ProCards’ experimented as the first MLB-licensed Pro Set brand. Its simple red design featured MLBPA logos and was popular at the time. Upper Deck would rise to prominence later but Topps dominated the baseball card landscape in 1985 with these amazing standard and insert sets that are still fondly remembered by collectors today. Key rookies, final cards and innovative approaches made the 1985 Topps offerings a true high point in the company’s rich history.
In summary, 1985 was a banner year for Topps baseball cards that featured many iconic and pioneering releases. From the standard set to inserts like ‘Traded & Rookies’ and premium editions such as ‘Topps Tiffany,’ Topps pushed the hobby to new creative heights. Legendary rookies, final cards and innovative concepts made the 1985 Topps offerings truly special and memorable for collectors. Even decades later, cards from 1985 Topps sets remain highly collectible and help tell the stories of that generation of baseball greats.
